SIMPLE & STYLISH

A MELBOURNE KITCHEN GOES FROM CRAMMED TO CLEVER WITH AN ABUNDANCE OF SMART STORAGE AND A FAB NEW FLOOR PLAN

After a decade spent living in their Melbourne home, Megan and Dean decided it was time to take on a major renovation and update their dated bayside abode so that it could better accommodate their needs. With three teenagers to cater for, overhauling the kitchen was top of their wish list. “The existing space lacked storage, preparation zones and general flow, so the priority was to transform it into a family hub geared around open-plan living and easy entertaining,” explains interior designer Kia Howat of GIA Bathrooms & Kitchens, who was brought on board to deliver the project’s brief. Merging good looks with functionality, the kitchen zone now cleverly conceals appliances and extra prep areas, allowing beautiful joinery and striking tiles to form the backdrop to casual family dining.

Original room: A dated industrial-style kitchen featuring a peninsular island and open shelves that looked cluttered.

Time frame: Six months: three months of design and a three-month build.

Why the makeover? “The kitchen bench really created a bottleneck and we wanted to remedy that,” says Megan, who also found the space to be cramped, lacking in storage and not user-friendly for their family of five.

The works: The original kitchen was gutted, with only the cooktop and the oven salvaged for the revamped – and enlarged – space, which now features custom joinery and Silestone benchtops.

Major changes: A study area that formed part of the original kitchen was reclaimed within the new-look design to create a larger footprint, accommodating a concealed storage wall and integrated fridges.

Lessons learned: “The trick to renovating is to be able to listen to your heart and take the advice of your designer, and combine their expert ideas with your own sense of style,” says Megan.

“AN OPEN SHELF PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR DISPLAY THAT DOESN’T IMPEDE THE WORK SURFACE” ~ KIA HOWAT, INTERIOR DESIGNER