Kitchens & Bathrooms
Melbourne interior design firm Doherty Design Studio was commissioned to combine a Japanese style with a country farmhouse feel at this weekender in Beechworth, Victoria. The clients, who had lived and worked in Japan for a number of years, wanted it to reflect the simple designs and well-ordered, compact spaces they had admired during their stay. They didn’t desire a large home, preferring to foster a feeling of intimacy and connection to the surrounding environment. Here, director Mardi Doherty explains how the firm balanced a rustic aesthetic with a Japanese sensibility.
All the design elements were selected to sit together in quiet harmony with each other.
We achieved this by adopting a layered textural design in a restrained colour palette of blue, grey and white. The colour blue was chosen as the clients wanted the weekender to be relaxing and tranquil. “All the design elements were selected to sit in quiet harmony with each other” mardi doherty
In the kitchen and dining area, custom concrete benchtops provide a robust work surface and complement other elements in the home.
The blue-tiled splashback adds a dramatic backdrop and the tiles were selected for their wabi-sabi colour variations that interact with natural light. A poured terrazzo floor was chosen for its textural material interest and durability. The mosaic-tiled cube form at the end of the island bench wraps around a set of drawers and is incorporated to connect to the dining space opposite, which has a marble-topped pedestal table and built-in banquette, both of which feature the same white glass mosaic tiles. This purpose-designed nook is reminiscent of Japanese chabudai tables, where people are seated closely around tables with short legs. The bathroom is divided into two zones — a nod to Japanese bathing traditions. The wash nook, which has a bowl-like matte black ceramic basin and contrasting Brodware brass tapware, is located in the hallway. In the main bathroom, a shower sits beside a freestanding oval bath for the purpose of washing before bathing. This area carries on the blue-and-white mosaic tiles theme from the kitchen, and has views to the outside through a large window. An amber glass wall light, brass floor tap and brass towel rail complete the refined look. Visit dohertydesignstudio.com.au