Country Kitchens - Worth Every Cent

Photography by Tony Potter
Styling by Greg Sukendro

With plenty of planning and a little hard work, the perfect kitchen is definitely within reach.

The kitchen is the centre of the universe called 'home' and, as everything revolves around it, it may as well be exactly what you want. But when 'exactly what you want' means handing over $50,000, you tend to think twice. Bruce and Paula had no intention of parting with that much cash for a kitchen, so they decided to do it themselves. They'd already gutted and renovated the entire house almost on their own, so they thought it was time to put the 'heart' back into it with a new kitchen.

 It took stacks of planning and plenty of time and patience as Paula collected brochures and magazines for inspiration before finally coming up with an idea she loved. The couple always wanted a large combined kitchen and family room, and as Paula says, "when you've got friends and family round, people end up in the kitchen, so it's best if the whole place opens into the entertaining area." She also wanted it to be a focal point and describes it as a 'piece of furniture'. Other kitchens are also functional and attractive but this one is a feature of the home.

The benchtops and island bench are covered in marble from A1 Sydney Stone. It has been coated with an acid wash, making it easy to maintain and giving it a fantastic matt finish. The colour is natural beige and works well with the other shades in the kitchen. There are two – that's right, two – St George stainless-steel stoves in the kitchen, and Paula uses them both. The smaller one is for everyday cooking and the big one for big family gatherings, especially Christmas and special occasions

Paul and Bruce love their ‘friendly’ kitchen and say they wouldn't change it for the world. And instead of the whopping $50,000 they were quoted, it cost them only $14,000 to do it themselves.

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