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Before & After: A Designer's New Multitasking Family Kitchen
From a cramped 'prison of yellowed timber' to a chic, bright, functional kitchen. See how this designer and owner did it
In a Q&A format, we talk to the designers – and examine the creative thinking – behind some of Houzz’s most loveable rooms.
The kitchen before works
What was the original kitchen like?
It was very small and did not complement the size of our five-bedroom, three-bathroom home.
It was a prison of yellowed timber cupboards and chunky granite benchtops, a bricked-in pantry and fridge, and a tiny window to the paved yard.
Really, it was a one-cook kitchen; there was no room for anyone else to come in and participate in meal preparation or chat to the cook.
What was the original kitchen like?
It was very small and did not complement the size of our five-bedroom, three-bathroom home.
It was a prison of yellowed timber cupboards and chunky granite benchtops, a bricked-in pantry and fridge, and a tiny window to the paved yard.
Really, it was a one-cook kitchen; there was no room for anyone else to come in and participate in meal preparation or chat to the cook.
The kitchen before works
What did you want from the new kitchen?
We wanted an efficient kitchen to use during the week, which was also beautiful and spacious enough for weekend cooking and entertaining.
Personally, I wanted a super-size island bench with sculptural qualities that would be like a large piece of bespoke furniture in the open-plan space.
Done with your dated kitchen? Create your dream cooking space with the help of a kitchen designer on Houzz – find one here
What did you want from the new kitchen?
We wanted an efficient kitchen to use during the week, which was also beautiful and spacious enough for weekend cooking and entertaining.
Personally, I wanted a super-size island bench with sculptural qualities that would be like a large piece of bespoke furniture in the open-plan space.
Done with your dated kitchen? Create your dream cooking space with the help of a kitchen designer on Houzz – find one here
The kitchen during works
What did you do?
What did you do?
- We opened up and extended the entire room to create a spacious, open-plan kitchen/living/dining space that leads to a new alfresco entertaining area. This also involved extending the roofline.
- Removing walls left some services on show, in particular some pipes running down from an upstairs bathroom. This ‘services stack’ informed the design of the kitchen and I decided to make it a feature of the island.
- The pipes were wrapped in insulation and framed in a pillar, which was covered in handmade Japanese ceramic tiles (and I love how it hides the sinks from the living space).
The floor plan after works
- We had to install quite a lot of steel beams to take the weight of the walls we removed and these lowered the ceiling, so the whole design intent was to make the area feel as spacious as possible and keep the eye travelling out to the garden.
- For this reason, we carried the timber flooring through the open-plan area, and chose not to install any pendant lights in the kitchen or lights around the bulkheads that might draw attention.
The appliance cupboard
Tell us about the layout
There are five adults in the house who all like to use the kitchen, so I knew it had to be big. But I didn’t want to have to walk miles to cook a meal. So I zoned it, dividing the pantry into an area for cooking ingredients at one end and snacks and an appliance cupboard at the other.
The idea behind the layout is that the busy areas – the fridge, microwave and rubbish bin – can be accessed from either end of the kitchen while the cook can get on with their work in the middle.
I was also mindful that the kitchen opened onto the living space and alfresco area, and I wanted the kitchen to feel like a beautiful place within the greater architecture of the open-plan space. I used a large sculptural island bench, fully clad in stone, to anchor the kitchen and chose materials that were simple and strong.
Tell us about the layout
There are five adults in the house who all like to use the kitchen, so I knew it had to be big. But I didn’t want to have to walk miles to cook a meal. So I zoned it, dividing the pantry into an area for cooking ingredients at one end and snacks and an appliance cupboard at the other.
The idea behind the layout is that the busy areas – the fridge, microwave and rubbish bin – can be accessed from either end of the kitchen while the cook can get on with their work in the middle.
I was also mindful that the kitchen opened onto the living space and alfresco area, and I wanted the kitchen to feel like a beautiful place within the greater architecture of the open-plan space. I used a large sculptural island bench, fully clad in stone, to anchor the kitchen and chose materials that were simple and strong.
The entertainer’s bar next to the living space has a separate full-size fridge beside it, making drinks storage and access easy
The entertainer’s bar is located beside the living area and features a full-height fridge to make drink storage easy.
It is used for many things: a tea and coffee station, somewhere to prep work lunches and water bottles, and a drinks area when we entertain. As it’s positioned right next to the living area, I wanted it to feel a little bit luxe, so I added a mirrored splashback.
The entertainer’s bar is located beside the living area and features a full-height fridge to make drink storage easy.
It is used for many things: a tea and coffee station, somewhere to prep work lunches and water bottles, and a drinks area when we entertain. As it’s positioned right next to the living area, I wanted it to feel a little bit luxe, so I added a mirrored splashback.
Key design aspects
Colour palette:
Colour palette:
- The Tasmanian oak flooring in the original house formed the basis of the colour palette in the new kitchen and open-plan living/dining.
- Dulux Lexicon Quarter added soft grey to the ceilings, bulkheads and walls.
- Soft green-grey cabinetry.
- The benchtops and island surround are a white composite stone with soft grey flecks.
- Handles in timber and stainless steel.
- Tapware in brushed chrome.
The entertainer’s bar
Materials palette:
Your turn
What is your favourite feature here? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save these images for inspiration, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Keen to see more clever redesigns? Don’t miss this Before & After: A New Tune for a Pianist’s Art Deco Flat
Materials palette:
- Polytec woodgrain-effect melamine in a bespoke colour to the cabinetry.
- Tasmanian oak flooring.
- Smartstone in Arcadia to the benchtops and island surround.
- Castella handles in timber and stainless steel.
- Myaree Ceramics Kayo Border ceramic tiles in Matt White to the island feature.
- Zip Water tapware in brushed chrome.
Your turn
What is your favourite feature here? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save these images for inspiration, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Keen to see more clever redesigns? Don’t miss this Before & After: A New Tune for a Pianist’s Art Deco Flat
Answers by Adela Sivewright, interior designer and principal at Adela Sivewright Interiors
Who lives here: The designer, her husband and their three adult children
Location: Bibra Lake, WA
Room purpose and size: An open-plan kitchen measuring around 16 square metres with an adjoining scullery and entertainer’s bar
Budget: Around $50,000
Designer: Adela Sivewright Interiors
Builder: Bellagio Homes
Styling: Ella Doddemead
How did Houzz help with this project?
I found my photographer, Carla Atley, on Houzz when I read a Room of the Week feature.
I really love how fast the proposals are to prepare on Houzz Pro, and have been steadily building up my library using the Clipper tool.
But by far the best feature of Houzz had been the follow-up calls from my contact in the program. These have encouraged me to try out all the features and get the most out of the program.