KITCHEN RENOVATIONS: IDEAS AND IMPLEMENTATION!
We have recently completed a laundry and kitchen renovation for our clients the Lau’s in Nedlands, and the transformation was truly stunning. We talk to our expert Kitchen Designer on the client’s wish list and thought process behind this gorgeous space, and how she went about implementing the design to bring the vision to life and enhance their family home.
The Wishlist!
‘A classic style kitchen with a contemporary twist, for a family who loves to cook’ can pretty much sum up the dream renovation Mr and Mrs Lau were hoping for!
Our Kitchen Designer helped them delve into this a little further and in order to achieve the ideal look, they were going to need to open up the room to bring some much-needed light inside, which would be further enhanced with a cool colour palette of whites, greys and timber.
To create a more functional space overall, it was decided that the existing laundry would also be opened up to create a brand-new combined scullery and laundry – resulting in a very stylish and sleek way to conceal larger appliances such as the fridge, washing machine and dryer from everyday view.
How was this achieved?
Once the new colours were decided on, our Kitchen Designer then needed to work out how to best implement these tones into the space to achieve the brief of ‘classic and contemporary’.
Caesarstone Statuario Maxmius was chosen as the Island bench feature stone to have the most impact against the contrasted Cinder cabinetry. This feature stone was artfully repeated on the splashback to create interest and contrast against the Caesarstone Raven to the remaining benchtops. Lastly, stunning new Jarrah timber floorboards were introduced to bring in some warmth to the cool tones, while the inclusion of white cabinetry to the outer edges of the room keeps the area light and fresh and helps to bounce the natural light around the space.
Let there be light!
The previous space was very dark with a dated colour scheme that made the room feel quite small, so there was a definite requirement to open it up to let more light into the room.
With a beautiful park across the road and the Lau’s well-manicured garden just outside the kitchen window, our Kitchen Designer seized the opportunity to suggest making the already existing kitchen window larger and adding a full height window to the left, which not only lets in more natural light but also resulted in an absolutely stunning view of these amazing outdoor elements – creating a unique feature splashback that you won’t want to look away from!
These gorgeous new window additions are complimented by elegant glass front cabinetry, which were added to an area of the kitchen that was previously blocked by a returning wall. Knowing the impact the glazed cabinets would make to the room by adding depth and sense of openness, it was a no brainer to remove the wall in order to further assist in opening up the space.
As an added bonus, Mrs Lau now has a beautiful forum in which to display her collection of intricate tea sets and colourful vases, adding a vibrant personal touch to her incredible new kitchen.
To further enhance this generous influx of natural light into their home, LED lighting was added to underside of cabinetry in kitchen, scullery and laundry and also inside the glass cabinetry – and with a slick coat of white paint throughout the space, the transformation from dark and dated to a light and airy chef’s dream is complete!
Give me all the gadgets!
It’s always extra fun creating a kitchen for someone who just loves to cook! The Lau’s decided they wanted to upgrade their appliances as part of this process, so Debbie’s design also included the addition of a concealed rangehood and the creation of a dedicated space for appliances and storage.
Our Kitchen Designer worked with the clients to ensure that the new appliances were selected based on functionality, and their ability to meet the Lau’s expectations for what they need in their kitchen on a day to day basis – so they decided to go with both a built-in oven and a steam oven, to ensure maximum flexibility when it comes to menu planning.
An equally important appliance for their dream kitchen was a concealed range-hood with excellent air output – meaning that noise is minimised – which is a non-negotiable requirement in a household who regularly uses their hotplate to cook, but still want to be able to hold a conversation in the kitchen with the range-hood turned on.
The added inclusion of items such as the semi-integrated dishwasher, undermount sink and the induction hotplate (which sits beautifully flush to the benchtop!) were also instrumental in keeping the clean lines of the new design – as well as all being super easy to wipe down after a long day in the kitchen cooking up a storm! It was a touch of genius on the Kitchen Designer’s part to add the matte black integrated soap dispenser, and a very classy way to blend such a functional item seamlessly into the room.
Finally, an appliance cabinet and a joint Laundry/Scullery were added to ensure all the larger appliances (such as the fridge) could be either tucked away, or out on the bench ready to use whilst being out of sight from the main living area, which is ideal for being able to keep your home feeling nice and tidy while entertaining friends and family.
The journey that this kitchen has been taken on, from humble beginnings to a stunning masterpiece and focal point of the home has been truly incredible to see.
If you’re just getting started on your kitchen renovation in Perth, The Maker’s showroom in Bassendean is a great place to start your journey. We would love to help create your dream kitchen, so pop in for a casual discussion with one of our award-winning kitchen designers, or alternatively book an appointment for a design consultation. To find out more information on how we can assist you, call us today on 1300 270 000.
