Natural and Beauty on Wai-iti

A distinguished Marlborough architect and his partner, both immersed in the industry, embarked on an exciting project. Their shared passion for harmonizing textures, embracing the allure of wood and plants, open shelving and durable materials served as the driving force behind their vision for their new home—a space that seamlessly marries homeliness with contemporary craftsmanship.

An asymmetrical to symmetrical kitchen design with the use of straight lines, lots of drawers, and negative detail. Our clients love to entertain, making it imperative to include a stylish bar area and a captivating island bench that serves as a centrepiece for friends and whanau to gather around. Maintaining a seamless design flow and consistency was a top priority, extending from the kitchen to the living spaces, bathrooms, and bedrooms. As a result, our team took on the responsibility of overseeing the entire joinery fitout for this home.

With a commitment to natural aesthetics, we selected three primary colors and materials. Melteca ‘Snow Drift Satin’ as our proud tall cabinets, Bestwood ‘Vintage Ash’ as the base cabinetry, rangehood and open shelves. To harmonize with the dominant wood theme in flooring, benchtop overhangs, and cabinetry, we introduced a third element—Archant Florim’s ‘Stone Grist Matte’ benchtop. This beautiful stone offers depth, strength, and a harmonious feel within the large open space, also serving as a splashback, creating rhythm and repetition.

In alignment with the entertaining aspect of the brief, the kitchen design revolves around skylights, the outdoor entertainment area, and the expansive island. Emphasis on the ‘Solid Oak’ benchtop scaled at a higher level draws attention, detail, and offers an abundance of seating. The deliberate incorporation of negative detailing on the benchtop, drawers, and tall units creates visual continuity and appeal. To create proper proportion, balance and scale within the room, we placed the tall units fridge, pantry, ovens and bar space evenly across the back wall. Emphasis was designed around the bar area, with subtle but effective tiles, open shelving, detailed lighting creating another refreshing and innovative space. Our clients wanted to have plenty of storage, so the consistent use of drawers has been used, which all flow within the pantry. The straight lines, details and craftsmanship are precise and admired by all.