The way it never was
When Let’s Talk Kitchens began the renovation of a Federation home’s kitchen, it was a case of two steps forward followed by two steps back, as the demolition revealed remnants of an unsuccessful past renovation that had to be rectified.
The client brief was to open up the space to the rest of the home. However, to do this, a previously concealed brick wall had to be removed. This presented a challenge before the project had even begun, as the wall had to be pulled down and the roof re-supported without compromising the architectural integrity of the house — all this was necessary before construction of the new kitchen could commence.
With this done, Let’s Talk Kitchens was free to transform the room from a hidden nook to a large and open-plan living and cooking space finished with a classic early 20th century look. To achieve this, the brick wall and others were removed for greater floor space and accessibility, and great care was taken to use materials and products that fit the era of the home to create the impression it had been there for the past 80 years.
To create additional bench space, work zones and storage, a window was removed and the original laundry space incorporated into the new kitchen — replaced with a European laundry. Let’s Talk Kitchens also designed and built a large entertainment unit to house the family’s plasma television in the family room as a means to connect the two spaces.
The final product from Let’s Talk Kitchens is a seamless outcome and a kitchen that appears as though it has always been just like this.
Fact file:
- DOORS, PANELS AND KICKBOARDS Shaker-style satin finish two-pack painted in Dulux China White
- INTERNAL HARDWARE Blum 50kg, Blumotion soft-closing runners, Häfele soft-closing slide-out racking, Häfele Cargo 45 bins
- HANDLES Kethy B787/Mainz
- BENCHTOP Corian Clam Shell with 60mm arrised edge with integrated sinks and drainer including 10mm tile cove
- SPLASHBACK Matrix Murano glass tiles in Wasabi from Southern Cross Ceramics
- APPLIANCES include an Ilve oven, Qasair rangehood, Miele dishwasher, Panasonic microwave and Maytag refrigerator
- COST, approximately, for design, manufacture, installation, plumbing and electrical, $47,000