Conversation piece

Apartment kitchens don't have to be spare and minimalist warm and inviting is a more apt description of this transitional kitchen

View of kitchen which features brown granite benchtops, countertop, home, interior design, kitchen, real estate, room, brown — View of kitchen which features brown granite benchtops, oak cabinetry with veneer panels, appliances, oak floors and recessed lighting, and breakfast table with timber chairs.

View of kitchen which features brown granite benchtops, countertop, home, interior design, kitchen, real estate, room, brown, orange

View of kitchen which features brown granite benchtops, cabinetry, ceiling, countertop, cuisine classique, interior design, kitchen, real estate, room, brown, orange

View of kitchen which features brown granite benchtops, cabinetry, countertop, cuisine classique, hardwood, home, interior design, kitchen, property, real estate, room, wood flooring, brown, orange

View of kitchen which features brown granite benchtops, ceiling, countertop, estate, interior design, kitchen, real estate, brown

View of kitchen which features brown granite benchtops, cabinetry, countertop, cuisine classique, floor, flooring, hardwood, interior design, kitchen, laminate flooring, real estate, room, wood flooring, brown

There is an assumption that you take what you get when it comes to apartment kitchens and more often than not that's a very pared-back minimalist design.

This project shows it is possible to make changes that better reflect your lifestyle and design preferences. The original kitchen in this waterfront apartment was within the living area, says designer Kira Gray of Fyfe Kitchens.

"The owners wanted to create a larger living space, so we moved the kitchen further back in the apartment, to an area that had been a dining room. And we removed sections of the interior wall to open up the kitchen to the view. However, we retained a double-sided fireplace, which adds a warm, cosy feel that fits with the owners' desire for a warm, inviting kitchen."

The design also needed to bridge the gap between the contemporary architecture and the more traditional tastes of the owners. The solution was a transitional design, with square frame-and-panel cabinetry in solid oak and oak veneer. The oak has a washed finish to highlight the vertical grain. The cabinetry is paired with Antique Brown granite benchtops.

"To counter the transitional styling, we introduced stainless steel accents," says Gray. "The edging of the granite benchtops incorporates a 3mm stainless steel insert that adds a contemporary touch. Similarly, the toekicks, the leg of an integrated breakfast table, and two floating shelves are in stainless steel."

The stainless steel shelves house several of the numerous halogen lights requested by the owners. Gray says the lights and the crystal within the granite make the whole kitchen sparkle.

Other special features of the kitchen include a wide range of customised storage solutions. In addition to two vertical pull-out pantries, there is a roller-door appliance centre, bottle pull-outs and sliding chrome corner cabinets. Drawers have soft-close systems and runner extensions to enable full accessibility.