Just add sea salt

Designed by Damian Hannah, German Kitchens

From the designer:

My homeowners were building their dream home on the beachfront on the Kapiti Coast and had designed and built the entire house themselves but felt that they needed a professional to help design their kitchen. 

They have a young, growing family of 3 children, a few pets, and they are frequent entertainers, so their wish was for a large functional kitchen with lots of working and socialising spaces. 

They also desired a scullery or area to hide mess away and keep the main kitchen clean and uncluttered. 

With their proximity to the beach, they wanted the kitchen to connect to the outdoor dining areas and the outdoor kitchen where they entertain, relax, and cook together.

They also had a desire for an underground wine cellar close to the bar and the main dining. 

We were engaged to design the outdoor kitchen and the bar at the same time.

As the kitchen was very much a part of their main living area, we wanted a kitchen that would act as both the daily cooking and socialising family space and when entertaining was able to accommodate large groups, extended family, and social gatherings. 

The floating timber benchtop was positioned on two sides of the island to maximise its use and to allow guests to sit comfortably away from the working areas.

The owners had constructed their home entirely out of concrete, including all the exterior and interiors walls – these added a structural element but also an aesthetic to the space. 

The ceiling was also in varying lengths and heights of natural oiled timber which also added texture and depth – both aspects added to the palette and had to be considered when specifying the colours.

Floating scullery shelves, a herb trough on the island, large continuous kitchen window, a sunken wine cellar and soft touch matte laminate door fronts are some of the special features.

Designed by: German Kitchens

Story by: Trendsideas

Photography by: Paul McCredie