Kitchens play to our senses, adding to the texture of our days as a thread woven into our habits, basic functions and evolving to-do lists. The development of the domestic kitchen in Australia has seen it go from a small, uncomfortable utilitarian room hidden at the back of the house to the open heart of a household, a centralised multipurpose zone where family and friends dwell, create and relax.
“Given how central the kitchen is in modern home design, it’s only natural that they act like a magnet to bring everyone together,” says Anna McMillan of McMillan Design, an interior design studio in Sydney. “As a congregation point, good kitchen design is key.” Good design, in this instance, relates to a seamless fusion of function and aesthetics, creating an environment that is a joy to spend time in. “The kitchen is the showpiece and the workhorse of a home,” says Swedish-born, Sydney-based designer Anna-Carin McNamara of Anna Carin Design Studio. “Like an Ardennes horse, it needs to be able to carry a heavy load while maintaining its elegance.”
Jodi York of Studio York Architects, also in Sydney, reports that the kitchen often forms
