The homeowners of this beautiful villa home were looking for a new kitchen that revitalised their family space. The existing kitchen location was to be retained, but opened up to the dining room. New appliances, increased storage, and a remodelled laundry/pantry was on their request list. Seating for at least three at the kitchen bar was asked for, along with a restrained design and a subtle, but interesting palette of materials.

Structurally, two narrow walls and a false beam were removed to open up and connect the new kitchen with the adjoining living/dining space. Once this was done, the location of the fridge was moved from the back of the kitchen and brought forward into a more central and accessible location. A new side-by-side fridge/freezer combination was then integrated into a new bank of tall storage to attain the requested simple, clean lines.

These tall cabinets, housing the fridge, freezer, and small pantry were extended down the entire exterior north wall. At the opposite end of the wall, an oven tower containing two Gaggenau ovens was built, with a deep stainless steel benchtop/cooktop spanning the two tall elements in between.

The simple contemporary lines of the this back wall of cabinetry, with its recessed handles, are softened by the use of tongue-and-groove look cabinetry. This assures that it sits comfortably within the aesthetics of the renovated villa.

The standout feature of this kitchen is its peninsula, designed and made to like it has been carved from a single piece of honed Pietra Grey Marble, with a cut-away section for the requested seating. On the rear side of the peninsula the wide drawer fronts are in a complementary dark grey, offsetting the white cabinetry of the back wall.

Tucked away at the rear of the kitchen is a small, but useful scullery containing a deep stainless steel bench and sink, open shelving, and the dishwasher. This room also contains the home’s laundry, neatly hidden behind a set of bi-fold doors.

The result is a classic, understated, functional kitchen that will remain in vogue for many years to come.