AHEAD OF THE CURVE
With a bright, neutral colour palette and custom design, this reimagined kitchen is the perfect fit for its young-family occupants
Design expertise pays off in this kitchen
before
When the owners of this Perth home – a professional couple in their 40s with two young children – decided to update their dark and disconnected kitchen, they went straight to local interior and architectural design firm, Studio Atelier. Creative director Kimberley Tan and her team had worked with the couple on other renovations around the property, so were familiar with the relaxed yet sophisticated aesthetic they desired.
“The kitchen’s existing stainless-steel benchtops gave it a cold, industrial feel, and our clients found the proportions too heavy,” says Kimberley. “Their brief was for a clean, simple and sophisticated design that was anything but cookie-cutter.”
The area had limited storage, and the kitchen’s central location away from perimeter windows meant natural light was scarce.
during
Over the course of two months, Studio Atelier worked with the homeowners to create a bespoke space that was tailored to their lifestyle. “To make the most of our client’s budget, we worked within a similar footprint to the existing kitchen and retained access to services that were previously in place,” says Kimberley. The old but perfectly good tiles also stayed put.
Central to the space is the generously sized island, which was custom designed to balance out the room’s expansive proportions. With storage cupboards underneath and low-maintenance Caesarstone benchtops on top, it provides ample space for meal prep and informal dining. Its organic curves are mirrored in the supporting circular pedestal base and light fittings, while the timber veneer wrap-around band adds contrast and warmth.
The cabinetry has been kept intentionally simple and clean, with base cabinets painted in Dulux ‘Aquanamel’ paint in Snowy Mountains (half-strength) and the wall units finished in the same timber veneer as the island benchtop. Elsewhere, Kimberley used materials with handmade or organic qualities. “They add a feeling of warmth and homeliness to the space,” she says.
Case in point – the hand-glazed Inax tiles with their speckles and colour variations, which bring a layer of depth to the splashback and finish off the pedestal base under the breakfast bar.
after
Living with their beautifully designed and convenient kitchen has made all the difference to the daily routines of these homeowners. “I think it’s the little details, the ones that give the kitchen its point of difference, that are the clients’ favourite features,” says Kimberley. “The raised pantry, the detail on the cabinets, the curved island bench, the use of tiling, to name just a few.”
The Studio Atelier team had functionality as their number-one priority throughout the design process, which is all the more evident now the owners are living within the space.
“They say this is what makes it a pleasure to be in,” says Kimberley. “From cooking, to unloading the dishwasher, to entertaining - all of these tasks are made even more enjoyable with this user-friendly design.”
“A SOFT, NEUTRAL PALETTE FEATURES THROUGHOUT THE HOME, SO NATURALLY OUR KITCHEN DESIGN AND SELECTIONS NEEDED TO TIE IN SEAMLESSLY” KIMBERLEY TAN, STUDIO ATELIER