The Client Brief

Matthew and Katerina just purchased their new home and were planning an exciting renovation. With a completely blank slate, they needed a kitchen that was big enough to entertain family and friends, provided functionality, and integrated with the remaining living areas including the large outdoor entertaining alfresco space. Matthew and Katerina also wanted a design that fitted in with their contemporary style.

The Challenge

The living space was large, and located in the centre was a beautiful 50-year-old sandstone fireplace. The challenge was to build a contemporary, functional kitchen without taking away from the centrepiece of the room, the sandstone fireplace.

The Design Solution

The clients simply adored their sandstone fireplace. To them, it was an important feature of their home. The only problem was that it was in the centre of their living area. Key to the design solution was to integrate the fireplace while also allocating space for the kitchen.

We created the kitchen that wrapped around the fireplace so that they blended seamlessly together. The fireplace grounds the kitchen in the central living area. To the right of the kitchen, sits the lounge and TV area, to the front the dining room, and flowing on from that, the alfresco. All living areas are linked together by the central fireplace and kitchen.

The simple white of the kitchen provided a contemporary backdrop to the fireplace and complemented the concrete floor. We added a soft timber shadow line in natural oak to visually accent the brown tones of the sandstone fireplace. It served to further draw the two very different architectural features together.

The Result

A fully functional, aesthetically beautiful, integrated living space. Anna and Matthew are ecstatic that we were able to create something truly unique using their existing home layout. They love their contemporary kitchen as the style suits them perfectly. We built-in all the cooking appliances on one wall which they find easy to use when entertaining. The new kitchen layout takes advantage of both their Sydney bush views to one side and their alfresco area to the other. They really enjoy entertaining in their new kitchen. 

“From the outset, I found Robert easy to work with. He really took the time to understand the unique situation we found ourselves in and came up with some really innovative solutions for our space. This really set him apart from all the other contractors we looked at. His imaginative perspective made our living space come to life. 

We love entertaining with family and friends. It’s so easy with our new kitchen and living space.”

Mathew, Peakhurst Heights