The initial feel of this kitchen is one of comfortable rusticity which quickly gives way to one’s curiosity at unravelling the many unique, and fairly urbane, design elements at play here.
“A fully clad, Caesarstone Rugged Concrete island becomes a focal point when you enter the room,” says Natalie du Bois, the designer of this Remuera kitchen.
The inclusion of a non-intrusive, downdraft induction hob (Miele) guarantees that light flows in freely, but also that the Tom Dixon pendants over the dining table are allowed to bring balance to the room’s verticality.
Part of the design brief was to incorporate existing furniture (dining table and chairs), and Natalie sourced new cushions and accessories to emphasise the colours of the space, which, along with the tonal soft greys on the island, and the black accents throughout, create layers of tension.
It is, however, the inviting window seat (with built-in coffee table) and a walk-in pantry that really give this kitchen a sense of grandeur that would otherwise be missing.
“The room originally had a large angled wall which backed onto the master bedroom and made the room extremely hard to work with,” says Natalie. She advised that “by straightening the wall, it would make it feel larger and become more practical. A wide sliding door into the pantry makes the small [storage area] feel roomier — it also showcases the striking black marble porcelain tiles and shelving that also appear in the kitchen, linking the two spaces.”
