Burleigh Heads Hampton Style Kitchen
Located in the one of the most sought after streets in Burleigh heads this holiday home conveys a nautical feel and boasts spectacular views of
the Gold Coast hinterland. The clients have always had a strong desire to create a
holiday home that encouraged a sense of relaxed living where by the days would be gentle
and slow. After residing in the US for several years the clients became admirers of homes in the New England region and in particular the Hamptons. They
loved the American take on modern English country, and of equal appeal was the classic
Hampton beach lifestyle of carefree summers spent sailing, swimming, boating and fishing.
While they certainly appreciate the clean line and form of contemporary living they are
familiar with in Singapore, when deciding to renovate their family beach house on the gold
coast they knew they wanted to recreate that same effortless elegance and style they were
drawn to in the Hamptons and combine it with the relaxed familiarity of Australian living. In
their words they wanted to create a home that was “luxurious but never too perfect”.
Central to the brief was also the need to satisfy their enthusiastic and demanding
gourmands. Not only do they enjoy everything about cooking but also love entertaining
especially during the holiday seasons with Christmas and Thanksgiving (an American
tradition they quickly became accustomed to) being their favourite times to celebrate.
Whether it’s a casual meal with family and friends or a more formal gathering, the kitchen
had to function and withstand a great deal of activity.
Our challenge was to bring to fruition the clients very definite vision for their home and this
thereby presenting us with an ambitious design and renovation project encompassing a
large portion of the home. With the kitchen such being such a focal point in the house our
task was to orchestrate a space that would be elegant yet comfortable and that required the
successful marriage of the design elements for their desired style of interior.
Transforming the space.
Small, cramped and unbalanced the original kitchen was positioned on a platform - along
with the dinning and master bedroom. The original galley kitchen consisted of a full wall of
tall cabinetry which boxed in what was already a narrow kitchen.
To pave the way for a larger and more spacious design sought after by the clients the
southern end of the existing platform was extended in length, walls adjoining the hallway
were modified and the opening in the opposing wall closed off. The original laundry on the
lower platform which backed onto the kitchen via a hallway was completely redesigned to
make way for a new butlers pantry and as requested by the client to house the large Eline
Electrolux fridges (required for entertaining). On the lower platform the original opening to
the old laundry (no longer required) was also closed off and a new cavity slider entry was cut into the pantry from the kitchen to provide easy and functional access. A new landing was
built to bring the storage area of the pantry up to the same level as the kitchen. A “pass
through” was created to connect the pantry to the kitchen and dining room, providing easy
and functional access to the utility room.
The exposed rafters and existing ceiling in both the new kitchen and pantry areas were
sheeted in to allow for a new and more effective and functional lighting layout.
The conversion of the laundry to allow for a separate pantry and to house the new large
fridges (a specific request from the client) was a key aspect to the design as this allowed us
to maximise the feeling of space and include large open bench space either side of what
was already a narrow galley kitchen. Here the Calacutta marble benchtops selected for their
character look lavish and add clean lines to the design. In keeping with the desire to create a
sense of calm, elements of balance and symmetry were incorporated into the design and on
the cooking (western) wall a large induction cooktop and custom made rangehood cladded
in Queensland Cedar veneer was centred and is a key architectural element.
The protruded moulding ‘shaker door’ cabinetry further enhance the rooms character and
glass front overhead cabinets amplify light and bring the coastal aesthetics into play. All
overhead doors are fitted with Blum HF Aventos Servo Drive to ensure functional and
ergonomic use in this narrow space.
To store the households extensive collection of kitchen utensils, large platters and crockery,
generous storage by way of drawers was incorporated in to the kitchen.
With the large fridges placed in the pantry as per the clients request, an under bench
integrated fridge was positioned in the main kitchen to allow for the storage of everyday
necessities.
On the opposing (eastern) wall the white ceramic butlers sink is another focal point for the
Hampton style kitchen and the ‘Provence’ tap balances with the scale of the kitchen and
complements the overall design.
A convenient custom made ‘built in’ butchers block was a must have for the client and
provides the ideal prep area. The mixed Australian hardwood complements the other natural
timber elements including the new Tasmanian oak solid timber flooring and provides textural
balance in this timeless interior.
Below the butchers block, two Queensland Cedar solid timber trays boast the family emblem
and Initials to mark the kitchens exclusivity and further personalises the kitchen.
Interest and texture.
The earth and sea colour scheme is in keeping with the neutral pallet and softness in the
rest of the home and mimic the hues from both the seaside and the views beyond. Careful
attention was given to the layering of these earthy shades, tones and textures to ensure the
space had unity and depth – a necessary consideration for such a neutral pallet. An example
of this is the marbled tiled splashback. Two variations of the tiles (honed and antique
brushed) were sourced and cut to size and randomly placed in a brickwork pattern to create
visual interest and be less predictable at eye level.
The end result.
The resulting kitchen is certainly one of the most show stopping features of the home with its
bespoke fit out entirely geared to delivering a functional workspace dedicated to the sheer
enjoyment of entertaining and cooking. The effortlessly stylish design and timeless finish
transcends to fit this Australian home and the relaxed vibe this family was so eager to create
for their holiday beach house.
Drawers in kitchen