Practical wood kitchen complements holiday home living

Light-filled and informal are words often used to describe the classic Kiwi holiday home. And central to achieving that feel is the treatment of the kitchen.

The kitchen seen here is in just such a breezy getaway the lakeside house was designed by Fraser Cameron Architects and the kitchen by the firm's interiors consultant Belinda Ellis.

"The brief was for a relaxed, flexible home on the sloping, bush-clad site. The kitchen and large scullery were to be tucked into one side of the trussed, high-ceiling living space and had to complement the wider decor," says Ellis.

The kitchen also needed to easily connect to the outdoor spaces on both sides of the home.

"The location, circulation and orientation to the multiple indoor and outdoor living spaces required a classic central island design," says Ellis. "The kitchen proper holds the primary facilities cooker, main refrigerator, large sink and a wide DishDrawer dishwasher. The rear scullery has a second sink, a large fridge drawer, and a cabinet sized to accommodate a second DishDrawer if required in the future.

"The long bench had to be kept quite narrow for space and furnishing considerations."

At the request of the owners and to create a pleasing sense of proportion for the island, Ellis added broad shelving under the countertop.

Overall, the kitchen offers a visually simple but highly textured palette of natural materials, continuing finishes found throughout the home.

"For example, the look of the prefinished sandblasted and stained oak floor is echoed in the island and wall cabinetry treatments. The floor is a practical as well as aesthetic choice as it doesn't show the pumice dust from the local area and is a delight to walk on in bare feet."

The cabinet fronts are in a mismatched oak veneer, stained and sealed. This product is made up of veneer strips of varying width which are wire brushed for a textured finish. The resulting plank-like effect ideally matches the oak floors.

The encaustic tile splashback was chosen by the owners a bold graphic reference to one of their favourite restaurants.

In the scullery, elements are instead painted to recede and blend with the grooved ply and batten wall and ceilings featured throughout.

Countertops are in marble and stainless steel, the latter practical surface matching the relaxed-look freestanding stainless steel appliances.

Story by: Charles Moxham

Photography by: Matt Jordan