Better Homes and Gardens (Australia)
RUSTIC BEAUTY
Plan for a dynamic island with shelving and splayed legs
You don’t have to live in a rural idyll to play with rustic design. As long as you include natural timbers and a neutral palette and incorporate an aged feel, you’ll have the foundations to totally pull it o .
• Stock your pantry with labelled airtight clear glass jars, and timber bins or baskets to corral your food groups. A stool on standby is also handy. Buy labels or cut vinyl versions using a Cricut cutting machine.
• Repurpose salvaged wood from old buildings and restoration yards into beautiful rustic cabinets or shelving. The timber may bear the scars of years of wear and tear, but these add to its rugged character.
6 NICE NICHE
Give your rustic timber kitchen a modern spin and go for flat-front doors and drawers featuring push-to-open mechanisms. If you’re renovating your home/ kitchen from scratch, also consider an alcove so you can recess your wall cabinets and box shelves.
7 DESIGNER DISPLAY
Give people something to talk about by making use of asymmetrical box shelves to show off your glassware, crockery, cake stands and jugs. Also opt for an eye-catching wall finish – say aged brass or aluminium, or DIY it with Porter’s Paints specialty finishes.
8 DREAM ISLAND
Upgrade to an all-black sink and tap plus an induction cooktop and in-bench downdra exhaust. Team these with a black or deep charcoal Corian benchtop (atop a thick slab of timber) for seamless integration.
9 ACCESSIBLE PANTRY
Claim the corridor to a butler’s pantry or laundry for simple shelving to store bulky pots and pans, baking supplies, pasta, snacks, canned goods and drinks. Add baskets down low for onions, potatoes and the like.
10 TOAST STATION
Are you one of those people who search their pantries unsuccessfully for the items they want? It’s a common problem with standard-depth cabinets. Solve the issue with a pantry wall shorter than usual and incorporate a toast station with cutlery and plate drawers below.
11 LIGHT SPARK
Flank your cooktop’s tiled splashback with a pair of windows. It’s nice to have a view and you’ll brighten a darker kitchen no end.
12 NATURALLY WOOD
Wood in the kitchen is enjoying a revival. Contrast bright white with a rich walnut veneer and you’ll lend mid-century vibe to your contemporary space. If your budget doesn’t stretch to timber veneer, ma woodgrain laminates look just as authentic.
13 MOSAIC MARVELS
Although you could extend your white quartz benchtop up the walls, marble mosaics will add subtle texture and a high-end appeal to your scheme. If you’re careful with your kitchen design, you may not need to cover extensive surface areas, saving dollars.
14 WHIP IT GOOD
Anchor your cooking space with classic and space-enhancing white base cabinets featuring discreet pulls to reduce visual cluer. Get the look with Feta Whip doors, drawers, panels and base cabinets, kaboodle.com.au.
15 COUNTER INTELLIGENCE
To provide even more storage, and bring warm wood tones into the room, hazelnut timber-look laminate wall uppers and benchtops were added, kaboodle.com.au.
SEPTEMBER
16 HEAVY METAL
Open shelving solves the issue of upper storage in a cramped kitchen. These jet black steel shelves provide a neutral spot for storage and display. Kaboodle Kitchen 600mm steel frame wall shelf, $179, bunnings.com.au.
17 ON THE TILES
Orange is a high-energy colour, adding a retro feel that makes even the smallest of kitchens a standout. See the 10 x 10cm ceramic tiles, $5.25 each, in varying shades of orange at themosaicstore. com.au. BHG
18 GLASS ACT
When you pick a dark blue hue for your cabinetry as part of a kitchen renovation, also consider skylights or wide expanses of glass by way of bifold or sliding doors. Natural light will be like a breath of fresh air in the space.
19 WINE TIME
Allow for a built-in wine cooler and wine storage. These are best placed facing the entertaining area to offer easy access when you’re hosting a dinner party or an outdoor gathering.
20 GET THE BLUES
When your open-plan kitchen needs an extra special something, but you don’t want to go overboard, turn to blue hues – anything from navy to midnight. If you’re happy to roll up your sleeves, go for flat-pack units with ‘paint your own’ doors, drawers and panels.
21 BRASS RULES
A brass tap will create a warm contrast to your kitchen’s cool blue units and marble surfaces. Plus, it repeats the brass of the kickboards, the pendants and the kitchen handles for a sense of cohesion. Champagne-coloured handles or pulls may also be an option.