Dare to be different Balinese influenced kitchen remodel by Klassic Kitchens

Visual continuity is always important for a new kitchen, especially when you want a seamless flow from adjacent living areas.

This kitchen project was part of an extensive house renovation by owners Andrew and Emma Bull, who say the kitchen needed to reflect the Balinese design influence of the rest of the interior.

"Wood is characteristic of Balinese architecture," says Emma Bull. "The house has dark-roasted American oak floorboards, and we chose to match these in the kitchen with dark American oak cabinets."

Although white benchtops were suggested, the couple chose a patterned Mousse granite.

"We wanted our kitchen to be quite different from what everyone else has," says Emma Bull. "The space needed to be more inviting and seductive, and we didn't mind a dark-on-dark palette. We also wanted a chunky look that would be more in keeping with Balinese tradition, hence the 60mm-deep benchtops and the chunky wood base to the island top."

The kitchen is not overly dark, however. A gold-toned colourbacked glass splashback and mirrored cabinet doors reflect light around the kitchen and keep the look refined. The mirrored doors also match the sleek lines of the stainless steel appliances, which include a built-in coffee machine and a wine refrigerator.

For ease of entertaining, the kitchen has a large freestanding cooker and a separate scullery behind a large sliding door, which includes a sink.

Story by: Colleen Hawkes