Down came the walls

Designed by Rachele Simmons-Taling, Berloni New Zealand

From the designer:

The owners needed a major renovation, wanting a more open space for their kitchen and to flood the area with as much natural light as possible.

The existing space was composed of three rooms: kitchen and dining, office and a second lounge. All three rooms were walled as separate entities, creating an oppressive and dark area.

We felt the best way to meet the client’s requirements was to turn the three rooms into one large area, removing the load bearing wall separating the individual rooms and replacing it with a steel beam recessed into the ceiling joists.

This altered the interior flow on this side of the house.

Removing the existing cork floor tiles exposed the original concrete foundation. This was ground and polished, exposing heavy aggregate.

For continuity on the first floor of the home, we carried this technique through the entry foyer, hallway, powder bath, and laundry.

The owners have two children and casually entertain. As both husband and wife cook, they wanted an expansive kitchen where they could jointly prepare meals, still leaving room for service. 

The length of bench provided on either side of the hob, as well as the large island, allows them to work in the kitchen together, with plenty of room for food preparation, cooking, and cleaning.

A main criteria for the family was the ease of maintenance with the finishes and material selections.

We chose a matt lacquer for the cabinetry for easy wipe down and Caesarstone Rugged Concrete for the benchtops, with a honed finish, minimising the appearance of fingerprints and spots.

The concrete floor requires a simple mop down with a microfibre cloth for cleaning, while anthracite appliances minimise the appearance of fingerprints, and Wash ‘n Wear paint for the walls make for easy maintenance.

Story by: Trendsideas

Photography by: Wayne Tait