b'kitchenW hen Christine and Tony Smith built their house on Hospital Hill in Napier, their vision of a mellow and welcoming home using sustainable principles was paramount. Thehousewasdesignedafterextensiveconsultationwithlocal architectGavinCooper,whowonaNewZealandInstituteof Architects regional award for sustainable architecture for his design. The concept of the house was simpleto make it sustainable, warm, welcoming and a good family home. With children and grandchildren frequently visiting, it needed to be aesthetically pleasing, functional and practical.With sweeping views north out across Ahuriri to the bay, and west up to the mountains, the interior of the home was kept restrained with neutral colours, polished concrete floors, pine detailing and walls painted in Resene Blanc. Then came the kitchenthe one departure from what Christine describes as a restful palette. As the stunning centrepiece to the home, it has confident, deep red Resene Pohutukawa on the cabinetry and splashback. It was Christines idea to take a gamble with the colour: Everything else in the house is so neutral that I felt the house could take this bold colour. Christine AboveThe brighthad experimented with colour in a previous house, choosing scarlet Resene Pohutukawa redred for a kitchen. The painter thought I was mad and didnt want to cabinets are a departuredo it, she laughs. But as soon as it was done he loved it. for the otherwise restful colour scheme.Timber is used as a secondary tone, with great effect. A pine tower Above rightBeyond theanchors one corner of the kitchen and a pine and glass cabinet marks kitchen, the dining andthe other corner of the kitchen. Pine is also used in the toe-kicks, as living areas look outa frame around the sink bench and in the plywood panelled ceiling onto a superb view. Theof the kitchen. walls are Resene Blanc. American Oak, in a similar tone to the pine, covers the floor and is used for the return bench top. The other bench top is a serviceable stainless Resene steel. The appliances are all Fisher & Paykel with iridium stainless steel Blanc finish with the exception of a Brandt induction cook top. 73'