Custom Kitchens
Extraordinary Kitchens for Extraordinary Homes
I don’t do a lot of kitchen work, because what most people want in a kitchen — melamine built-ins, stone counter tops, square and maximal storage space at all costs — is not something I’m interested in making.
When I do say yes, it’s because it’s going to be interesting.
Solid wood counter-tops. Curves. Free-standing furniture integral to the kitchen. A plate rack.
The kitchen is the heart of every home. Yet the vast majority of kitchens are soulless, factory-made from cheap materials, designed to be easily installed, as skill-less and as cheap as possible.
Your kitchen should be designed for your needs, and executed to the highest possible standard.
What Makes a Great Kitchen?
Rather than buying from a dreary shop floor (or, God forbid… flatpack…) or buying a made-to-order piece from a design collection, a custom kitchen means commissioning a new design that meets your exacting requirements.
Custom means a kitchen that is defined by your character, lifestyle and tastes. I may be somewhat biased, but I sincerely believe having beautiful furniture significantly improves the spaces we inhabit, and vicariously, the way we live.
Natural Materials
Natural materials develop a patina and become even more beautiful with age. Man-made materials give you cancer and fall apart after a couple of years.
Real wood changes colour and becomes richer over time as it responds to sunlight. A metal range hood with an acid-wash finish will continue to develop colour as the years pass. Granite countertops reflect and play with light in a way no silica composite can (and granite doesn’t poison the people installing it, which is a bonus…).
Backsplash
A stone or glass backsplash creates a sleek, modern look. However tiles don’t have to be square, and can be used to create a design flourish that transforms any kitchen from ordinary to high-end for almost no additional cost.
The backsplash is the perfect place to inexpensively add character to your kitchen design.
Details
Concealed or “euro” hinges are very useful for cabinet makers creating entire kitchens that won’t be assembled until they’re onsite. They have a huge amount of adjustment so the doors they’re being attached to don’t have to fit perfectly.
Traditional hinges demand more skill from the cabinet maker, as the door must be tuned to fit the space perfectly. But they’re harder wearing, last decades instead of a few years, and create a beautiful, timeless and classic look that modern kitchens rarely possess.
Multi-Level Islands
Unless you have a tiny space for a kitchen, multiple work zones are a must. This can be as simple as ensuring that appliances aren’t clustered all in one spot, or as complex as an island with multiple height bench areas for different types of work — lower for baking and kneading pasta dough, higher for chopping and food prep.
Wooden Countertops
Wooden countertops are rarely available in factory-churned kitchens, which is a tremendous shame: when used right they add a staggeringly beautiful component to your kitchen. Used as one countertop in a multi-height bench, or used as a draining board next to the sink, is the perfect way to add some natural beauty to any kitchen.
Freestanding Kitchen Furniture
We’ve become accustomed to kitchen storage being built-in. The reason for this is not for your benefit: built-in cabinets are easy to manufacture off-site in vast quantities. They are easy to assemble, and the gaps can be covered with trim. They’re often not the most efficient use of space, and have the effect of making rooms feel smaller than they are.
The right use of free-standing furniture in kitchens can be all it takes to utterly transform the feel of the room, while providing the same — if not better — utility.
Antique Desk = Kitchen?
Unique pieces, repurposed — or even modified — antiques and heirlooms can set a modern kitchen apart. They provide warmth, character, charm, and are brilliant conversation starters.
There’s something about antique furniture that is just indescribably wonderful. My first kitchen commission was modifying an old desk and turning it into kitchen cabinets for a terrace in Melbourne’s Albert Park.
Plate Rack
Every kitchen needs a plate rack.
Every. Single. Kitchen.
Interested in a custom kitchen? Let’s talk about what would make your kitchen extraordinary.