Magic and elegance

One minute a beautiful custom Japanese screen, next your favourite tipple appears like a mirage – all part of a sculptural kitchen design with a difference

A pair of large custom-designed, bronze Axolotl finish,

Hand-cut mirrored screens on the bar doors and

Rounding on the scenery – a classic prosaic

A Seed Design Dora pendant hangs over the

With views like this, prepping is less of

The ebony veneer faces also conceal storage.

This unusually shaped kitchen is part of a major renovation recently completed for a substantial Sydney harbour-side home.

The kitchen was not only required to wrap snugly between the existing lift shaft and the window wall, the homeowner also wanted it to connect seamlessly with the open plan living area and contain a full bar.

The kitchen was also to include an integrated cellar/intimate dining space located deep within an underground volume towards the rear of this challenging space

A pair of large custom-designed, bronze Axolotl finish, laser-cut screen doors fold away to reveal the bar within which back-lit onyx panels light glassware and favourite bottled delights.

Hand-cut mirrored screens on these doors and to the marble topped freestanding bar itself reflect the nearby ebony veneer clad joinery which leads gently into the kitchen area beyond.

This glamorous open plan living environment would not sit comfortably with a prosaic kitchen layout, so we designed an extensive array of concealed pull out storage systems behind the inner curved panels of Ebony New Age Veneer, opposite which a seamless Corian benchtop provides a stunning view of Sydney Harbour from the small breakfast bar.

What was once a damp, poorly lit volume to the rear has been transformed into a charming cellar, with ample storage and custom design display cases that provide a sweeping backdrop to house the owners’ substantial wine collection, back lit by a curved wall of LED panels.

Another feature of this space is the unusual Tim Storrier artwork which appears to float over a wall of bronze mirror behind the Saarinen tasting table which has a Seed Design Dora pendant overhead.

Thus the cellar often doubles as an intimate late night dining space for the owners when they are not entertaining on a large scale.

This kitchen had to be both glamorous and practical. We maximised all available areas for storage and used large format limestone-look porcelain floor tiles throughout (spill safe and hardwearing).

The seamless Corian benchtops and sinks were a must for their ease of cleaning and seamless consistency.

Lastly, only appliances of the highest quality were specified.