It’s a big job when the entire kitchen is moved from one storey to the next.
The old kitchen was a typical 1970s wood-grain finish with orange laminate benchtops, but for some strange reason it had been located on the top level of this two-storey home. It was highly ineffectual in that position so the owners decided to undertake a large-scale renovation to move the kitchen to a more appropriate location, and also to create an extension to house the kitchen and an alfresco entertaining space. This was a fairly complicated undertaking requiring the expertise of construction engineers, numerous council approvals and an entirely new slab to create the base upon which the new kitchen could be constructed. Considering the house was built with plenty of wasted space — the dining room and lounge room were also upstairs — this renovation was well worth the effort. One of the first items on the owners’ wish list was plenty of “mod cons”, including soft-close drawers and hinges, pull-out units, non-slip mats and plenty of drawers for storage. Adjacent to the kitchen, a new set of large bi-fold doors open out to the alfresco entertaining area which looks over the pool and Bali-inspired temple. An easy-care polyurethane finish creates a soft backdrop for the bright-blue glass splashback, which reflects the blue of the pool and creates a cohesive design element both inside and out. The new space is perfect for entertaining, with an easy flow from kitchen to dining room and outside. The layout and location of work spaces within the kitchen are convenient when catering for a crowd, while the island bench is the perfect spot for a quick cuppa and catch up with family and friends.