Rewards of industry

Balancing looks and work efficiency reached critical mass for this industrial-look kitchen with the chef owner wanting heavy duty functionality above all

Concrete floor, concrete ceiling, and commercial-look kitchen in

Wrapped in bronzed brass together with an extensive

The chic breakfast stools have the look of

Despite the kitchen's large scale, the designer had

In the planned longevity for the property, finishes

Custom sinks are also in Dekton, seamlessly fused

Brass sheet raised benchtop with patina finish –

The island is under-lit to elegant effect –

The custom ventilation alone would be at home

The glorious big picture. - Rewards of industry

Designed by Penny del Castillo, Studio del Castillo

From the designer:

As the heart of the home in the truest sense, this kitchen combines familiar elements of a residential setting amongst a commercial arrangement.

Having spent significant time cheffing around the world, the owner sought to integrate industrial methodologies thus defining the space led by function in consideration of the future.

We embarked on a very specific stringent wish list driven by 'universal standards' – but this did not prevent us from pushing all boundaries to deliver the extraordinary, detailed outcome.

Wrapped in bronzed brass together with an extensive use of Dekton throughout, the elemental forms that comprise the space sit sculpturally within the home.

Given the owners' planned longevity for the property, finishes needed to ensure a strength against the elements, and in some cases were distressed intentionally to encourage the reaction to the environment.

A handful of challenges/balances to overcome

The quantity of items to be stored within 'restricted' spaces. Despite the scale of the kitchen, we were restricted by specific heights on bench tops – working bench and raised benches vs the cooking equipment etc, including reconciling roller doors/ tambor doors.
Commercial grade indestructible Dekton vs the desire for seamless inset sink, there are some technical specs that were very strict to avoid cracking; outcome – 5mm radius on all corners to give the appearance of square drop-in sink resulting in a barely visible 2mm overhang.
Steep pitched ceilings in the walk-in pantry and appliance cabinet made for amazing cabinetry fit out – this was constant trial and error to ensure every piece of kitchen equipment would fit in exactly the working order the owner wanted.

Folds, bends, joins, and mitres on brass – my staff and I went to Bronzeworks almost everyday for 2 months to get this right – maintaining the finish on the brass while trying to achieve the folds bends wraps and mitres.
Integrating the front of the cold room doors that according to the manufacturer were not designed to be integrated….
Facing the reality of the owner’s directive for extreme practicality over aesthetics on every occasion – the placement and choice of materials that I knew had to look good in a residential environment vs perform at a commercial level.