Small packages

Natural tones and clean lines have been utilised to create a compact, minimalist kitchen imbued with softness and warmth

View of a kitchen featuring island, dark brown cabinetry, countertop, floor, flooring, hardwood, interior design, kitchen, real estate, room, gray, brown — View of a kitchen featuring island, dark brown laminate cabinets, CaesarStone benchtops, lighting, appliances, timber flooring.

View of minimal kitchen and dining area featuring chair, desk, floor, flooring, furniture, hardwood, interior design, room, table, wood, wood flooring, gray

View of a kitchen featuring island, dark brown architecture, cabinetry, ceiling, countertop, daylighting, floor, flooring, hardwood, home, house, interior design, kitchen, laminate flooring, property, real estate, room, tile, wall, wood flooring, gray

View of a kitchen featuring island, dark brown countertop, interior design, kitchen, real estate, room, gray, black

View of plans for minimal kitchen and dining angle, area, black and white, design, diagram, font, line, product, product design, text, white, white

View of plans for minimal kitchen and dining angle, area, black and white, design, diagram, font, line, text, white, white

Historical charm can account for a lot when it comes to choosing a home in which to live. Such was the case for the owner of this single-fronted Victorian cottage. However, as everyone knows, Victorian-era living was vastly different to our own modern lifestyle.

With renovations already under way, the owner wanted to remodel the kitchen to make the space more user-friendly, says kitchen designer Royston Wilson.

"The client felt that the existing kitchen was unusable to anyone who truly enjoyed cooking, and also wished to upgrade to better quality appliances and storage."

Renovations began with the courtyard, which has been given a contemporary Asian style. The kitchen then, ideally, would tie in with that feel.

The homeowner was also concerned that the only natural light in the space came from the courtyard, so a light kitchen was necessary to improve the situation.

"It would have been obvious to go with a white-on-white theme, but such a kitchen would have just faded into the background," says Wilson. "We decided on a palette with a green accent to tie in with the garden view, and added wood grain for an Asian feel."

The pantry features drawers on full-extension runners to ensure all of the space is usable, and double overhead cabinets provide extra storage. The shadow line, created by projecting the upper overheads over the lower, adds visual interest.