Timeless Elegance

It is always a pleasure for us to be involved in the restoration of Nelson’s historic architecture, so we were incredibly excited to be involved in putting a respectfully modern twist on this beautiful home. The clients are a mature couple with children that frequently visit. They enjoy socialising and entertaining so creating a large open plan living space to entertain family and friends was at the heart of this transformation. The client wanted the kitchen and scullery to blend into the open plan living space with the ability to hide the key functional elements of the working kitchen. Once these functional elements are hidden, the overall kitchen blends into the décor and effectively becomes a piece of furniture within the room.

This renovation had multiple challenges that we needed to work through. The overall spatial planning needed to be considered throughout the design. The new scullery is ultimately an extension of the kitchen space, containing a practical large butlers sink while also housing a coffee station and several small appliances. By designing the scullery this way, we were able to continue the seamless flow of the kitchen.

The original walls enclosed the room that was once a laundry therefore we added a new wall to line with the existing hallway. The addition of this wall allowed us to create a spacious entrance enticing you into the kitchen, dining and living space. A glimpse of the curved corner of the scullery and elegant hardware can be seen as you walk down the grand hallway.

Balance and repetition is a strong presence throughout the home. It was important that we continued the panelling into the joinery and we used the back wall of the kitchen to express this detail. The proportion and height of the raised panelling effect has been scaled off other areas of the house to create a cohesive flow, with the integrated fridge setting the parameters for the width.

We wanted to utilise the full height of the back wall to maximise the storage that is sort after in older homes. To access this storage, we introduced a custom-made, light weight ladder powder coated black adding interest to the dominant white wall of cabinetry. In its position out of use, it adds to the décor of the room.

The black and white colour palette is complemented by natural granite with a leathered finish, providing a touch of luxury. Most of the joinery has been kept white for consistency but we added striking contrast to the hob wall with the black cooking zone. The white is further enhanced with the use of fluted texture and curves creating rhythm throughout the design. These curves have then been repeated through use of a curved rangehood with custom brass shelving used to tie in accents used in the island.

It was clear in the brief that the island deserved to be the centrepiece of the kitchen, with softened radiuses maximizing the flow through to the living area. We wanted this to pop from the rest of the design so we have added a negative detail under bench and a higher toekick in brass to elevate the centre piece. The design showcases an unobstructed work triangle and generous workspaces. To retain the clean lines we have added a hidden sink with a foldaway tap under a piece of leathered granite that can be easily moved and expose the sink for everyday use.

We needed to ensure the sizes of the appliances used were kept within our desired proportions and the client had efficient capacity for entertaining and storage. Strategic selection of integrated appliances was key, and we went one step further adding an under-bench fridge to the island for additional cooling facilities.

When it came to lighting, our aim was to create soft and subtle effect that would complement the overall design of the space. To do this, we avoided using LED strip lighting and instead opted for gentle lighting solutions. Spotlights were only used as a feature element to enhance the aesthetic appeal of the design.

The overall result of this design is a stunning blend of functionality and elegance. While the kitchen still serves a functional purpose when required, with the use of clever styling and integrated appliances, it blends beautifully into the modern design aesthetics of the home. This restoration is a testament to the craft and attention to detail of the joiners and designers involved, and a true masterpiece of inner-city timeless elegance.