Kitchen connects to its surroundings through material choices

Tall banks of cabinetry and appliances are demurely set back into the walls in this contemporary kitchen within a revamped cottage interior

A bronze cabinet door on the island stands house, interior design, living room, white, furniture, leather, kitchen, Biji Architects, cottage — **A bronze cabinet door on the island stands out, while much of this kitchen by Bijl Architects nestles back into the wall planes – harmonising with the wider cottage renovation.**

This home renovation plays with the dynamism of architecture, house, interior design, white, home, renovation, kitchen

A bronze, white and black palette in this interior design, kitchen, living room, benchtop, CDK Stone, Biji Architects

Niche handles on the island cabinetry continue this architecture, home, house, interior design, loft, window, gray, white, furniture, cabinetry, Biji Architects, timber floor, skylights

With effective kitchen design, the immediate environment is almost always a key driver. This kitchen forms part of a major cottage renovation that dismantles its classic, claustrophobic feel, instead, opening up the residence horizontally and vertically for dynamism and visual richness.

Architects Melonie Bayl-Smith and Andrew Lee of Bijl Architecture undertook the kitchen as part of the wider space and light-bringing refit.

“We wanted the kitchen to be open to the living area without imposing on it visually or dimensionally,” says Bayl-Smith.

“As part of this, the perimeter cabinetry and appliances were nestled back into the rear and side walls in a seamless match of 2-pac polyurethane joinery and flat black and crisp white paint finishes.”

The understated cabinetry is matched with veined engineered stone benchtops and a drinks station splashback that add colour to the design. The two-tone walls and marble-look surfaces connect with the living room finishes. Plus, the island’s bronzed cupboard links with the cabinet handles and nearby balustrade and handrail.

“The pendant light creates minimal visual disruption to the space, while the introduced skylight brings natural light into the kitchen.”