Blue for you

Designed by Erik Rudolfsson & Joseph Alliker, RAA Architects

From the architects:

An important requirement in the homeowner’s brief involved the new positioning of the kitchen within the home during the alteration process. 

Despite impressive views of the ocean and Maroubra beach to the front of the property, it was important for the owners to maintain the kitchen in the rear of the house, with an open connection to the back garden and pool area. 

This was not only for aesthetic reasons, but also for safety concerns – the kitchen layout allows the owners to keep an eye on their children playing around the pool.

Another requirement was for a concealed walk-in-pantry with pocket door set adjacent to the rest of the open plan kitchen-dining space. 

The owners wanted a relaxing place for preparing and tidying up after meals, as well as when storing kitchenware and supplies, and that would allow them to keep the main kitchen space more organised and clutter free.

At the same time, within the main kitchen, the owners also wanted open shelving to be part of the design, as they were keen to display family photos, artwork, and ornaments in the space they use most in the house.

Additionally, the homeowners were keen for the kitchen to draw inspiration from the home’s location on the edge of Sydney’s coast. 

A ‘beach’ scheme is accentuated in a playful way throughout the interior fit-out, and this is seen in the blue Azul Boquira Quartzite kitchen island stone benchtop. 

There was also special consideration between the island benchtop and the pool in the rear garden. 

As the island aligns with the pool, the owners wanted the colours between each element to reflect one another. 

Tiles for the pool were chosen in response to the quartzite chosen for the benchtop.

In terms of colour and finishes, the cabinetry helps to differentiate the zones within the kitchen. 

The lower cabinets are white satin in Dulux lexicon quarter. 

This colour allows the wall cabinets to blend into the white walls. 

The ovens, cooktop and main kitchen appliances are situated along this station, and are recessed and subtle in contrast with other materials.

Upper cabinets and open shelving are in American oak veneer. 

This finish is also used in the cabinet doors under the island benchtop and is allowed to stand out within the overall scheme – further accentuating the blue island bench top.

The pantry wall is clad in panelling painted Dulux black. 

This panelling is a continuation of the timber batten wall in the entrance hall and first floor corridor. 

The black panelling matches the wall backing of the timber battens, which are western red cedar. 

The combination and continuation of this panelling presents a two-storey service zone in the overall house, including bathrooms, laundry and the concealed walk-in-pantry adjacent to the kitchen.

Designed by: RAA Architects

Story by: Trendsideas

Photography by: Robert Walsh