Breath of fresh air

It is only to be expected that a house that dates back to the late '40s is going to undergo a few changes over the years. This makes it all the more surprising that until recently, this house still had its original 1949-era plywood kitchen.

The owner says the old kitchen had been well crafted hence its longevity but it did have a few not-so-attractive features. These included an old fluorescent light fixture and yellow patterned linoleum that turned up the base of the walls.

Designer Elina Katsioula-Beall CKD of DeWitt Designer Kitchens says there were a few structural changes also. The room was opened up to the dining room and a picture window was introduced.

"Right from the outset, the client, who is himself an innovative architect, said he wanted a surprising replacement for his old kitchen something different and fun," Katsioula-Beall says. "He wanted a kitchen more likely to be found in a metropolitan apartment rather than a half-century-old suburban house. He also expressed a preference for a bold blue kitchen with sharp contrasts."

Katsioula-Beall says the cobalt blue thermofoil cabinetry provided the starting point.

"But with such vibrant blue cabinetry, we had to provide a strong antagonist, hence the stainless steel. However, we had to give it more territory than simply providing stainless steel appliances, so stainless steel also features on the cooking centre benchtop, oven side cabinets and toekicks."

The designers introduced another contrasting colour with an apple-green glass splashback, which provides a crisp, fresh look. Walls and the sink benchtops are white.

"The oak floor balances the coolness of these elements," says Katsioula-Beall. "It also provides a little texture that teases the seriousness of the squeaky-clean material palette."

Story by: Colleen Hawkes