Bold not heavy

Designed by Vanessa Webb, Dress My Nest  for Landmark Homes Wellington

From the designer:

This kitchen was designed for the Landmark Homes Wellington Showhome in Paraparaumu, in close collaboration with the Landmark Wellington team. 

The brief was clear: demonstrate what is possible with a Landmark Ready to Build plan, and do it boldly. 

The showhome was recognised with a Highly Commended at the TIDA Homes Trends International Design Awards 2025 – with the kitchen playing a central role in that result.

The design sets out to prove that black, used with intention, creates warmth rather than weight. 

Matte black cabinetry anchors the perimeter, running floor to ceiling on the appliance wall where integrated storage and a built-in oven sit flush within the joinery line. 

A single timber pull breaks the surface, a quiet but deliberate detail. 

Rather than softening the black with lighter cabinetry, the palette leans into the contrast, letting natural timber, greenery and texture do the work of bringing the space to life.

Above the bench, a horizontal picture window stretches the length of the working wall, flooding the kitchen with natural light and connecting visually through to the scullery beyond. 

Floating above it, a natural oak rangehood box and open shelf lift the eye and prevent the upper zone from feeling closed in. 

Three large skylights above the island are paired with matte black spotlights in place of traditional pendants, a deliberate decision to maximise the view upward while delivering focussed task lighting in the evening.

The island is wrapped in individual timber battens, a detail chosen both for its texture and its reference to the home's exterior cladding, threading inside and outside together. 

The same batten profile is repeated in the dining table, creating cohesion between the kitchen and dining zones without being heavy-handed. 

White subway tile runs the full splashback, keeping the working wall clean and bright against the surrounding dark joinery.

To the right of the main kitchen, a generous scullery with open shelving and stone benchtops provides additional prep space and storage, keeping the main kitchen clear and uncluttered. 

To the left, a fully concealed study nook is integrated into the cabinetry, responding to the growing expectation that a family kitchen needs to accommodate work and homework alongside cooking. 

Behind bifold doors, this disappears completely when not in use.

Throughout the joinery interiors and scullery cabinetry, Melteca Possum adds a warm, dusty tone that reads as a considered moment of colour within an otherwise restrained palette. 

It is the kind of detail that rewards a closer look, and reflects the broader approach taken across the showhome: every decision intentional, nothing left to default.

Built by Chatswood Kitchens, the space demonstrates what becomes possible when builder, designer and kitchen maker are genuinely aligned. 

The result is fresh, considered, and designed to last.

Story by: Trendsideas