Top 50 Rooms

Oct 24, 2021 23 minutes

KITCHENS

01 SPECIAL FEATURE

Greg Natale

Greg Natale Design, Surry Hills, NSW; (02) 8399 2103 or gregnatale.com.

With its elegant detailing and sophisticated accoutrements, this kitchen in a Brisbane riverfront house is as much about entertaining as cooking. Interior designer Greg Natale finessed the blending of form and function with a fluted, black-stained timber ceiling and joinery trimmed in brass; marble splashback, benches and flooring; and contemporary lighting. It creates the framework for a pared-back space that works yet wows. A cocktail bar vibe is introduced via velvet-covered Verner Panton stools ringing the end of a lavish Pavonazzetto marble island, setting the scene for convivial gatherings lit by the soft glow of Apparatus Studio lanterns.

02 FAMILY MATTERS

Anna-Carin McNamara

Anna.Carin Design Studio, Rushcutters Bay, NSW; (02) 9360 8662 or annacarindesign.com.au.

The kitchen in designer Anna-Carin McNamara’s own Sydney terrace has been in a state of flux for the past 20 years, always evolving to accommodate her family’s changing needs. But, Anna-Carin says, it has finally reached maturity. Her inspiration for the latest incarnation? “I wanted to re-create the sense of love and warmth I remember feeling at my mother’s kitchen table in the Swedish countryside,” says Anna-Carin. Crisp new joinery and clean-lined furnishings make the kitchen feel deceptively spacious; vintage chairs and marble splashback tiles add warmth and character. “Everything in the room is both functional and beautiful,” says Anna-Carin.

03 LOOK SHARP

Susanna Bilardo (left) & Alexandra Moeck

Enoki, Adelaide, SA; (08) 8271 5500 or enoki.com.au.

The brief for this minimalist Adelaide Hills kitchen by Enoki (left) was for something “hard-wearing and full of durable materials that would suit the hard-working rural location”, says Enoki director Susanna Bilardo. At the crux of the home’s T-shaped plan, the focal point is an angular island bench topped in Super White Dolomite, chosen for its density and tonal variety. Adding to the monochrome palette is Dover limestone on the floor and timber veneer for the joinery. “It’s playful, gutsy and, most importantly, robust,” says Enoki designer Alexandra Moeck. “It’s a place to cook, entertain and chinwag for years to come.”

04 WELL CONNECTED

Brett Mickan

Brett Mickan Interior Design, Surry Hills, NSW; bmid.com.au.

“Our objective was to create a large and super-functional kitchen for homeowners who are passionate cooks,” says interior designer Brett Mickan. “They didn’t want it to dominate the space, but instead to have a seamless connection to the adjoining family room.” To achieve this, Brett opted for a generous, smooth-lined island, the shape of which is inspired by the curve in a nearby bay window. “The base was finished in a colour that picks up on the kitchen’s garden view,” says Brett. Previously, this space had been partially closed off from the family area. “Now, much more light flows through and we’ve made the kitchen far more suitable for the way this family of six likes to live day-to-day.”

05 TOP TWENTIES

Brooke Aitken (right) & Delphine Hernot

Brooke Aitken Design, Ultimo, NSW; (02) 9212 6262 or brookeaitkendesign.com.au.

This streamlined kitchen is part of a larger addition to a century-old weatherboard cottage in Sydney’s inner west. The contemporary extension was designed to integrate with the old, achieving a 1920s feel with its curved forms and strong black and white aesthetic. “The back of the house was demolished to add another floor underneath that connected the house to the garden,” says architect and interior designer, Brooke Aitken. “Raising the height of the kitchen and designing the architectural addition with fine steel doors, this space feels like it is on the bow of a boat, where the occupants can stand and survey all around.”