A Characterful Apartment Kitchen That Connects With Nature
A new layout, improved flow and a verdant colour palette breathe new life into the kitchen of an Art Deco apartment
Georgia Madden
18 June 2020
In this Q&A series, we turn the spotlight on one thought-provoking renovation each week. Here, Will Crutchley, a builder and director at Hatch Constructions Group, shares the journey of revitalising the kitchen and outdoor area and extending the floor plan in a Sydney Art Deco unit in NSW.
Images by Rebecca Vanderhoek
Answers by Will Crutchley, a builder and director at Hatch Constructions Group
Who lives here: A young couple with a toddler
Location: Bellevue Hill, NSW
Size of the kitchen before works: Around eight square metres
Size of the kitchen after works: The new kitchen/dining area measures around 16 square metres
Builder: Hatch Constructions Group
Styling: Alexandra Marrotte at Amarot Spatial Design
Answers by Will Crutchley, a builder and director at Hatch Constructions Group
Who lives here: A young couple with a toddler
Location: Bellevue Hill, NSW
Size of the kitchen before works: Around eight square metres
Size of the kitchen after works: The new kitchen/dining area measures around 16 square metres
Builder: Hatch Constructions Group
Styling: Alexandra Marrotte at Amarot Spatial Design
The kitchen and dining area before works
Describe the home
An apartment in a small 1920s block with gardens and sweeping views.
Eager to start on your new kitchen? Get in touch with a local designer on Houzz
Describe the home
An apartment in a small 1920s block with gardens and sweeping views.
Eager to start on your new kitchen? Get in touch with a local designer on Houzz
The floor plan after works
Gained
Gained
- A spacious, open-plan kitchen that connects with the living area and balcony.
- A new larger balcony.
- Generous storage.
- Natural light through floor-to-ceiling windows and exterior doors.
- Indoor-outdoor connection.
What was the original kitchen like?
It was small and located at the rear of the house where it led onto a small balcony overlooking the garden. It was dark, short on storage and bench space, and it felt disconnected from the living and entertaining areas.
It was small and located at the rear of the house where it led onto a small balcony overlooking the garden. It was dark, short on storage and bench space, and it felt disconnected from the living and entertaining areas.
Incorporating reeded glass-fronted cabinets into the top of the built-in cabinetry prevents the unit from looking too heavy, while maximising storage potential.
Brief
Brief
- Open up the back of the house and increase the floor space to allow for a larger kitchen and a covered balcony.
- To make the kitchen the central point of the home where the client could do everything from entertain and eat family meals to watch their child play while they’re prepping dinner.
- A dynamic, sophisticated and child-friendly style.
- A colour palette that steered away from white.
What were the client’s must-haves?
More light, ample storage and bench space.
What was the budget?
Around $220,000.
Where did most of it go?
On structural supports and the relocation of walls to open up the space.
The renovation involved underpinning by hand to the front bedroom and old kitchen to allow for the installation of the new balcony. We removed 20 tonnes of sand by hand!
More light, ample storage and bench space.
What was the budget?
Around $220,000.
Where did most of it go?
On structural supports and the relocation of walls to open up the space.
The renovation involved underpinning by hand to the front bedroom and old kitchen to allow for the installation of the new balcony. We removed 20 tonnes of sand by hand!
What exactly did you do?
- Demolished the old kitchen and balcony and extended the property’s footprint by installing new structural steel to support the property above and redefine the rear building facade.
- Removed the external brick wall between the kitchen and balcony and replaced it with floor-to-ceiling, custom-made bi-fold doors. This allowed for connection between the kitchen and deck.
- Installed a new kitchen/dining area including custom joinery, top-end appliances, oak flooring, and a natural stone benchtop and splashback.
- Installed a new covered balcony.
- Installed new electrics and plumbing throughout the home.
Rich-green cabinetry (Dulux Ecology Green) visually connects the kitchen to the garden.
What were the main challenges?
Extending the kitchen and balcony meant there would be less light in this south-west facing apartment. We recommended using light floors and incorporating full-height windows to make the space feel lighter and brighter.
Why do you think this kitchen works so well?
It has generous proportions, an easy-to-navigate open-plan layout and unique styling.
Also, charming little touches brought the kitchen aesthetic together, such as the high sections of timber in the joinery that came from sections of the flooring.
But largely, the success of the project comes down to the client’s trust in their builder.
What were the main challenges?
Extending the kitchen and balcony meant there would be less light in this south-west facing apartment. We recommended using light floors and incorporating full-height windows to make the space feel lighter and brighter.
Why do you think this kitchen works so well?
It has generous proportions, an easy-to-navigate open-plan layout and unique styling.
Also, charming little touches brought the kitchen aesthetic together, such as the high sections of timber in the joinery that came from sections of the flooring.
But largely, the success of the project comes down to the client’s trust in their builder.
Interior fixtures and fittings:
Interior materials palette:
Paint colours:
Your turn
What’s your favourite feature here? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story, save the images for inspiration, and join the conversation.
More
Craving more on kitchens? Don’t miss this Before and After: A Kitchen That was Spun Around and Extended
- Steel Door custom-made steel doors and windows.
- Handle House brass handles.
- Silver Cornices ceiling roses.
- Emac & Lawton lighting.
- Brodware Manhattan tapware set in Brushed Nordic Brass.
- Candana Novi Ribbed Fireclay butlers sink.
Interior materials palette:
- Benchtops and splashback in WK Stone Sea Pearl quartzite with a leather finish.
- Joinery in MDF board with a polyurethane finish.
- Joinery supplied by Delta Joinery and installed by Hatch Constructions Group.
- Tongue n Groove Chamoisee Eterno Piccolo oak flooring.
Paint colours:
- Dulux Ecology Green to cabinetry.
- Dulux Antique White USA to walls.
Your turn
What’s your favourite feature here? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story, save the images for inspiration, and join the conversation.
More
Craving more on kitchens? Don’t miss this Before and After: A Kitchen That was Spun Around and Extended
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A great home and beautiful surroundings
Stunning. Imagine having that view with nature. Beautifully done, the colour of the kitchen units is spot on . Fantastic job
I really love this renovation. The long window panels that go all the way to the floor are such a great way to connect the upstairs to the outdoors. Our house is in a flood zone so its raised a good height and there is such a disconnect with the garden. I am going to use this idea and get some nice views down to the garden.