Smith & Smith Kitchens Project 63

If you’ve ever worried that a kitchen has to either be highly functional or look calm and beautiful in an open-plan space… this design proves you can have both.  

The real challenge with kitchens like this is that they sit right in the heart of the home, sharing space with dining and living areas. If the kitchen feels cluttered or busy, you feel it through the whole home.  

Here the priority was very practical: how to incorporate a Euro laundry, plus a large amount of utility storage without letting the kitchen dominate the space.  

The headline feature is that the washing machine and dryer stack are fully concealed, along with a corner cabinet that fits a myriad of utility appliances and products. When the doors are closed, the lines are clean, and no one would suspect the kitchen doubles as a laundry.  

From there, it’s all about giving everything a place, allowing the kitchen to stay tidy and feel relaxed as part of the living space. There are lots of drawers, so everything is accessible and easy to put away. 

Feature cabinetry was designed to soften the end of the kitchen, which is incredibly practical when entertaining, making it easy to reach for wine, liquor, and the right glassware without rummaging through the main cooking zone. The island is designed for real life: generous clearances all around, plus stools on two sides. 

In terms of finishes, laminate was chosen for its hardwearing properties and to stay within budget. Soft green cabinetry provides colour without too much drama, then layered in timber accents bring warmth. White cabinetry keeps everything feeling light and lets those feature materials pop, and a neutral stone splashback allows the client’s art collection to shine throughout the house. 

Finished with clever internal storage like Blum utensil and cutlery dividers, an integrated dishwasher to streamline the island, and under-cabinet lighting that works both for task lighting and for mood. Even the handle selection is about ease, timber semi-circle handles paired with D-pull handles, so drawers and doors are effortless to open.