WHITIANGA

Nestled in a busy part of the Whitianga waterways, this kitchen space has been entirely re-orientated to capture the stunning views right outside my client’s doorstep. The home previously had a Poggenpohl kitchen, but when the new owners purchased it, they felt the kitchen was not making the most of the scenery on show.  

The space available for the kitchen was a large, square room, and one of the key requests in the new design was to include a scullery somewhere, somehow. After considering several different layouts with the clients, we achieved this by the introduction of a wall to separate the back-to-back cabinetry, which allowed for a fully functional scullery hidden behind.

The whole room has floor-to-ceiling windows and doors, so a closed-off scullery wasn't an option or a consideration. What was important was for the two spaces to work in conjunction with each other – hence the placement of the wine cooler under the end of the scullery benchtop. Most of my client's entertaining is done just outside these main doors, so access to the fridge was paramount.

We wanted the kitchen to be simplistic in design yet provide some interest to the room day or night. Using an inverted bulkhead and recessed LED light strips throughout the kitchen creates visual appeal in the evening whilst never compromising its function.

A range of Neff appliances was selected, along with the built-in recirculation downdraft, allowing full use of the overhead cupboards. The timber veneer frames and the all-black base cabinets carry through to the scullery with a hint of veneer to link the two spaces together. The back-lit glass shelves encourage entry to the scullery and are controlled by a sensor.