Standing with giants

Designed by Damian Hannah, German Kitchens 

From the designer:

Setting & requirements

Faced with a stunning backdrop and a challenging interior, German Kitchens was handed a renovation project that would test its skill level and broaden its search for the best products, all while creating the perfect environment for our homeowners' wishes.  

This beautifully located Queenstown residence required specialist assistance to turn a tired and dated existing kitchen into the ideal entertaining space. 

Challenges were met and overcome and a world wide search was undertaken to find the perfect benchtop material to replicate the Remarkable mountain range that hovered above the property and the lake beyond.

My homeowners were renovating their home in Queenstown New Zealand and as frequent entertainers their wish was for a large functional kitchen with plenty of separate working and entertaining spaces.  

They also desired an area to hide away the small appliances and mess when they entertain.  

Some informal seating where the views and afternoon sun could be appreciated and a separate coffee area and wine fridge added to their wish list.  

Plus, they were hopeful that we could expand the design from the existing raised, curved, elevated corner kitchen in situ.

As the kitchen was very much a part of the main living area, the owners desired a kitchen that would act as both the daily cooking and socialising family space and, when entertaining, would be able to accommodate large groups, extended family and social gatherings.

In addition, the required appliance list was extensive and had to be designed for within the kitchen.

Another consideration was that there were existing North facing windows different sizes and heights that we had to considered in the final design – these proved to be a real challenge and test of our abilities.

Challenges addressed

Our first challenge was to move the kitchen off the raised pedestal that it currently inhabited.  

The kitchen was up two steps on a raised platform which we believe had been included to allow better views of the stunning lake beyond.  

Our first thought was to move the kitchen off this raised platform and create a single level, larger kitchen that allowed us a lot more design possibilities.  

Our concern was that the plumbing had been surface run under this raised floor which would have to move to accommodate the kitchen on a single level.  

We pulled all of the house plans from archives and drilled some pilot holes to investigate and found solutions for the problems we encountered.  

Once we had confirmed that we could remove the entire raised floor and sort out the new locations for the existing plumbing we had a larger footprint in which to create the perfect kitchen for our homeowners's needs and values.  

Our next issue was that there were two windows along the north wall and these were of different heights due to one being in the raised kitchen and the other on the normal floor level.  

This presented us with an issue that to keep both windows would mean that they would be different heights with one far too high to be functional.  

As the New Zealand sun travels East to West across the Northern sky, a North facing window is desirable due to the light and the warmth it brings. 

To remove a North facing window is normally not advised without good cause. 

We looked at lowering the higher window but this would have involved major rework to the exterior cladding of the home and this was something the owners were reluctant to do due to the costs and uncertainty.  

Therefore, we had to make a very good case with the proposed design to prove that the window should be covered over for the best interests, functionality and aesthetic of the desired kitchen.  

Thankfully the design won through as the owners could see how the kitchen space was vastly improved without the higher window and that we had worked out a solution to still retain the desired sunlight into the space.  

We positioned the informal seating down the far end of the kitchen in front of the remaining window to maximise the sunlight and designed the kitchen to be very functional in this area where the sunlight could be enjoyed.  

The existing window was lower than the required bench height so we designed a lowered bench which could be used for prepping and serving and added a speed station in front of the window for herbs, chopping boards and knives.  

The large island incorporates the sink and cooking and a pocket door cabinet allows for the hiding of the small appliances and the mess, with the coffee machine and wine fridge easily accessible.  

The large integrated fridge and oven tower are centralised and the whole kitchen works seamlessly for both daily cooking and entertaining.

When specifying the products, we wanted a natural stone benchtop that would reflect the stunning hills and mountains that surrounded the Queenstown home.  

The aptly named The Remarkables mountain range, with its dark Greywacke Rock and snow filled crevices, hovers over the home and looks ominous rising sharply from Lake Wakatipu.  

We searched far and wide and found a stunning stone called Sensa Black Beauty which creates a synergy with the mountain range.  

The Black Beauty benchtop material was hand-picked in a leathered finish to allow a very natural and tactile response in a rugged environment.  

The design of the kitchen, and especially the island, was adjusted to suit the overall lengths of the Black Beauty slabs.  

However, due to the lengths of the island we had to make sure the benchtop material was big enough to only have one join in the middle and also logistically we had to consider how we would get the very large slabs into the home.  

After some continuous meetings on site and with the transport company we found a way to Hi-Ab crane the slabs onto the deck and into the home.

Environmental consideration

All of the timber used in the construction of the kitchen cabinetry is sourced with FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification which means the timber comes from well managed forests that are managed according to the standards set ensuring responsible and sustainable forest management. (The FSC is a global, non-profit organisation that promotes environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the world's forests.)

We also specified a granite for all of the benchtops and splashbacks and this, too, is a sustainable material when sourced and processed responsibly. 

While it's not a renewable resource, its durability, recyclability, and the potential for repurposing make it a more sustainable choice compared to many synthetic alternatives. 

Granite is incredibly durable and has a long lifespan, reducing the need for frequent replacements and minimising the environmental impact of manufacturing new materials. 

Granite's low porosity makes it resistant to stains and so requires minimal maintenance, further reducing its environmental footprint.  

Granite can also be recycled and repurposed into smaller decorative items or used in new construction projects, diverting waste from landfills. 

Cosentino, who we sourced the material from, prioritises sustainable quarrying practices, minimising water usage, reducing carbon emissions, and protecting local ecosystems.

Story by: Trendsideas