Smith & Smith Kitchens Project 54

This breathtaking project stands as a testament to the subtle power of responding to surrounding natural landscapes and the client’s specific way of living. From the start, the priority was to preserve the stand-out features of the kitchen – such as the timber vaulted ceiling and the original brick floors – and create quiet moments in the colouring and texture of the kitchen that work with these visual focal points. The brief included a desire for a green and white colour scheme. The designer collaborated with the client to decide on specific shades that reflect the surrounding bushland, offering a serene quietude that only nature can bring.

Working with original features of the kitchen presented both constraints and opportunities. The walls were too textured for a tiled splashback, so the team pivoted to a micro-cement finish, which further added character through a tactile, handmade quality, but remained quiet and subtle in the surrounds of spectacle elements.

It was a priority for the client to have a kitchen that married up with their specific way of living, making storage a focus of the project. All cupboards, drawers and surfaces were considered to harmonise with the client’s routines. Everything was mapped out, identifying where crockery and appliances would live before construction even began. A new butler’s pantry improves flow by removing visual noise from the kitchen’s primary axis. It also opens the space to the view – something the original layout restricted – offering a space by the window to relax and breathe, making a phenomenal difference in day-to day life.

Built by the client themselves, a handcrafted timber island is the centre point and crowning jewel of the project. The island, utilising recycled timber, provides personal flair and a significant grounding element to the space. The overall result doesn’t shout; it holds its ground with a quiet confidence, a clear sense of place, and a thoughtful blend of traditional materials and modern kitchen design thinking that moves with the homeowner.