Benson Road Kitchen.

The existing kitchen, located in a very long and narrow space, was not functional; mainly because of the 6.5-metre island, which divided the space into two. The hob and fridge areas were cramped, and the two circular sinks on the island were way too small to be useful, as was the pantry space that felt like it was just an afterthought.

The client wanted to take the space from being dark and moody to bright and light. He also wanted better circulation and access around the kitchen, and the cooking area to be kept off island and on the back wall. His appliance choices were for a steam combi oven as well as standard oven, and also a gas hob with powerful woke burner. Finally, and importantly, he requested better access to the adjacent outdoor patio area, and to make his new kitchen a great space to entertain in and be around.

Fundamental to a workable kitchen was to address the circulation issue. We did this by creating two identical islands instead of one, thus allowing movement/access through the centre of the kitchen. The two islands are mirror images of each other, featuring a waterfall at one end and an open, cantilevered benchtop at the other. Corian Witch Hazel was used as the benchtop material on both islands – giving a natural, soft, organic feel to the space. We also gave the front facet an angled front edge, which also helps to soften the impact of having two large islands in the long, narrow space. To add more texture, the island fronts and sides have custom-routed feature panels.

The back wall was completely reconfigured and a new structural beam added to allow for a longer bench space beneath. This area is flanked by an integrated fridge on one side and tall storage on the other. For simplicity and continuity, we used Corian Witch Hazel for the benchtop and also for the splashback. I also wrapped the inner walls of this space with the Corian and created a feature bulkhead to house the extractor. This was then coated in an Aged Brass Metalier finish, which gives a soft contrast to the Corian. A bead of whitewashed oak frames this area.

A new paint colour was chosen for walls – Aalto Iota, a soft white – along with the black floor being sanded and whitewashed. The existing alcoves at either end of kitchen weren’t deep enough for meaningful cupboards, so we re-purposed them with ‘floating’ oak display shelves and LED lighting, and left them open.

The pantry was completely reconfigured and finished in similar colours and materials to the kitchen. An additional fridge and freezer was installed to act as an overflow when entertaining.