Everything in its place

A kitchen does not need to be particularly large to be well organised and convenient to use. This outcome can equally be achieved by ensuring every item and piece of equipment has a designated home.

Changing the layout and design of this kitchen, which was both small and badly organised, was constrained because of the position of load-bearing walls. So, when the owners decided to renovate, a limited number of options were available to them.

Interior designer Amanda Neill of Designworx says because they had to keep much the same footprint for the kitchen, they focused on improving the layout and the ergonomics within the space.

To crib a small amount of extra space, part of an adjoining hallway that led to the garage was incorporated into the kitchen to create a walk-in butler's pantry.

"The owners were keen to ensure there was plenty of storage and a specific place for everything in the kitchen. The pantry helped achieve this," says Neill.

A coffee machine is plumbed into a convenient corner of the kitchen, out of the main work area, and a wine cooler was built into one end of the island. Additional drawers were incorporated into toekicks, providing places to store larger items. A narrow pull-out cupboard beside the refrigerator was designed especially for wine glasses. Serving platters are stored in vertical slots in a customised flip-up cupboard above the refrigerator.

The neutral, mauve-based colour for kitchen walls and cabinetry complements the existing purple wall of the stairs. A granite waterfall at the dining end of the island creates a strong focal point in contrast to the neutral walls and cabinetry. At 120mm higher than the rest of the bench, it also helps to hide kitchen mess from the dining table.

The natural rounded corners on the large slab of granite give it an organic look in contrast to the clean lines of the rest of the kitchen.

A contemporary version of a traditional pot rack hangs over the island and, with the butler's sink and the chandelier above the dining table, helps establish a subtle connection with the country manor style of the home.

Designed by: Amanda Neill, Designworx

Story by: Mary Webb

Photography by: Jamie Cobel