On a clear day

It's official. You can have the best of both worlds a kitchen with a view through to the front and the rear of the house.

For the owners of this property, the visual connection works on several levels, says architect Craig Steere.

"The kitchen provides a great view of a lake and a park at the front of the house, yet also allows the owners to overlook the family living area and pool at the rear of the house," he says. "As well, the kitchen's central position between the formal and informal living areas makes it ideal for both entertaining and catering to the needs of a busy family. It's the hub of the ground floor."

The contemporary design helps the visual connections external walls and one internal wall are all fully glazed.

"The kitchen was designed to complement the modern, clean-lined look of the rest of the house," Steere says. "We didn't want it to make a statement color-wise because of its dominant position. It needed to be simple and subtle, so it would sit quietly within the open-plan interior."

To this end, the all-white cabinetry is similar to other built-in cabinets in the house, such as in the television and dining rooms. A long, 14ft island is topped with a resin-based terrazzo counter, which also wraps down the ends.

"The countertop has small flecks of gray that add a little warmth to the space," says Steere. "The terrazzo also works visually with the aggregate and white Carrara marble chips in the polished concrete flooring. This was laid with a white, rather than the standard gray, cement mix."

To fully equip the kitchen for entertaining, there are several Miele ovens, including a steam oven and convection microwave. There is also a built-in coffee machine. A curved stainless steel hood adds a sculptural element to the cooking center.

The kitchen's real point of difference, however, is the walk-in cool room, which doubles as a pantry. To store everyday items, there is an additional refrigerator beside the wall ovens, and a separate freezer.

The owners' love of entertaining also determined the design of the al fresco living areas there are two outdoor kitchens, one at the front and one at the back of the house. The rear outdoor kitchen, shown above, is equipped with commercial barbecue facilities and a pizza oven.

Visual continuity is provided by the use of polished concrete flooring similar to the main kitchen, and granite countertops that have a speckled look.

Adjustable overhead aluminum louvers help ensure this outdoor living area can be enjoyed year round.

Story by: Trendsideas

Photography by: Jamie Cobeldick On a clear day This kitchen was positioned to maximize a lake view