Hearty home
A classic Wellington kitchen is given a taste of modern, yet timeless colour
A love of colour and fun was at the heart of the design brief given to architect Mona Kruse Hurnen when it came to giving this beautiful Wellington Arts and Crafts kitchen a makeover.
When the owners had purchased the house, it was still almost all original, complete with a Shacklock stove installed in 1910.
Though the small kitchen functioned well, and still had an original wood-fired oven, the owners wanted to create a country-style kitchen that was open-plan and catered to their love of cooking and entertaining.
There was also a clear directive to be bold, Mona says and for each room in the wholehouse renovation to be a stand-alone colour, “while still reading together as a whole”.
For the kitchen that colour was elegant and timeless Resene Artemis on the cabinetry above the rangehood and around the windows. It creates a beautiful accent against the walls in fresh Resene White Pointer and ceiling in Resene Half White Pointer. All timber features in the kitchen have been removed, carefully restored and re-installed alongside the new colour scheme as part of the renovation.
The owners’ choice of Resene Artemis was influenced by how it worked with the palette of the rest of the home, as well as the splashback tiles.
The biggest challenge of the kitchen design was getting the balance right between the original features, and inserting more modern elements, Mona says. The highlight was “seeing it all come together on site after many months of planning”.
Another standout aspect of the kitchen is the personality that has come from including the owners’ collection of personal items; another part of the design brief to Mona. “They wanted to create something to house their eclectic collections from many years of renovating houses and living in many different locations. The result is a colourful ‘hello’ to the world.”
Reflecting your own tastes rather than imagining what some future owner might like is an important part of a successful kitchen renovation like this, Mona says. “Make it for yourself, not for resale. Your home is where you spend a lot of time, and it should be for you and what you enjoy. Do not be afraid of some more bold elements.”
TOP TIP: Refresh old melamine cabinetry with Resene Laminate and Melamine Primer, before painting topcoats in your chosen Resene colour.