Stickybeak of the Week: The Dream Kitchen for Two Restaurateurs
For a couple who loves food and hosting dinner parties, this kitchen is the most important room in their house
When two food and wine enthusiasts moved into their brand new home in Port Willunga, SA, they called upon Tony Warren from TMA Integrated Design to make sure the most important room in the house worked for them. The brief was to create a kitchen that functioned as an entertaining space, while also being practical for a young family. Warren achieved this by designing a layout that can accommodate the mess that comes with large gatherings and casual areas the family can use for eating quickly and catching up.
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: Two recently married restauranteurs with two children
Location: Port Willunga, South Australia (about 45 minutes outside of Adelaide)
Size: Approximately 26 square metres
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: Two recently married restauranteurs with two children
Location: Port Willunga, South Australia (about 45 minutes outside of Adelaide)
Size: Approximately 26 square metres
Warren worked to a brief that ensured the kitchen was completely functional for the couple who love to cook. Some of the requests included two ovens, one of which had to have a large volume for entertaining. The homeowners also wanted an informal area where they could gather as a family, and a space that was filled with light.
Before addressing the brief, Warren had to consider the floor plan. “The main restriction to any proposed layout was how much the back wall benchtop run would diminish as the tall items were added,” says Warren. From a total wall length of 4.4 metres, the wall oven tower, fridge housing and joinery doors through to the walk-in pantry accounted for 2.2 metres.
The homeowners had also selected a gas hotplate and a built-in tepanyaki plate that added up to 1.5 metres. This would have left only a 0.7-metre length of bench to be divided either side of the hotplates, and the added challenge of needing an extracting range hood that was at least 1.5 metres long.
To resolve this battle for space and to showcase the chefs, the hotplate and tepanyaki plate were moved to the kitchen island. The sink was then relocated from the island to the back wall. “This meant we could create a strong feature in the suspended island canopy and also allowed the dirty dishes to be kept away from the entertaining area,” Warren says. “Most importantly to the owners, the change of orientation of the kitchen allows them to interact with the family or guests while they are cooking – very important when you have a toddler running around.”
Before addressing the brief, Warren had to consider the floor plan. “The main restriction to any proposed layout was how much the back wall benchtop run would diminish as the tall items were added,” says Warren. From a total wall length of 4.4 metres, the wall oven tower, fridge housing and joinery doors through to the walk-in pantry accounted for 2.2 metres.
The homeowners had also selected a gas hotplate and a built-in tepanyaki plate that added up to 1.5 metres. This would have left only a 0.7-metre length of bench to be divided either side of the hotplates, and the added challenge of needing an extracting range hood that was at least 1.5 metres long.
To resolve this battle for space and to showcase the chefs, the hotplate and tepanyaki plate were moved to the kitchen island. The sink was then relocated from the island to the back wall. “This meant we could create a strong feature in the suspended island canopy and also allowed the dirty dishes to be kept away from the entertaining area,” Warren says. “Most importantly to the owners, the change of orientation of the kitchen allows them to interact with the family or guests while they are cooking – very important when you have a toddler running around.”
Installing two dishwashers allows the benchtop to be clear throughout meal courses. The couple are also wine aficionados and the extra dishwasher allows them to wash the multitude of wine glasses as different wines are served with each course.
The custom-made Qasair range hood makes a bold statement suspended above the kitchen island. Cutlery trays, utensil dividers, pull-out bottle racks and spice drawers provide ample storage solutions. “Most cupboards also have drawers or roll-out hardware at base level to increase efficiency of storage space and ease of access,” says Warren.
Cabinetry: Walls Brothers Designer Kitchens
The custom-made Qasair range hood makes a bold statement suspended above the kitchen island. Cutlery trays, utensil dividers, pull-out bottle racks and spice drawers provide ample storage solutions. “Most cupboards also have drawers or roll-out hardware at base level to increase efficiency of storage space and ease of access,” says Warren.
Cabinetry: Walls Brothers Designer Kitchens
The couple also wanted to express their love of wine in the decor. “The clients’ wine cellar is renowned in the state, and the decorations on the wall are oak wine cases from shopping expeditions in France,” explains Warren.
Metaline splashback in ‘Silver Stream Perle’: Laminex
Metaline splashback in ‘Silver Stream Perle’: Laminex
Warren’s design also includes a separate fridge and freezer. The fridge is located in the main room and the standalone freezer is in the pantry. For more informal dining with the family, the cantilevered Caesarstone benchtop is a fun design element. Warren explains that the 4.6-metre-long bench, with a 1.8-metre-long overhang, was a feature the homeowner had always dreamed of having.
It is made from a 20-millimetre-thick stone with mitred edges; inside is a steel sub-frame, which supports the overhang. “This breakfast bar is used every day for feeding the couple’s baby, for social gatherings, breakfasts and light meals,” says Warren.
It is made from a 20-millimetre-thick stone with mitred edges; inside is a steel sub-frame, which supports the overhang. “This breakfast bar is used every day for feeding the couple’s baby, for social gatherings, breakfasts and light meals,” says Warren.
The walk-in pantry provides the family with ample storage space and is where most of the kitchen appliances are kept. There is a second sink in here for food preparation, and to serve the coffee machine and kettle.
The homeowners sourced the furniture and fittings themselves. Seen hanging over the breakfast bar, this pendant light was specially sourced by them from Aptos Cruz Gallery in Stirling, and the distinctive bar stools come from 1000 Chairs in Medindie.
TELL US
What do you like best about this entertainer’s kitchen? Let us know in the Comments section.
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TELL US
What do you like best about this entertainer’s kitchen? Let us know in the Comments section.
MORE
The Scullery Reinvented for Modern Living
16 Common Kitchen Dilemmas Solved
Choosing the Right Kitchen Layout for You
For the couple who live here, exceptional food is an important part of their lives, as they are both restauranteurs in Adelaide. They regularly host friends and family at their home for five-star degustation dinners. “They’re frequent entertainers with gatherings of up to twenty guests – it’s busy family space with lots of cooking by strong believers in ‘real’ food and ‘slow’ food,” says Warren.