Stickybeak of the Week: A Scandi-Style Kitchen With Family at Its Heart
This bright, sophisticated kitchen-cum-dining room shows that neither linoeum nor laminate can stand in the way of modern functionality
Once a 1970s time warp of pink, green and brown, this Ballarat kitchen has since been transformed into a light-filled hub of activity. With three kids under 11, a busy farmer and a dedicated law student to contend with, interior designer Janice King-Smith of White Elk Interiors knew the space had to suit a bustling family lifestyle. The brief was to create a fresh, modern and functional kitchen and dining space, with plenty of storage and space to entertain. This meant a dramatic transformation was in order.
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A young family with three children
Location: Ballarat, Victoria
Size: 34 square metres
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A young family with three children
Location: Ballarat, Victoria
Size: 34 square metres
When the family moved into their new home in 2014, one of the first rooms that needed renovating was the outdated ’70s-style kitchen. Aiming for modern functionality with a Scandinavian edge, King-Smith revamped the kitchen with new finishes, fittings, equipment, furniture, lighting and window treatments. “This is a busy family space. It is truly the hub of their home. It gets used for everything,” she says.
The green laminate on the benchtops was replaced with easy-to-maintain Ceaserstone. Old timber veneer cabinets were replaced with grey and white Polytec Createc, and the drab flooring was swapped for whitewashed engineered oak floorboards. The homeowners are also eco-conscious and requested that King-Smith use eco-friendly materials and building methods during the renovation. Forest Stewardship Council-certified flooring was sourced, along with volatile organic compound-free paint.
Overall, these replacements served to create a brighter and more spacious kitchen and dining area, which is also functional and easy to clean.
Overall, these replacements served to create a brighter and more spacious kitchen and dining area, which is also functional and easy to clean.
The original kitchen layout was left in tact, which not only fit with the budget, but also functioned well for the family. To make the space more open, King-Smith removed the overhead cabinets and added a wall of cabinetry for storage and small appliances, which sits opposite the kitchen bench space.
Some of these cabinets house electronics and general purpose outlets, for hiding gadgets and keeping benchtops uncluttered. Clever choices such as the white gloss dishwasher help appliances blend in with the rest of the cabinetry.
Some of these cabinets house electronics and general purpose outlets, for hiding gadgets and keeping benchtops uncluttered. Clever choices such as the white gloss dishwasher help appliances blend in with the rest of the cabinetry.
King-Smith juxtaposed gloss and matt surfaces throughout her design. This, along with well-thought-out placement of task and general lighting, helps to add some texture and liveliness to the space.
The hexagonal tiles used in the splashback pay homage to the ’70s heritage of the home. But the brand new Belling range cooker – the only piece the owner was set on to be a part of the kitchen – takes pride of place opposite the breakfast bar.
The hexagonal tiles used in the splashback pay homage to the ’70s heritage of the home. But the brand new Belling range cooker – the only piece the owner was set on to be a part of the kitchen – takes pride of place opposite the breakfast bar.
To create a more open-plan living area, the wall leading to the adjacent living room was knocked down. A new pellet stove (which burns compressed wood or biomass pellets) was installed in the dining room. This adds extra warmth to the kitchen as the heat travels through. King-Smith also had a hydronic heating panel wall-mounted, to keep the kitchen extra cosy during winter.
“The clients wanted something a little bit Moroccan added to the space, so we installed the beautiful Coco pendant light in the living area,” says King-Smith. Its arabesque shape and white colour work perfectly with the room.
“The clients wanted something a little bit Moroccan added to the space, so we installed the beautiful Coco pendant light in the living area,” says King-Smith. Its arabesque shape and white colour work perfectly with the room.
The house sits on a hill surrounded by beautiful gardens and views of the city. Because of this enviable location, King-Smith says that she could “see immediately that the view out the dining room window was our focal point”.
King-Smith removed existing heavy, pink curtains from the space, replacing them with a crisp, modern treatment of white blinds and timber surrounds that both frames the space and allows light to bounce off each surface. In this way, she ensured that the lush greenery and welcoming morning sun could be enjoyed. The original timber trim around the windows was salvaged to tie into the rest of the home’s wood cabinetry, and to add warmth and contrast to the space. Hints of darker timber balance out the dark brown aluminium in the window frames.
The family enjoy meals at the secondhand Australian beech dining table, which was sourced and sealed by King-Smith.
King-Smith removed existing heavy, pink curtains from the space, replacing them with a crisp, modern treatment of white blinds and timber surrounds that both frames the space and allows light to bounce off each surface. In this way, she ensured that the lush greenery and welcoming morning sun could be enjoyed. The original timber trim around the windows was salvaged to tie into the rest of the home’s wood cabinetry, and to add warmth and contrast to the space. Hints of darker timber balance out the dark brown aluminium in the window frames.
The family enjoy meals at the secondhand Australian beech dining table, which was sourced and sealed by King-Smith.
With a warm yet modern palette and cleverly designed zones for eating, homework and entertaining, this Ballarat family will no doubt be able to make the most of this wonderful update for years to come.