An Australian Kitchen Is Reimagined With Sleek Black Appliances
Designed by Melbourne–based firm Whiting Architects, this renovation sought to modernize a period Edwardian-style home without losing elements of the existing charm loved by its homeowners. The goal to retain some of the current character limited options for enlarging the home’s floor plan and instead focused the final design on reorganizing spaces to foster both connection and privacy for the family of six.
The kitchen is tucked underneath a children’s playroom, creating a more intimate feeling that contrasts with a soaring ceiling in the family room.
Ceiling heights and step-downs were integrated to create distinct spaces while keeping the home open for entertaining. Flowing into the living and dining space, the kitchen was designed to be highly functional as well as a key focal element. The intimate space is physically formed between opposing walls of full-length black cabinetry, which helps to visually center the elongated island and recessed cooking nook.
An abstracted take on the kitchen island design gives the impression of a table when viewed from the living area, integrating both rooms around a central gathering point.
Steven Whiting, director of Whiting Architects, recalls the inspiration, which includes "overlapping programs and abstracting traditional interior elements as a device to breakdown stereotypes associated with traditional interior design elements. A counter need not be a counter, a wall panel can be a door, and so on."
A brand new line of black appliances from Fisher & Paykel provides even more style choices.
"We wanted to play down the look of a typical kitchen, so the need for functional appliances that blended seamlessly into our design was paramount," adds Whiting. Serving as a hero piece within the kitchen, the Fisher & Paykel 36" Dual Fuel Freestanding Range is finished in a sleek black color that provides a visual contrast worthy of its central position.
"The 36" Dual Fuel Range from Fisher & Paykel tied in perfectly with the period
features of the home while still being completely practical for the space," comments Josie Sommerville, design coordinator and project lead at Whiting Architects.
"We would normally integrate the fridge, but this French Door refrigerator looked so good we were happy to keep it exposed," adds Sommerville.
As Shane Rehm, vice president of Product Management at Fisher & Paykel discusses, "we know every kitchen is different in terms of use and design, which is why we are proud to offer a variety of appliances in distinct style categories. This allows customers the ability to build a complete kitchen that complements their own taste and cooking needs."
In this home, the classically designed freestanding range sits alongside fully integrated DishDrawer™ Dishwashers that blend into the cabinetry, demonstrating how different styles and design elements can seamlessly complement one another.
On the rear side of the kitchen, a secondary pantry space offers an additional preparation area, along with a built-in wall oven and wine refrigerator.
An integrated Fisher & Paykel CoolDrawer™ disappears into the cabinetry and provides five temperature settings for maximum flexibility: freezer, chill, fridge, pantry, and wine modes.
Designed and engineered in New Zealand since 1934, Fisher & Paykel appliances have long been lauded by architects and designers worldwide. Whether you prefer a more contemporary, professional, or classic design, the company’s complete line of products include a range of appliances, allowing you to build an entire kitchen by choosing a product that perfectly matches your style and needs.
Discover more about the colors and customizable options by visiting the Fisher & Paykel website.
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