Rustic charm

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Subtle touches in the design and materials of this kitchen hint at the French style

Traditional kitchen features stainless steel appliances & wooden countertop, cuisine classique, interior design, kitchen, real estate, room, white — Traditional kitchen features stainless steel appliances & wooden floor

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An appreciation of a particular look or style is a good starting point when designing a new home, but this doesn't mean every detail of the space has to be authentic. Often, a subtle touch is far more effective, and certainly will be more practical for a family home.

Kitchen designer Mal Corboy was asked to design a kitchen for a new home. The owners expressed their liking for a rustic French look, which also features in the rest of the home.

The architect had allowed sufficient space for a full kitchen at one end of the family living area, and a U-shaped scullery, as large as most standard kitchens, accessed through double-cavity sliding doors. When these doors are open, the scullery is easily visible from the family living area, so materials in here are the same as in the main kitchen.

To help create the rustic look the owners wanted, Corboy designed double-beaded framed doors and drawers for the cabinetry, with a handpainted, antique finish. The scullery is fitted with a large white porcelain butler's sink, and wrought iron handles with a twisted, knotted appearance match the balustrades on the staircase to the upper level of the house.

French blue and grey patterned tiles on the splashback pick up the veins of colour in the double-thickness honed Lennon granite benchtop, softly contrasting with the white cabinetry.

"The owners did not want the peninsula to double as a seating area. We chose a dark-stained oak frame with fluted column-like legs and push openers for the panelled doors so it looks like a piece of furniture," says Corboy.

View of oven cooking area cabinetry, countertop, cuisine classique, floor, flooring, home, home appliance, interior design, kitchen, room, wall, window, white — View of oven cooking area

Designed as the main work area of the kitchen, the scullery contains pantry storage, open shelving, a second sink and dishwasher, plus a wine chiller and a steamer. The refrigerator, two Gaggenau ovens and the hob are in the main kitchen, and storage here is for pots, good crockery and china.