From balmy summer afternoons relaxing around the barbecue to cosy winter nights creating a feast in the heart of your home, ensure culinary excellence 365 days a year with cooking spaces that cater to your every whim.
Words Louise Smithers
Kitchen Layout
From U-shaped to open plan, the layout of your kitchen is largely dependent on the size of the space you are working with. “When designing a kitchen, layout is key to both function and style,” says Manny Alas, Sydney-based director at Made by Alas Design Studio.
“U-shaped kitchens maximise counter space and create an efficient workflow but can feel enclosed with limited access points. L-shaped kitchens, on the other hand, are open and great for entertaining, though corner cabinets can be tricky to use effectively. Galley kitchens work well in small spaces, offering an efficient layout, yet they can feel narrow and lack a natural gathering area. Open-plan kitchens provide a social, airy feel but can often appear cluttered if not organised well and can allow noise and cooking smells to spread.”
Kitchen Layout Case Study: from U-shaped to L-shaped
The kitchen wizards at GIA Renovations recently reimagined an original U-shaped kitchen with a separate pantry by removing the partition and reconfiguring the layout into an open L-shape with a central island. This transformation fosters a more fluid, open-plan living environment, promoting seamless interaction between the kitchen, living and dining areas. To ensure a cohesive aesthetic, Alicia Jeffries from GIA extended the same material palette from the kitchen into a thoughtfully designed bar area, using darker hues to amplify the moody atmosphere. This contrast not only adds depth, but also strengthens the connection between spaces.
The new L-shaped layout offers a significant advantage by allowing the clients to navigate the space with ease, thanks to multiple entry and exit points into the kitchen. This type of kitchen layout is particularly useful for large families or during the festive season when extended family and friends gather in the kitchen. With benchtops positioned closer together, this design optimises workflow, eliminating the need for excessive floor space between benchtops.
Additionally, it cleverly sidesteps awkward corners that often pose challenges in kitchen design, turning what could be wasted space into a more functional and streamlined area.
Appliance Reliance
Whichever kitchen layout you choose, the most hardworking appliance in any kitchen is arguably the oven. To get the most out of the cooking experience and ensure your oven can tackle everything you throw at it (from extravagant Christmas lunches for family and friends to a warm and comforting casserole for two in the middle of winter), investing in the best oven your budget affords will pay dividends all year round. Case in point: Unox Casa.
New to the Australian market, Unox Casa is the high-end residential division of Unox, the world’s best-selling brand of professional ovens and the choice of the world’s best chefs for more than 30 years. Born to bring the performance of the highest-starred restaurants from around the globe to luxury private homes, Unox Casa’s SuperOven is the first oven that integrates the high-end technology of professional ovens into an iconic Italian design.
Transforming the kitchen into the beating heart of the home, SuperOven elevates the daily culinary experience, making every dish a starred masterpiece of flavour and taste and turning haute cuisine into the centrepiece of the domestic experience in elite living spaces.
Available in two configurations, Model 1 and Model 1S, SuperOven offers professional performance in a simple, immediate way, making types of cooking not found in traditional ovens possible, such as grilling, frying, vacuum cooking, smoking and dehydrating. Thanks to sensors that continuously monitor the percentage of humidity inside the cooking chamber, food can be cooked evenly and 3 times faster than in a normal oven. The interface has an easy and intuitive digital panel that can activate more than 400 automatic cooking processes, for which all it takes is to set the desired result for the oven to automatically choose the ideal programme, adapting it to the amount of food being cooked.
The culinary experience is completed by the Unox Casa App, the digital extension of SuperOven that enhances control, precision, and creativity within the home. Available in multiple languages and downloadable from major app stores, the app is structured into three distinct sections: My Oven, an intuitive dashboard that monitors cooking and cleaning phases; Programs, a space to create personalised cooking programmes; and Cook Like a Chef, an exclusive collection of recipes curated by Unox chefs and international culinary stars, designed to showcase the full performance of SuperOven.
Take it Outside
With house sizes in Australia on the decrease, homeowners are increasingly turning to the outdoors to create more space for living and entertaining. “Outdoor spaces can seamlessly transition through the seasons to support entertaining, relaxing and unwinding at any time of year,” says Alex Hand from Australian Outdoor Living. “Yet, while outdoor living is at the heart of the Australian lifestyle, many people aren’t making the most of their backyards outside of summer.”
To achieve the ultimate outdoor kitchen and dining area, Alex says that installing a built-in outdoor kitchen or portable bar carts will keep the party outside and food and drinks accessible. She also suggests introducing sheltered nooks – like a corner bench with an overhead cover – for year-round comfort. “The best outdoor spaces aren’t just about aesthetics, they’re about usability,” Alex adds. “A backyard that adapts to the seasons, that feels as good in winter as it does in summer, is one that you’ll enjoy most.”
The designers at Impala Kitchens & Bathrooms agree: “The incorporation of an outdoor kitchen and alfresco entertaining area will strengthen the looring materials from the interior to the exterior will blur the lines between indoor and outdoor spaces.”
The Crossray Compact Outdoor Kitchen is the perfect solution for homeowners with smaller outdoor areas who still want a high-end, sophisticated cooking experience. Available in electric and gas configurations, both options deliver exceptional infrared grilling performance, complete with smart storage solutions, a single-door fridge and ample bench space.
“Outdoor kitchens are gaining in popularity,” says Manny Alas. “Try incorporating open-flame cooking, built-in rotisseries and wood-fired or Gozney gas pizza ovens, all complemented by heat-resistant prep areas and weatherproof structures.” Indeed, a recent experiment conducted by Ooni, with the help of Ray White, has revealed pizza ovens are fuelling emotional connections at home and, as a result, adding value to Aussie homes.
The groundbreaking national experiment found that the perceived value of properties increased by an impressive 12 per cent simply by including a pizza oven as part of the open home. “The pizza oven completely transformed the space and overall experience during the open home,” says Megan Lawrence from Ray White. “The biggest value our potential buyers saw was how the Ooni oven transformed the space into somewhere they could envision entertaining family and friends and, in the process, create lifelong memories together.”
A discussion about alfresco cooking would be incomplete without mentioning the humble barbecue. In fact, it would be downright sacrilegious. Australians and barbecues go together like Bunnings and sausage sizzles. Much like portable pizza ovens, barbecues have come along in leaps and bounds in recent years.
The Morso Grill 71 barbecue is one of our favourites. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, the Grill 71 features a solid enamelled cast-iron grate, guaranteeing a flawless grilling experience. This remarkable material not only ensures even heat distribution and retention, but also boasts countless tiny pores that capture and infuse your culinary creations with irresistible flavours and succulent juiciness.
Family-friendly feasts
Forget summer and winter, the biggest “season” for any individual who chooses to procreate is the season where toddlers and kids roam your home.
The GIA team suggests prioritising materials that are both durable and easy to maintain, such as resilient laminate finishes for joinery. They also recommend enlisting the services of a skilled stonemason to ensure any natural stone surfaces are expertly sealed, guaranteeing longevity with minimal upkeep.
Smart and integrated appliances are also great for families with young kids, as are minimalist handleless cabinets, and multi-functional islands with built-in sinks and seating.
Manny from Made by Alas also offers some advice. “For families with young children, thoughtful design elements such as soft-close cabinets, fingerprint-free surfaces, rounded edges and touch-free faucets enhance safety and ease of use,” he explains. “Induction cooktops provide a safer alternative to gas, while durable tile flooring minimises damage from dropped items. As kitchens evolve, blending functionality, aesthetics and innovative solutions is the key to creating a space that meets modern needs.”
Go Green
Embrace nature with a green kitchen! This concept is more than just aesthetics; it embraces biophilic design principles to foster a connection with nature. From countertop herb gardens and more elaborate “sun” shelves (plant shelves with built-in full-spectrum LED grow lights), there’s nothing better than adding fresh, home-grown, seasonal ingredients to your menu. As well as edible greens, this verdant trend extends to a kitchen’s colouring and materiality.
Whether you prefer pale-green hues or have a penchant for deep-green tones, the experts at Impala Kitchens & Bathrooms stress that this doesn’t need to be an all or nothing approach. For example, consider a striking green feature tile splashback to invigorate your kitchen without it feeling overwhelming.
“Colour drenching with green cabinetry can truly elevate your space,” a representative from Impala explains. “You could pair these shades with neutral tones to achieve a balanced, inviting kitchen. Deep forest green is sophisticated, sage brings classic elegance, while soft mint green offers a breezy, airy vibe.”
Another way to embrace a greener way of life inside your kitchen is by maximising outdoor views. Create indoor/outdoor flow with large sliding or folding glass doors that seamlessly link indoor living areas with the outdoors. This not only creates a harmonious transition, but also makes your home feel more expansive and welcoming.
Whether you’re looking to spend more time cooking outdoors on an open flame, or you prefer to keep your cuisine indoors, selecting the right kitchen layout, investing in top-notch appliances and refining your fixtures and fittings to suit your lifestyle will guarantee year-long kitchen perfection.
