Marble and rich wood veneer create impact in this kitchen

Modern surfaces, up-to-the-minute cabinetry and advanced hardware all come together in this family and entertainer’s kitchen

While the LED strip ceiling lighting is understated architecture, cabinetry, countertop, benthtop, design, dining room, floor, flooring, furniture, hardwood, home, house, interior design, kitchen, dining table, wood flooring, marble, Studio Italia — While the LED strip ceiling lighting is understated in this kitchen by designer Kady Ward, the cabinet and benchtop materials are definitely not. The Italian-influenced kitchen is designed to match the refined tone of the rest of the home.

The rich Sienna marble seen on this kitchen’s architecture, cabinetry, countertop, design, floor, flooring, furniture, hardwood, interior design, kitchen, wood flooring, Studio Italia

Marble and rich wood veneer create impact in floor, flooring, stools, home, interior design, Kitchen, marble, benchtop, tap, Studio Italia

Stainless steel benchtops in this scullery provide a architecture, scullery, cabinetry, countertop, benchtop, stainless steel, marble, splashback, Studio Italia

What better for a contemporary Italian-look interior than an exotic, Italian-look kitchen? Such was the brief – and response – with this kitchen by designer Kady Ward of Studio Italia.

“The owners requested an opulent, showpiece kitchen suitable for a large family who love to cook and entertain. The design also had to include a behind-the-scenes, walk-in scullery and feature work zones with flowing connections to indoor and outdoor living areas.

“In response we created two fully equipped kitchen zones with the scullery accessed via the door to the right side of the kitchen – enabling concealed preparation and cooking if preferred.”

To achieve the opulent look that would be in keeping with the wider interior, Ward combined Poliform’s Artex and Alea collections, with the scullery solely in the Alea collection.

“The resulting main kitchen is both crisp and refined, with the subtle touch of horizontal and vertical negative details and a handle-free cabinet door style."

“However, it’s the exotic materiality of this kitchen that has the biggest impact. The faces on the island and cabinetry are in an oak veneer. This rich surface is matched in terms of tone and luxurious feel with the honed-finish marble seen on the perimeter and island benchtops and on the tall splashback.”

The scullery – glimpsed behind the kitchen – connects with the latter through use of the same signature marble. However, the cabinetry in this back space is finished in Nero touch laminate, a fingerprint and scratch-resistant material

The floor-to-ceiling cabinetry in the kitchen offers ample storage, backed up by the cabinetry in the scullery. Both areas offer broad benchtops and generous workspaces, so multiple family members can prep and cook at the same time.

“The result is an attractive and convivial, yet highly practical kitchen that harmoniously links with the home’s living and outdoor areas.”