Room of the Week: An Apartment Kitchen With Killer Curves
Soft-blue cabinetry, brass details and lashings of curves give this redesigned kitchen a playful yet elegant feel
Georgia Madden
16 September 2019
In a Q&A format, we talk to the designers – and examine the creative thinking – behind some of Houzz’s most loveable rooms.
Images by Drew Wheeler
Answers by Caitlin Parker, interior designer and director at Parker Studio, and Chris Ruffé, director of Bondi Kitchens, the company that made the kitchen joinery
Who lives here: A couple
Location: Rose Bay, NSW
Room purpose and size: An open-plan kitchen measuring approximately 12 square metres
Interior designer: Parker Studio
Custom joinery: Bondi Kitchens
Answers by Caitlin Parker, interior designer and director at Parker Studio, and Chris Ruffé, director of Bondi Kitchens, the company that made the kitchen joinery
Who lives here: A couple
Location: Rose Bay, NSW
Room purpose and size: An open-plan kitchen measuring approximately 12 square metres
Interior designer: Parker Studio
Custom joinery: Bondi Kitchens
Brief
Parker: To keep the original footprint of the kitchen and reconfigure it to create something practical and beautiful.
Thinking of re-doing your kitchen? Find a kitchen designer near you on Houzz who can help
Parker: To keep the original footprint of the kitchen and reconfigure it to create something practical and beautiful.
Thinking of re-doing your kitchen? Find a kitchen designer near you on Houzz who can help
What was the apartment like originally?
Parker: With its elegant parquet flooring and classic detailing, the apartment has an art deco feel, but it was actually built around 2001.
The original kitchen had dark granite benchtops, timber veneer cupboards and cream ceramic floor tiles.
Ruffé: The tired cabinetry was reflective of what was popular a few decades ago – semi-gloss teak with black detailing.
Parker: With its elegant parquet flooring and classic detailing, the apartment has an art deco feel, but it was actually built around 2001.
The original kitchen had dark granite benchtops, timber veneer cupboards and cream ceramic floor tiles.
Ruffé: The tired cabinetry was reflective of what was popular a few decades ago – semi-gloss teak with black detailing.
What wasn’t working for the owners about the original kitchen?
Parker: The style was outdated and the return bar top on the U-shaped kitchen bench didn’t suit their needs.
Parker: The style was outdated and the return bar top on the U-shaped kitchen bench didn’t suit their needs.
What were the client’s must-haves?
Parker:
Parker:
- Colour (our clients love colour).
- A classic kitchen style with a modern twist.
- A walk-in pantry.
- An easily accessible place to hide everyday appliances such as the kettle and toaster.
Starting point
Parker: The owners have an eye for detail and are not afraid of colour. They gave us creative freedom to present a scheme and they loved the aptly named cabinetry colour we proposed – Dulux Classic Calm – as they wanted their home to reflect just that.
To give the clients the classic-meets-contemporary feel they were after, we designed the kitchen with fine Shaker-style framing.
Parker: The owners have an eye for detail and are not afraid of colour. They gave us creative freedom to present a scheme and they loved the aptly named cabinetry colour we proposed – Dulux Classic Calm – as they wanted their home to reflect just that.
To give the clients the classic-meets-contemporary feel they were after, we designed the kitchen with fine Shaker-style framing.
Floor plan after works
What was the budget?
Parker: Approximately $60,000.
Where did most of the budget go?
On the custom kitchen joinery.
What was the budget?
Parker: Approximately $60,000.
Where did most of the budget go?
On the custom kitchen joinery.
What exactly did you do?
Parker:
Parker:
- Removed the existing floor tiles and continued the timber parquet floor through to the kitchen to create a sense of flow in the open-plan space.
- Gutted the kitchen and changed the layout to create space for a walk-in pantry and appliance cupboard. The pantry was fitted with retractable, bi-fold doors that disappear into side pockets so the clients can easily hide away mess when they are entertaining.
- Changed the orientation of the benchtop in order to open up the kitchen to the dining area and provide extra seating in the kitchen.
- Put in an integrated fridge to make the kitchen feel more luxurious.
What was your thinking behind the arrangement of furniture and fixtures?
Parker:
Parker:
- Brass accents in the handles and light fixtures highlight the jewel-tone green cabinetry.
- Incorporating curves into the kitchen cabinetry adds softness and simplicity. Plus, curves are a recurring theme in this apartment and it was important for us to maintain design consistency.
- With the curved splashback, we wanted to challenge the traditional square splashback, which we believe has been around for too long.
- The marble oval dining table allows for a better flow to the kitchen and easier access to the balcony.
What look and feel were you trying to achieve with the kitchen cabinetry?
Ruffé: A modern take on classic Shaker styling, introducing curved elements and slimline Shaker panels.
What challenges did you work around?
Parker: Matching the parquet flooring was quite a challenge, as the original timber species was no longer available and we had to use a different hardwood. This came with the risk that the floor stain colour might show up differently. To prevent this, we experimented with multiple samples with our floor stainer to get a seamless result.
Ruffé: A modern take on classic Shaker styling, introducing curved elements and slimline Shaker panels.
What challenges did you work around?
Parker: Matching the parquet flooring was quite a challenge, as the original timber species was no longer available and we had to use a different hardwood. This came with the risk that the floor stain colour might show up differently. To prevent this, we experimented with multiple samples with our floor stainer to get a seamless result.
Key design aspects
Colour palette: Blue-green, white, pale grey and natural timber.
Paint colours:
Colour palette: Blue-green, white, pale grey and natural timber.
Paint colours:
- Dulux Classic Calm to kitchen joinery.
- Dulux Vivid White to all walls and the custom curved joinery unit in the hallway (pictured at the end of this story).
Materials palette:
Key pieces of furniture/fittings:
- Verde Chambray marble to the kitchen peninsula benchtop and the curved hallway credenza (pictured below).
- Carrara Gioia marble to the other benchtops and the splashback.
Key pieces of furniture/fittings:
- Custom cabinetry by Bondi Kitchens.
- GlobeWest bar stools and dining chairs.
- Zest Lighting pendant light.
- Hepburn Hardware Sydney D-pull brass handles to cabinetry.
Why do you think this room works?
Parker: It is bold, beautiful and, most importantly, functional.
Parker: It is bold, beautiful and, most importantly, functional.
The curved lines of the handmade hallway credenza by Bondi Kitchens blend with the style of the kitchen. The floating design enhances the sense of space in the hallway.
Your turn
Do you love this kitchen makeover as much as we do? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save your favourite images, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Want to see more fabulous rooms? Don’t miss last week’s Room of the Week: An Attic Transformed into a Magical Kids’ Suite
Your turn
Do you love this kitchen makeover as much as we do? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save your favourite images, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Want to see more fabulous rooms? Don’t miss last week’s Room of the Week: An Attic Transformed into a Magical Kids’ Suite
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Love the colour of the kitchen with the flooring.
I love the backspash design behind the cooktop: functional and elegant, and the curves soften it up!
I appreciate that the Before photo from the dining room wasn't made to look as awful as possible! Such a beautiful transformation, so tranquil and functional.