| 1. Go to the dark side Yes, we love our light, but it’s time to embrace the darker shades too. When you have plenty of windows... |
| Rich, even murky colours for cabinets and benches were all over the Milan design fairs this year, and are starting to grow... |
| Start with a black bench and splashback (and now, even black sink and taps), softened with a wood veneer for cabinets and... |
| Even the most humble of cabinet materials, plywood, gets a modern update when paired with tailored black subway tiles. Crisp... |
| 2. Embrace your country roots For too many years, country-style decor has had a bad rap. Blame it on the surfeit of roosters... |
| Country details of panelled doors, traditional pull handles and a carefully curated plate rack, with bold punches of colour,... |
| 3. Warm up with timber In Europe, it’s the dark, rich timbers that have taken over, but in New Zealand mid to pale shades... |
| An all-wood kitchen springs to life with stainless steel and a standout coloured splashback. With touches of wicker and tropical... |
| 4. Appreciate the past When every second villa or bungalow renovation involves slapping a modern white box on the back of... |
| This Cambridge, Waikato kitchen by Juliet Coleman could be old, could be new – and that’s the secret. Old school panelled... |
| 5. Bring the view inside There are no rules that say that kitchens should have a bench- level window. Admittedly, Koia Architects... |
| But even with a more modest suburban outlook, carefully placed full-length windows draw the outside into the kitchen. A splashback... |
| Where there are no neighbours within shouting distance, indulge in one or more full glazed walls. Special films help cut... |
| 6. Keep mess out of sight The social kitchen means a place of two halves – the generous bar for guests to sit and admire... |
| Or create a second messy kitchen in the scullery – perfect for pot clean-up, messy prep and all the less attractive food... |
| 7. Merge with the living and dining room It’s the kitchen feature that Kiwis love the most – no boundaries between the cook,... |
| Merging indoors and out is one of the best ways to keep the kitchen at the heart of the home. Here, Wellington interior designer... |
