Fifteen years after moving into their home, Gai and her husband renovated their kitchen. As their French country-style house has a light and relaxed feel, they wanted a similar ambience in the kitchen. Where the old decor relied heavily on recycled timber, they were after a more provincial look.
Gai had a mental picture of the room she wanted, but also took a few weeks researching on the internet. “That was really useful,” she remembers, “because I fell in love with the style of Provincial Kitchens after seeing their website. Their location wasn’t close, but I just knew they were the perfect company to create the kitchen I wanted.”
A BRIGHT FAMILY SPACE
The room overlooks an acre of grounds and has a lovely north-facing aspect. Even more light streams in from the adjoining conservatory which not only has glass walls but also a clear polycarbonate roof. The terracotta floor tiles were sourced locally and garner plenty of compliments. “Everyone always remarks on how much they love our tiles,” Gai says. “I think they’re just perfect for the rustic country feel we wanted.”
One whole area is set aside for the grandchildren. They have their own designated space where they’re in sight but not underfoot. Built into one side of a counter is a low cabinet that holds a TV and DVD player, and the screens are flanked by two sets of specialised drawers for DVDs and games.
THE TWO-STEP KITCHEN
Contrary to the layout of many modern kitchens, there is no island bench. Instead, all the key workstations are within two steps of each other: countertop, sink, cooktop, fridge and pantry. It’s this wellthought- out floor plan that makes the room very functional. Just as handy are the storage drawers, which are used extensively instead of shelves. There is a purpose-built drawer just for cutlery, one for dinner sets and mugs, and one for various supplies such as plastic wrap. A cleverly designed pull-out twin rubbish bin sits adjacent to an integrated dishwasher, while a drawer for pots and pans is underneath the cooktop.
Emulating a style the pair saw in France, the sink is countersunk to the benchtop. The top itself has a double-bevelled edge – a full bullnose with a half bullnose underneath. The granite is an unusual colour, soft green with shades of terracotta throughout.
CLEVER CUPBOARDS
Gai swears by a corner cupboard, which she calls “my magic corner”. It contains heavy chrome steel shelves on a frame attached to the corner cupboard door. The three-shelf frame pulls out and then sideways so the next three shelves can then be pulled out. This clever mechanism puts an end to dead space or blind corners.
There’s even a cleverly disguised cupboard above the mantelpiece which holds serving platters and other entertaining essentials not in everyday use. There are two more cupboards on either side of the cooktop; the one on the left contains three drawers that hold spices, oils and other cooking essentials and the one on the right contains Japanese cookware.
Storage needs are provided for by cabinetry along a large expanse of wall that houses a pull-out cupboard unit with drawers and shelves to hold taller items, the Smeg stainless-steel appliances – refrigerator/freezer, double oven and microwave – and another cupboard that holds kitchen appliances on shelves which have been made to measure. A small appliance cupboard to the left of the sink also houses a power point and phone, and then there’s the huge pantry – “All my friends suffer from ‘pantry envy,’” Gai laughingly admits. “It’s really a small room.”
Some kitchens look good while others are simply practical. With a clear vision and careful research, Gai and her husband have created a warm family space that’s a blend of both, providing form as well as function.
KITCHEN ESSENTIALS
Kitchen design & construction – Provincial Kitchens
Splashback tiles – Handmade Italian tiles, 100cm x 100cm, from The Art of Tiles Newtown
Taps – Perrin and Rowe ‘Picardie’ from The English Tapware Company
Benchtop – Granite in Moss Green
Drawer handles – Marina Isles knob and Shell cup pull, both in Pewter
Story by Jebby Phillips
Photography by Ryan Hernandez
Styling by Kathryn Borglund