Clever Kitchens

Simon, you photograph architecture for a living and lecture on architectural photography at the University of Auckland. How did you choose your architect? Jessica and I have been friends for a long time. Bureaux does beautiful bespoke interiors – I’ve shot a few over the years and really love their work. It all went beautifully. It helps when your architect understands interiors as much as Jessica does.

You’ve lived in your 1968 home for a few years. What was your approach to its renovation? We don’t know who the original architect was. There are a few houses like mine that someone did in Titirangi in the 60s. I wanted something sympathetic to the house, which is warm and functions very well, but I wanted to make it mine. We changed the L-shaped bench to a galley to open up the space. There was cork on the floor, but not enough to reuse. Cork is a beautiful, natural product and we’ve used natural products wherever possible. A new timber window looks out to the garden – the connection to outside is super-important. Jessica designed a built-in bench seat with a ledge wide enough for a cup of tea. It was important to make things feel generous; it’s not a big house. In keeping with your wish to use natural products wherever possible, you have a timber benchtop and cabinet fronts. It’s walnut. I’ve seen enough oak, mahogany and stainless steel to know they wouldn’t be right here. The matte finish is a mix of clear lacquer and oil.

What about some of the other materials and finishes? The sink is brass, as is the benchtop by the gas hob. We considered brass for the splashback there, but chose marble to lighten the space. The fabric on the bench seat is from Textilia and was inspired by Japanese kimono fabrics. It’s used in the bedroom, too. Nothing exists in isolation here, there’s a connection between all the spaces. The bench seat works well with a table and Danske Mobler chairs that I already had. The light switches and electrical ports are brushed-brass from Thom.