A beautiful mid-century modern home in Crafers was in desperate need of modernising to suit the needs of a busy family.
The clients, who loved to cook, entertain, help with homework and share mealtimes, were finding that the old property, while full of character, wasn’t properly equipped to meet their needs. The existing kitchen was small, had poor storage and uncomfortably low surfaces with no usable bench space. Still, it was critical to the family to remain true to the original aesthetic of the home, meaning any design had to preserve the stramit ceiling (thatch), original terrazzo in the entryway and fireplace hearth, feature timber cladding and the flow between inside and outside.
A key element identified early in the concept design phase was the kitchen location. Alone, relocating the kitchen solved numerous concerns with functionality, and the addition of a large island bench created a much-needed touchpoint for the family to gather around to entertain or prepare meals together. An added benefit came through as an existing hallway presented the perfect opportunity for both a much needed walk-in-pantry and linen storage proximate to the laundry.
The space was already filled with rich materiality, requiring a careful discernment of new materials if we were to sensitively complement the existing depth of the colour. Polytec Florentine walnut and Topiary expanded the depth, the white providing a crisp companion to the existing brickwork and painted rendered walls.
