Social agenda

Designed by Kurt Crisp, buck&simple

From the architect:

The setting

The setting is a thoughtful reinvention of a single-storey brick bungalow, designed to enhance the family’s connection to their home and the surrounding environment. 

At the heart of the renovation is the kitchen – a true social hub that anchors daily life. 

Positioned centrally, it seamlessly integrates with the dining area, which features a cosy reading nook and library, and a music space that backs onto the wood fireplace. 

This arrangement ensures that the kitchen remains a dynamic, multifunctional space where cooking, conversation and creativity converge.

Connected to the outdoors

The owners have a strong connection to the outdoors, keeping bees and growing fruit-bearing plants, with plans for a vegetable garden in the future. 

Their relationship with the weather informs their daily activities – and the kitchen plays a key role in this rhythm.

Oversized glass doors open onto the north-facing rear yard, allowing visibility of the sky and ensuring a strong visual and functional link to the outdoor smoker – an element that runs throughout the weekend and needs easy monitoring from the kitchen and living areas. 

The doors also allow solar heat to warm the thermal mass of the concrete floor, passively regulating indoor comfort.

Coffee and wine

Functionality and ritual shaped the kitchen’s layout, with a deliberate prioritisation of coffee and wine – essentials that set the tone for the day and evening. 

Hardworking centrepiece

The island, designed as an oversized butcher’s block, is a hardworking centrepiece. 

Its robust concrete benchtop and matte black tile base create a monolithic yet floating effect, defining it as an independent workbench that extends beyond food preparation to accommodate all aspects of family life.

The material palette reflects a deep respect for the home’s history while embracing modern functionality. 

Nostalgic yet contemporary

The rangehood’s colour playfully references the owners’ childhood kitchen, adding a nostalgic yet contemporary touch. 

Thoughtful details like this ensure that the kitchen is not just a cooking space but a reflection of the owners’ personal story, seamlessly woven into the broader architectural vision.

See the whole house

Story by: Trendsideas