We put a lot into every space we design, this kitchen though has left us with a little house envy! The modern design of this kitchen, it's layers and materials are striking, rich and the clean simple details are (in our opinion) perfect.
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| 3D CAD CGI images created for the client prior to construction. |
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| Before - This house had a major renovation and restoration. |
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Description
of the House, its local & occupants
A dilapidated two bedroom,
timber clad, 1920’s heritage listed home in Sydney's Crows Nest was in desperate
need of saving. Its life for the past 10 years had been home to squatters and
the homeless. Situated close to the city, cafes and schools the new owners
believed it had great potential to be transformed/renovated into their
magnificent family home.
As this home was to be their
“forever” one; and with young girls leading into their pre teen years this
space had to cater to the family’s busy lifestyle & had to do justice to
the heritage of the old and the proposed modern architecture for the rear
extension.
Therefore with walls crumbling
and covered in graffiti this family of four took it on and looked forward to
the houses transformation with bated breath. In return they saw an ugly ducking
totally transform in to a swan.
The
Brief
As this home was to be their
“forever” one; and with young girls leading into their pre teen years this
space had to cater for the family’s modern busy lifestyle & had to do
justice to the heritage and the proposed modern architecture for the rear
extension.
The family room incorporating the
kitchen was to be strikingly beautiful that conveyed not only warmth but also
sleek aesthetics. Function was paramount, as it had to suit the family’s busy
life style.
·
Function.
Function. Function
·
Must
cater to their families busy lives
·
Long
4m island unit
·
Eat
in kitchen
·
Organization
· Quality materials,
fixtures & fittings a MUST
·
Convey
Warmth
·
Something
different – did not want a run of the mill kitchen
·
Cater
to large extended family get together
·
Work
with plumbing layouts & adjoining laundry location.
CONSTRAINTS:
·
Heritage
·
Clients
expectation of perfection
·
Had
to work with plumbing set in concrete
·
Had
to have direct access to adjoining laundry
Design Statement - How the requirements of the client
brief were achieved & problems solved
The
arrival into this space is simply breath taking! Upon entry you are struck by the charming
restoration work that has resurrected this lovely cottage. Period details abound within a modern context
of todays living requirements. As you progress, one is then greeted with a
glass ceiling connection. Here history
stops and today begins. The space opens to a crisp, modern living area. This
kitchen was to be unlike any other, a stand out piece of joinery that would
integrate the clients’ desires of modern functional living.
The rationale
of the designer had to be different in this project. Many aspects had to be
considered. The island unit at 4 metres
or as close to as possible; the access to the laundry had to be through the
kitchen; and the plumbing for the sink in the island could not move. A gallery
style kitchen was chosen for the layout.
The
designer addressed the laundry access as it played a large part in the accessibility
to the kitchen; and its integration was high on the designer’s list. To solve
this, the tall pantry, refrigerator and oven towers were created adjacent to
the laundry access. All these tall
elements: the doors, the laundry wall and its door were finished in the
selected warm veneer, cleverly concealing not only the laundry entry, but also,
the refrigeration, pantry and oven towers. The remaining wall elevation of
joinery was utilised for the cooktop and preparation set-downs either
side. There is plenty of deep drawer
storage under bench (700mm deep benchtops) for the clients need for total
organisation. Cooking paraphernalia is
only an arms length away. The overheads units are all electronic. A simple touch of a button and the doors lift
by way of a bi-fold mechanism with Blum Servo Drive to completely reveal
glassware and other small items. The
overheads also conceal the rangehood unit, ensuring the clean lines and
furniture like appearance remains intact.
One major
challenge to the designer was the late engagement. Commencement on the design ensued after the concrete
slab had been poured. Therefore the sink
waste had already been positioned within island location and could not be moved. Luckily the request for a long island unit was
achievable and within this the double bowl sink was positioned. Also along the island unit the dishwasher,
recycling bins and further deep drawer storage. An open section was also added
so face to face discussions could happen or for when informal dining on the stools
was chosen. A dining table was added at
the end of the space for the family gatherings and meals, another client
request. The warmth of a solid walnut
timber top was chosen which tied all timber finishes together within the kitchen.
As the
kitchen was only part of the overall project for the designer, it meant a large
format tile, which was sourced for the bathrooms (3000mm x 1000mm x 6mm) could
also be used to tie in the interior scheme in this area. To compliment this a matching plain grey tile of
the same size was applied to the floor. These tiles were special order from
Italy meaning thorough planning and setout with quantities had to be prepared
very early. These tiles added extra
warmth and texture to the palette of timber and whites, which included large
solid surface benchtops and a crisp white paint finish.
Complimented
with top quality appliances and state of the art hardware and fittings, this
kitchen design oozes perfection, to the point of house envy even to the
designers themselves! We are thrilled with the result of this kitchen project,
keep a watch out as there are three amazing bathrooms that will come with this
amazing kitchen design.
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