Our own design

After a rocky start to their renovations, the Barretts succeeded in creating a minimalist but family-friendly kitchen.

AAlthough Lisa and Steven didn’t set out to fit their new kitchen themselves, there were complications from the get-go and plans soon changed… “The kitchen renovation company let us down, so we ended up completing the project ourselves,” explains Lisa.

The Barretts had to fix the many mistakes made during the installation of the cupboards and drawers, but seeing the job through to the end was a natural process as the design of the kitchen was theirs from the start.

“After many hours spent doing research on Pinterest and visiting kitchen stores for inspiration, we used Google SketchUp to draw up the plans,” says Lisa. “We chose a simple cupboard layout with clean lines that would ‘blend’ into the background in our new open-plan space.”

In terms of style, the Barretts wanted to create a “modern rustic” look – minimalist but with plenty of character! A tall order, but with lots of hard work and perseverance the couple have achieved their goal. >>

WHO LIVES HERE? Lisa and Steven Barrett with their children, June and Finn WHERE Lonehill, Sandton SIZE 14m² Off-white cupboards create a timeless look, although one side of the island was painted in a dark charcoal which can be updated whenever the family fancies a change. “I chose the wooden pendants to add texture and warmth,” says Lisa. Pendant lights from @home; stool from Weylandts

Appliances had to be installed on either side of the sink, so only a single basin could be accommodated in this space. However, the family wash almost everything in the dishwasher, so this set-up works for them. A mixer tap with a professional pull-down spray helps keep the sink clean, while a waterfilter tap ensures clean drinking water.

As far as possible, appliances are kept out of sight. Standard handles from Gelmar were powder-coated to create a look the couple had seen in an international magazine but couldn’t find locally.