Designer Natalie Du Bois chose a range of materials and fixtures to meet the brief for a simple design during a kitchen renovation project in Remuera, Auckland, NZ.
While the house had a stunning and architecturally designed presence, the kitchen disappointed with a dark and closed-in atmosphere, minimal storage and a badly designed workflow.
Du Bois’ clients loved a light-filled environment but didn’t want a design that would dominate the space. She, therefore, created a kitchen with a variety of interesting visual features to make the main kitchen an area of interest, while the practical butler’s pantry remained concealed and out of sight.
The island bench is made from Corian with feature panelling channelled in various thicknesses and LED lighting adding depth and texture. Corian is also used for the rangehood housing to create visual continuity from front to back.
Soft greys and off-whites team perfectly with warm brushed French oak flooring, which is mirrored in the bar stools as well as the cabinet interiors finished in oak melamine.
A Zip HydroTap Cube BCS with a font was placed in an easy-to-access position on one side of the kitchen. This allows for friends and family to help themselves to instant filtered boiling, chilled and sparkling water without needing to enter the kitchen.
Being able to close off the butler’s pantry at the rear of the kitchen from the main kitchen is extremely useful for the owners when entertaining. The kitchen is designed for efficient workflow with clever placement of work zones. Dual entrances and exits provide for optimum traffic flow as well as access points that do not encroach on the main cooking and preparation zones.
Plenty of drawers provide abundant storage space with internal organisational systems from Blum helping with easy access. Matching Smeg appliances throughout the kitchen offer a cohesive design element with the gleaming stainless steel complementing the neutral tones. A true entertainer’s kitchen, the space has been cleverly laid out to include an under bench oven and induction stovetop, separate steam oven and warming drawer, two dishwashers, a large integrated fridge/ freezer, separate wine fridge and, of course, the Zip HydroTap in Brushed Chrome (known as Zenith HydroTap in New Zealand).
Photography: Kallan MacLeod
