Exotic presence

Designed by Atelier Bond  

Builder and kitchen manufacturer: Craig Linke Bespoke Building

From the kitchen manufacturer:

The brief was to create an entertainer’s kitchen that would be a statement space. 

Housed within the old Burnside Hotel, this kitchen project involved converting two small kitchens for adjoining residences back into one large entertainer’s kitchen.

Working with the owner since the ideas phase, we provided an end-to-end service, pairing the owner with an architect – Atelier Bond – whom we felt would fit their aesthetic.

Feature rangehood

Above the granite benchtop, the Whispair cylinder rangehood is a significant building innovation in the space. 

Hand wrapped in aged brass and hanging from the centre of the ceiling, the rangehood is surrounded by a custom aged brass canopy that was handmade and treated to achieve the perfect aged look by our specialist supplier. 

Creating an elegant art piece that also acts as a working rangehood was a challenge that saw our project manager work closely with the brass manufacturer to engineer a system/ fixing point to achieve the hand-rolled design. 

Engineered LVL support beams were installed to the ceiling with pre-threaded holes within a base plate to hold the weight of the entire structure through threaded rod, ensuring we had the ability for adjustment to get the rangehood perfectly plumb, while also allowing access for integrated LED strip lighting within the structure. 

The rangehood was welded at the manufacturer’s Adelaide warehouse and quality tested to ensure the design would not rattle while running. 

Tiny complementary details are meticulously executed, with aged brass 10mm dowels run from end-to-end.

The island

The decadent use of marble and granite create other show-stopping elements. 

The kitchen features a generous island bench with Miele induction cooktop and a solid Maris Grey granite sink mitred seamlessly down from the bench top, creating the illusion that the island is one slab of granite. 

The hand crafted sink bowl was shaped from the same slab – so the grain continues throughout. 

The island itself is clad entirely with Maris Grey granite, with a feature 5mm shadow line to separate the carcass from the 100mm thick benchtop. 

It took six people to carry the benchtop into the multi-storey home. 

The island features integrated push-to-open drawers with bar stool seating on the opposite side.

Lux joinery above

Overhead, custom joinery to the southern wall features fluted fronts in a two-pack Kellard Pold finish. 

The entire surround is hand wrapped in aged brass with an integrated LED strip light highlighting the Verdi Alpi marble wall.

Walnut, granite and brass – rich palette

Walnut timber veneer cabinetry with solid Maris Grey granite flush-mounted kickers adds warmth throughout, and features hand-made aged brass pull handles. 

Five centimetre aged brass strips separate the door fronts on the pantry wall, which includes custom oak timber pull handles, stained to match the veneer.

Hidden pantry also makes a statement

The hidden pantry features new hardware technology, allowing for hidden bifold hardware with a perfect flow and soft close.

Decadent servery

The servery is another detail-rich element in the space. 

Clad in statement Verdi Alpi marble with integrated LED strip lighting, this is another complementary feature that ensures the kitchen’s aesthetic can be enjoyed from the adjacent living room. 

The servery is complete with an overhanging benchtop that allows stool seating.

Modern details and very modern appliances

Modern details and appliances feature throughout, including twin paired swivel mounted lighting, positioned to highlight individual details in the kitchen, a Billi tap offering instant hot, cold and sparkling water, and a wine station. 

The circular station with free hanging shelf is made entirely of Verdi Alpi marble and includes a hand crafted aged brass hanging rod for wine glass storage. 

Flush mounted aged brass ZETR power points and switches are another elevating touch.

Top of the line appliances in the space include an integrated Miele fridge/ freezer, Miele steam oven, Miele conventional oven, Miele induction cooktop, Miele vacuum seal drawer, Miele dishwasher and a Vintec wine fridge.

All ovens in the space are electronically controlled, with a Push2Open mechanism and fully telescopic runners for ease of loading and unloading. 

The conventional oven features built-in FoodView camera and an inbuilt basting function. 

All appliances can be controlled via mobile phone with Wifi connectivity.

Exotic stone flooring

The Palladiana flooring is another special feature, created using offcuts of broken marble slabs. 

Built above the existing cellar, the Baltic pine floorboards were removed with an engineered Bondek suspended slab installed in their place. 

The concrete floor was heavily engineered to support the significant weight load of the stone flooring and island bench. 

A combination of Italian Calcatta, Statuario and Elba marble pieces were hand laid, with a light grey terrazzo infill of white dove stone with gold chips added. 

The floor was then ground, honed and polished before being sealed. 

This was a three-week process for the 30m² floor.

Tricky aspects resolved

The owners lived in the home during the build, and care was taken to minimise dust and disruption in other parts of the home. 

A temporary wall was erected to protect the beautiful adjoining living room.

The rangehood aside, other challenges on the project included use of the existing late 1800s blue stone walls, which were very out of level and square. 

The home’s state listed heritage facade necessitated the need to be careful when working with elements such as the original sash window, which was restored.

Bringing this project to life in all its intricacies has required us to draw on the expertise of our exceptional in-house team, together with contractors of the highest calibre. 

We are thrilled with the outcome, and so too are the homeowners.

Designed by: Atelier Bond

Story by: Trendsideas