AT HOME IN THE KITCHEN
We discover what kitchen experts, designers and passionate cooks love most about a special kitchen – either their own or a lucky client’s
Keen to update? There’s inspiration aplenty in our pick of the best contemporary designs
RESTAURATEUR & GROWER
Palisa Anderson runs the Chat Thai empire from Boon Luck Farm in Byron Bay, where she grows organic delicacies for her family business and the likes of Quay and Momofuku. “We bought our farm four years ago, and the 1980s bungalow on it – while in good shape – had absolutely no personality,” she says.
With the help of interior designer Genine Noakes, Palisa transformed the house on a tight budget using as much salvaged material as possible. In the kitchen, old timber fences were repurposed to front cabinets and the extractor hood, and floor tiles were stripped back to reveal concrete that was then polished. “The renovation didn’t change the footprint of the house,” says Palisa, “but it did expand the kitchen into the living area to accommodate our lifestyle of cooking and entertaining.”
Storage was a must (Palisa also collects ceramics) as well as a large sink, sturdy cooking element and commercial oven. “Bench space is incredibly valuable to prep on, and when that runs out we spill onto the kitchen table, where often I enlist guests to help shell peas or some such job,” says Palisa, who often cooks for 16–20 and relishes it.
Kelvin Ho ARCHITECT
Having collaborated on a number of the Merivale restaurants and bars, architect Kelvin Ho, founding director of Akin Atelier, has an enviable hospitality design portfolio. Materiality and an understanding of context is a common theme in some of his atmospheric venues – Totti’s, Bert’s Bar & Brasserie and Coogee Pavilion – and more streamlined residential projects. This Sydney harbourside family kitchen, for a client with a background in the restaurant industry, is no different.
“The house was originally designed by modernist architect Hugh Buhrich, so we wanted to design something sympathetic to the era but still contemporary,” says Kelvin. “I would have loved to open the kitchen up to the harbour-facing lawn, but it would have meant demolishing the full-height timber windows.”
A pink marble island and brass tapware and handles bring an unexpected twist to the sleek white interior. “The client loves pink, so we chose Norwegian rose marble to clad the island,” says Kelvin. “I love its duality. While the kitchen has a simple layout and open format, that doesn’t mean it lacks in originality.” Open shelving and a custom hanging rail enable the owner to make the kitchen their own, with an artfully curated selection of cookware and tabletop items on display.
Rachel Luchetti INTERIOR DESIGNER
As co-director of Sydney design firm Luchetti Krelle, Rachel Luchetti has been the creative force behind a swathe of inspiring interiors, including numerous bars and restaurants here and overseas. For the kitchen of her holiday home in Noosa, she drew on that extensive experience.
Ikea cabinets, a butler sink and a vintage-style tap were the starting points, closely followed by custom black concrete benchtops and an antique butcher’s block as the island. “By being clever about material choices and construction methods, you can save money while creating something unique,” says Rachel. Her firm is renowned for its layered hospitality designs, and a copper splashback imbues her country-style eat-in kitchen with this quality. “I’ve always loved copper pots and pans, and I explored the idea of a copper splashback as a nod to that,” she explains.
Rachel says she loves the way her kitchen envelopes the dining area. “It’s our holiday home, so we are often there with extended family and friends, which certainly influenced our approach to the layout. The kitchen is very social and inclusive, and you can certainly have more than one chef in there.”
Yasmine Saleh Ghoniem INTERIOR DESIGNER
“People who work in the restaurant business like to make their own spaces individual and often think outside the box,” proclaims Sydney-based Yasmine Saleh Ghoniem of YSG design studio. Perhaps better known from her time as one part of Amber Road, Yasmine is not one to shy away from taking risks herself. She met her match recently, as the lead on the renovation of a 1960s brick home in Sydney’s Cronulla for a client with a string of cafes.
Yasmine began by relocating the upstairs kitchen to the ground floor, where it now flows onto a living space and into the garden. New crazy paving creates a link between inside and out. “It felt appropriate to the era of the house,” says Yasmine of the bold flooring choice, adding, “It’s a modernised and twisted nod to the ’60s, as are the colours and warm timber.”
Collaborating with Sonia van de Haar of Lymesmith on the daring palette for the open living zone, which extends to a mural-clad seating area adjacent to the kitchen, Yasmine left the brickwork raw in parts. This created a foil for the vibrant yellow pantry joinery, blue integrated fridge cabinets and terracotta backdrop to the main kitchen bench.
Karen Martini CHEF & AUTHOR
Having designed a handful of restaurants for Karen Martini, Melbourne architect Chris Connell was recently tasked with renovating the celebrity chef’s own home. “The brief was to create a beautiful, functional, modern extension to an existing Victorian-era home,” says Chris.
Light was the key design driver, and it was achieved through a combination of full-height pivoting windows and a continuous skylight running the length of the kitchen, dining and living area. The kitchen, however, was more complicated. “We were asked to incorporate all the facilities and functionality of a commercial kitchen while still retaining its domestic qualities,” says Chris.
While Karen’s light-filled space is, first and foremost, a family kitchen, it can also be used to record television cooking programs. “The full-height glazing to the patio can be opened to allow for television crews to film in wide angle,” explains Chris.
Plenty of preparation space was, of course, a must. “A double island bench allows for preparation at the rear, while keeping the front island clear for cooking demonstrations or during dinner parties,” says Chris. A separate butler’s pantry accessed through a hidden timber door supports the main kitchen. Clad in stainless steel, two large fridges are prominently positioned within the space – yet another clue that this is a serious cook’s kitchen. @karen_martini; chrisconnell.com.au
Jane Hann FOOD STYLIST
Together with her builder husband, Tim Major, Jane Hann has produced a stylish yet hardworking kitchen within the somewhat confined space of their Sydney terrace. By building out to the boundary, they gained an extra 1.5 metres, allowing for a separate preparation space, another sink and more storage.
Having set up a prop-hire business for food stylists many years earlier, Jane still had a bounty of treasures to store.
“I do have quite a lot of plates,” she admits. The kitchen design celebrates the couple’s travel experiences, with utensils hanging from a rack of vintage French hooks and ornate taps sourced in Florence. Timeless colours, finishes and fittings were then selected to complement Jane’s unique collection. “I really like an eclectic feel combining contemporary neutrals with things of character,” she says. janehann.com.au