Kitchen makeover: a bright new space

Making a small home feel spacious can be a challenge, but achievable with a little thought.

Before
Unrenovated for nearly 40 years, this 1920s two-bedroom home was in desperate need of a new kitchen and a modern makeover, which would connect the house to the courtyard and bring in plenty of natural light.

When the owner of this inner-city home bought the property, it was clear a new kitchen was needed. ”The house was often dark and the kitchen had carpet linoleum and no sink – I used the laundry tub to wash the dishes for a year!” she says.

The owner consulted an architect, who suggested an open-plan design, with doors opening to the courtyard. Two walls were widened, while the end wall was removed and doors and a window installed. ”I had a tight budget, so we did a lot of the work ourselves,” the owner says. ”We designed and assembled the Ikea kitchen, so it only cost about $3,000.” She used the Ikea kitchen planner, downloadable from www.ikea.com.au. “Ikea Faktum kitchens have a 20-year guarantee, which also appealed to me,” she adds.

The makeover was kept to a palette of whites to give the small house a uniform and spacious atmosphere. Essa Stone in Basmati was chosen for its light, sparkling look and hard-wearing nature. It was used for the benchtops and splashbacks in both the kitchen and adjoining laundry. Gitani Stone fabricated the stone at its factory, including cut-outs for the Oliveri PE30U compact undermount sink and Asko cooktop, and gave the benchtops a 40mm edge for a luxe look.

 

Thinking green: smart kitchen makeover choices

• When choosing appliances, look for good water and energy ratings – the more stars, the better. The Asko D3121 dishwasher in this kitchen has four-star water and energy ratings. It uses 13.7 litres per normal wash, which is often less water than used for dishwashing by hand in a sink. Many dishwashers available now do not require pre-rinsing.
• Taps with WELS Scheme ratings (see www.waterrating.gov.au) release as little as 2 litres of water per minute compared with 15-18 litres from older taps.
• Mixer taps, like the Oliveri MV617/6 extendable spray head mixer in this kitchen, can deliver desired temperatures quickly at low water pressure, reducing water wastage.
• Ovens with triple glazing, such as the Asko 0850S multifunctional oven, retain heat and consume less energy.
• Indoor plants provide fresh air inside.
• Landscaping and garden shop Twig suggested clumping bamboo for the courtyard to provide an attractive screen. Bamboo is excellent for absorbing noise.

Made to last

Engineered stone such as Essa Stone is a popular choice for benchtops because it offers consistent quality and is hard-wearing. Essa Stone is 95 per cent natural quartz, one of the hardest natural materials that is both resilient and durable, and does not require sealing. Engineered stone also comes in a diverse range of colours. Essa Stone is available in 16 colours designed for the Australian market, from the white, fine-particled ’Purity’, to the milky chocolate ‘Sable Luxe’ and larger-particled ‘Basmati’ used in this kitchen. For details, call 132 136 or visit www.essastone.com.au.

 

Photography: Sam McAdam. Styling: Angela Haughton. Stylist's assistant: Helen Peacock.