Above: Creating a sense of symmetry was critical
to the success of the design – as seen here in the
design of cabinetry and the island around a central
axis formed by the sink and freestanding cooker.
On the long axis, the table, island and veneer panel
on the side wall all align perfectly.
Facing page: Double cavity slider doors in the
same timber veneer as the rest of the kitchen
provide a wide opening to the scullery when in
use, but also mean it’s hardly noticeable when
closed. With a double oven, dishwasher and
sink, the scullery is fully equipped as a secondary
cooking area.
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look. It needed to make a statement and,
because it was in such an open space, we
needed to make sure it didn’t look out of
proportion.”
Lowering the ceiling in the allocated
space helped give the kitchen definition
and also a more intimate scale.
Metge says that while an all-black
kitchen would have had the required
industrial look, the effect could have been
too hard. Instead, she opted for a softer
mix of timber veneer and black, plus some
use of stainless steel.
But instead of limiting the stained
American White Oak veneer to the kitchen,
she extended it into the dining area on one
side and a study on the other – so further
integrating the kitchen into the wider space.
It also provided a much neater solution
for access to the master bedroom located
off the dining area. Instead of an obvious
opening, the wood panelling incorporates
a secret door into the bedroom.
With the kitchen space now well
defined, the designer established the
layout of the functional requirements.