Modern heritage

Kitchen ideas from Dish magazine

This Kingsland kitchen uses subtle colour to help balance classic and modern styles that have given new life to a formerly forlorn villa.

A completely re-designed kitchen is at the heart of the makeover given to a classic but rundown villa in Auckland’s Kingsland.

A kitchen balancing classic and modern styles

Creamy Resene Albescent White walls trimmed in Resene Thorndon Cream with Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream add warm contrast to the bright white cabinetry. The unique island is Resene Gull Grey and the exterior weatherboards are Resene Half Alabaster.

The renovation, undertaken by interior designer and property expert Jessica Driver and her architect husband Thomas Ward, included replacing the existing kitchen and extending it to include a new walk-in scullery and laundry.

The kitchen walls in Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen Albescent White provide a subtle contrast to the bright white cabinetry, ceiling in Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream and trims in Resene Thorndon Cream.

As well as keeping the kitchen light and bright the mix of cool and warm neutrals honours the home’s history, Jessica says.

“We opted for different shades of white and cream that would allow the heritage panelling and features to be the main focus and stand out. Old villas tend to be dark and cold and we wanted to eradicate that and give it a modern makeover.

“The warmer paint colours bring out the richness of the wooden floors. The clean whites accentuate the high ceilings and create a spacious tranquillity.”

Jessica and Thomas laboured over each element of the kitchen to ensure it not only satisfied their vision for the finished kitchen but worked well with the open-plan living areas.

“We chose the stone first. We knew which one we wanted so we took photos of it and started modelling up the kitchen we wanted.”

The couple worked closely with cabinet maker Matt Taine of Rabbet Design who added his expertise on what was possible before making all the cabinetry, including the centrepiece kitchen island, which features an elegant curved end in both the marble and the fluted wooden panelling, painted in Resene Gull Grey.

Jessica says the island was one of the biggest challenges of the kitchen, but also one of the most rewarding aspects of the finished design.

“It was a balancing act getting all the elements working together; creating that curve, then adding the fluted panelling and the stone.”

Another key part of the original vision for the kitchen was to have the cabinets running almost floor to ceiling but with an original stud height of 3.4m that was a big ask. To solve that problem the couple opted to drop the ceiling height. It meant cabinets could be almost to ceiling height and still be usable. They were also able to add in a practical overhead storage cavity.

“It was an absolute labour of love, and we feel very proud of the journey this property took us on.”

Top tip: Protect timber flooring with Resene Qristal ClearFloor 1K. This satin finish waterborne urethane is extra durable to handle foot traffic and wear and tear. To add colour and enhance the timber’s natural beauty add Resene Colour Enhance to Resene Qristal ClearFloor 1K.

In Jessica's words

Describe your cooking style.

Jessica: Quick, healthy and kidfriendly! Bone broth soups and stews in the slow cooker in cooler months, and roast chicken and veggies in warmer months.

What is your favourite part of this kitchen?

Jessica: The island stone bench and the curve.

Which recipe from this issue of dish would you like to cook and why?

Jessica: Prosciutto, Honeycomb and Mozzarella Pizza. Pizzas are an alltime favourite in our house that our girls love to get involved with.