A BRIGHT & SMART KITCHEN T makeover
Tailor made in a timeless and elegant package, this streamlined kitchen is the perfect fifit for a Sydney couple
beforeb
AfterA years of putting up with a dated,d dark and cramped kitchen, the empty-nester owners of this Sydney apartment were desperate for a radical change. As one of them is in a wheelchair, addressing their functional needs was obviously key, but the couple had clear ideas on how they wanted their new kitchen to look, too. Interior designer Hellen Pappas of H Interior Design was brought in to bring the couple’s vision of a “light, bright, practical and airy room” to reality. “They also wanted more storage and circulation space around the kitchen and to open it up to the rest of the apartment as it was very enclosed before,” says Hellen.
during
As knocking down the structural wall between the kitchen and dining room wasn’t an option in the high-rise block, Hellen suggested taking down part of the wall to install a glass screen with an ornate bronze inlay from Axolotl. This feature would allow more natural light into the kitchen. “The space is only 500mm wide so you couldn’t use it as a doorway but the screen offers glimpses into the dining room from the kitchen and vice versa,” says Hellen.
The Siemens induction cooktop and two Neff ovens with fully retracting doors were then relocated to the back wall. Here, the benchtop was made 100mm lower than the adjacent one to accommodate the client’s wheelchair. The Franke sink was kept in the same spot, minimising plumbing changes, although the KWC mixer tap was placed on the side for easier access.
Storage was provided with accessible drawers underneath the benchtop and floor-to-ceiling cupboards at the other end, which, as well as housing the fridge, toaster and microwave, hide clutter and add to the sleek feel of the new space. “It’s very minimal but the client didn’t want anything on display,” says Hellen. “I had to persuade her to include the three little shelves in the corner as I thought it was important to break up the run of cabinets.”
To overcome the old kitchen’s poky size, Hellen reclaimed some space from the balcony, a move which had prior DA approval and allowed her to incorporate a meals table into the design. “Usually, it’s quite difficult to do this in a high-rise block but there had been some other apartments in the building that had already done it,” says Hellen. “It created much needed circulation space.”
As ‘light and bright’ was a key component of the design brief, Hellen chose two-pack polyurethane-finished joinery in Dulux
“I DIDN’T WANT TO COMPROMISE ON HOW IT LOOKED; IT HAD TO BE BOTH BEAUTIFUL AND PRACTICAL” HELLEN PAPPAS, INTERIOR DESIGNER
Natural White. The Stone Italiana quartz benchtop in Super White Grain finish is an easy-to-clean choice while the Arabescato marble splashback “adds a touch of drama,” says Hellen. 25mm-high bronze shadowline drawer pulls and 50mm-high kickboards provide contrast.
after
The clients were thrilled with their new kitchen, which along with the bathroom and ensuite, were renovated on a tight timeframe while the clients were overseas. “They were both so excited when they fifirst saw it, although they said they didn’t want to use the kitchen at fifirst because she didn’t want to mess it up!” says Hellen. A standout for both client and interior designer is the glass screen, which has transformed the previously enclosed dark space, as well as introducing a beautiful, decorative element. For info about H Interior Design, visit hinteriordesign.com.au.The builders were orishonprojects.com.au and bearthebuilder.com while the joiner for the project was MSA Prestige Woodcraft; visit msapwc.com.au.