This kitchen was installed in a 1950s home which recently underwent some interior renovations.

The clients wanted a simple, unfussy kitchen with plenty of storage, 2 ovens and an upstand in front of the sink in an asymmetric island. They wanted to incorporate stone, timber veneer, stainless steel and the colour white.

The clients were happy to follow my suggestion to extend the southern wall of the kitchen. The extra length provides space for the fridge and creates an entry alcove on the other side.

The removal of an existing hallway door created a considerably lengthy storage wall. This became a challenge to design joinery that would not overwhelm the rest of the kitchen. The solution was splitting the space into bench and tall storage. Viewed from the entry, guests see the bench unit which hints of what lies beyond and from the dining area the entry bench resembles a miniature of the island. This unit provides a handy surface for depositing bags of groceries.

It’s always a challenge to make an upstand on an island visually interesting.  With the kitchen already having a foreground, middle-ground and background the idea of creating layers to the upstand area came to mind. The optical illusion of the upstand piercing through bench, simultaneously with timber drawers piercing the vertical stone slab, suspended above floor becomes a focal.

The pattern in the stone and addition of the pressed tin accessories give the space a link back to an older era.