Rich warm timber and cool white veined black marble combine in this two-tone kitchen

Context is an important consideration in any design, and this contemporary, natural kitchen proved no exception. The house is arranged around an internal courtyard behind the kitchen, while a covered outdoor room runs alongside and the living/dining area is directly in front. So, being central to proceedings, the kitchen had to offer a bold, clutter-free aesthetic.

The open-plan entertainer’s kitchen was designed by whole-house architect Eliska Lewis.

“The homeowners left us with a fairly open brief for the kitchen. What they did ask for was a modern black-and-wood material palette with an emphasis on natural stone,” she says. 

“It was also important we went with these elements to connect with the surrounding mountain vistas that the property enjoys.”

The island’s sculptural waterfall benchtop and corresponding splashback are in honed black marble, with the cabinetry – finished in an oak veneer – providing a warm, contrasting backdrop. While the splashback plays up the contrast between black stone and warm wood, the front of the island is in the same veneer as the cabinetry, continuing the material contrast. Concealed lighting washes down the marble splashback, accentuating its jet honed surface

Completing the kitchen’s two-tone look, the recessed strip cabinet pulls are also black, as are the melamine linings on some cabinet interiors.

On show to surrounding spaces, the kitchen had to be easy to keep neat and tidy, and having efficient cabinetry and storage were key to this.

The functionality of the generous cabinetry is optimised by easy-access, advanced cabinetry hardware. For example, the cabinet door hinges over-extend to provide full and easy access to cabinet interiors. Similarly, the upper cabinet doors lift out and upwards, meaning hassle-free access to these harder-to-reach spaces.

“Working within the constraints of a fairly limited budget, we kept the overall form simple to allow more to be spent on seamless detailing and finishing – resulting in a warm and user-friendly space all round,” says Lewis.

Story by: Charles Moxham

Photography by: Simon Devitt