ISLAND STYLE EBONY ALLURE
BOLD BLACK ABOUNDS IN THIS CHIC KITCHEN, FORMING A DRAMATIC BACKDROP TO EVERYDAY LIFE
The island bench topped in easycare Eternal Marquina quartz from Silestone was carefully planned to serve myriad functions. “As the kitchen is relatively compact, a sink needed to be located on the island, while also allowing room for food prep and use as a breakfast bar,” says interior designer Olivia. The solution was to wrap the sitting area around one end and keep the bench to a slender 700mm. A pair of Chrysler pendants from Beacon Lighting help to define the casual dining and entertaining zone. >
Apart from a lick of paint, Jenna and Chris’s weatherboard 1950s home in the north-east of Melbourne had remained unchanged for more than six decades. Yet, when the young couple snapped up the property four years ago, they had big plans. While they loved the home’s character, the layout didn’t work, so interior designer Olivia Cirocco, of GIA Bathrooms and Kitchens, was tasked with redesigning the floor plan and fit-out. Stage one involved removing walls, replacing doors and windows, and also levelling the wonky old floor to create a seamless open-plan kitchen, dining and living area. When it came to the colour selection, the couple had a single hue in mind – black. “We wanted our kitchen to be a big statement, so everything needed to be black, including the appliances,” explains Jenna. The challenge for Olivia was combining the perfect palette to create a look that wasn’t overtly industrial or modern, but more traditional, in keeping with the style of the home. “Details such as the shaker cabinetry, textural handles, black-paned windows and decorative pendants were used to inject character and make it feel welcoming, rather than imposing,” says Olivia. Gloss was also dialled down, with the Dulux Black cabinetry finished in 30 per cent satin 2-Pac to help combat the appearance of pesky fingerprints. The overall impact of the colour scheme is a sophisticated space that doesn’t appear too ‘kitcheny’. “The beauty of black on black and integrated appliances is it creates a seamless backdrop that recedes within the combined dining and living area,” explains Olivia. While Jenna expected mixed reactions to the bold scheme from friends and family, it received a big thumbs up. “I think it’s shown people a dark kitchen can still be bright and inviting, and we love it,” she says.
SEAMLESS INTEGRATION
Kitchen elements, including the Franke sink, Lucia mixer and double Fisher & Paykel wall ovens, are camouflaged in black, while larger appliances such as the fridge, dishwasher and rangehood (above) are seamlessly integrated behind joinery. “As they sit side by side, the pantry was designed to replicate the fridge joinery, and that level of detailing helps give it a furniture feel,” says Olivia.
LIGHT RELIEF
To avoid the kitchen feeling too dark, the homeowners went for limewashed recycled Baltic Pine flooring (above), painted the walls in Dulux Lexicon Half (opposite) and opted for Aria Snow Gloss handmade subway tiles from National Tiles (right) to help splash natural light around the space. “A large window was also installed to maximise the amount of light streaming through,” says Olivia.
“WE’VE ALWAYS LOVED BLACK AS A FEATURE COLOUR, AND THIS KITCHEN HAS THE IMPACT WE WERE AFTER”~ JENNA, HOMEOWNER