This kitchen forms part of the wider renovation of our 1920s bungalow and was one of the home’s key pain points prior to renovation. The existing space was small and inefficient, lacking adequate storage, bench space and the functionality needed for cooking and entertaining. Further to this, the kitchen needed to suit our social lifestyle – providing a slick appearance from the dining space adjacent with mess and clutter hidden away. And completely mandatory was a dry bar space to enhance guest experience!

As the footprint of the room was to remain unchanged, the design response required careful planning and highly considered spatial efficiency. Beyond resolving practical concerns, the kitchen also needed to embody the strong character and layered personality of the wider renovation. Sitting within a heritage bungalow, the design sought to balance sensitivity to the home’s original architecture with contemporary gestures and sculptural moments that justified the kitchen’s visual prominence within the home.

Responding to the brief initially meant balancing practical requirements while minimising the kitchen’s visual footprint so it wouldn’t dominate the home. One of the key resolutions was designing three distinct blocks that touched the walls as little as possible, allowing the kitchen to read more like furniture sitting lightly within the space while improving flow. Clutter is concealed with bench space hidden inside tall cupboards and busy preparation areas screened by the island upstand. The upstand's ledge also encourages leaning and social connection. To balance the concealed elements, display shelving and glazed cabinetry create connection to the home’s layered and eclectic interior.

Further reinforcing the idea of individual 'furniture' elements, each kitchen block was treated with its own distinct material palette, creating varied relationships with the home and brief. The monolithic stainless steel island was intentionally designed as a sculptural statement rather than something that visually recedes. Lacquered cabinetry reference paint colours used throughout the wider interior, creating cohesion, while high-gloss finishes blur the lines of materials and add depth. Reclaimed native timber shelving and classic detailing reference the home’s heritage, contrasted with stone, cast metal handles and illuminated panels provide 'Jewellery like' moments and luxury.

A key innovation within the kitchen was the use of an integrated induction cooktop concealed beneath the porcelain rear benchtop. This approach effectively doubled the available usable bench space compared to the original kitchen, while allowing the cooking zone to visually recede when not in use. The uninterrupted porcelain surface creates long, continuous lines that enhance the perception of space and contribute to the kitchen’s calm, sculptural quality. Functionally, it also improves workflow and allows multiple people to comfortably use the kitchen simultaneously.

Matt South, Matt South Designer – Spatial planning & detailed design
Dietzwood – Cabinet making, project management

Triptych_1 | Island + back wall
Triptych_2 | Island + tall cabinets
Triptych_3 | Kitchen from entry
Triptych_4 | Tall cabinets + bar from dining
Triptych_5 | Dry bar
Triptych_6 | Rimu + stainless display shelves
Triptych_7 | Back wall
Triptych_8 | Drawer interior detail
Triptych_9 | Kitchen through to dining
Triptych_10 | Glassware cabinet

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