Kitchen Updates
Never before have we asked more of our kitchens, with both form and function on duty as we work, eat and entertain at home. If a full-scale renovation isn’t on the horizon for 2021, consider some quick updates and easy refreshes to up your productivity and everyday joy.
Replacing a dated splashback or benchtop can be a relatively small project with big results. Repainting a tired timber door and drawers creates a fresh clean slate for beautiful new hardware.
Decorative lighting – wall or ceiling – can help define the kitchen within an open-plan layout, plus deliver warmth and personality. Window treatments are an easy way to inject colour or pattern into a neutral palette; include floating shelves to display art and decorative objects.
Styling by Kate Nixon
Photography by Maree Homer
“Focus a refresh on the areas that can be seen. If the work surfaces are in good condition, look at refinishing the vertical expanses with new paint, wallpaper panels or feature tiles.”
Shop around…
REN STUDIO Designer door and drawer fronts for Ikea kitchens; renstudio.com.au. TIMBER MILL After-market kitchen hacks and custom millwork to suit all budgets; timbermill.com.au. CENTAUR CELLARS Australian-designed and made wine racks; centaurcellars.com.au. LO & CO Chic cabinetry hardware; loandcointeriors.com.au. DOMAYNE Extensive range of appliances; domayne. com.au. LUDUCO LIVING Specialists in locally made dining/cabinet furniture; luduco.com HARVEY NORMAN A large range of stools in upholstered, acrylic and timber finishes; harveynorman.com.au.
1 Visual Comfort ‘Antonio’ antiqued brass wall light by Thomas O’Brien, Bloomingdales Lighting; bloomingdales.com.au. 2 Slimline leather-wrapped metal cabinet handle,MadeMeasure; mademeasure.com. 3 White Leghorn Rooster, Sydney Royal Easter Show I artwork by Karen Barbouttis, Art 2 Muse Gallery ; art2muse.com.au. 4 Perrin & Rowe ‘Country’ pot-filler tap in chrome finish, The English Tapware Company; englishtapware.com.au. 5 Palecek ‘Marino’ barstool with jute backrest and upholstered seat, Boyd Blue; boydblue.com.
“A change of surface helps demarcate zones for different purposes – especially useful in an open-plan space.”
ABOVE Switch out old cabinet fronts for glass or ones with a more stylish profile. BELOW LEFT When contrasted with cabinetry, appliances become the star of the show. BELOW RIGHT Sleek feature lighting can make a world of difference to a space that feels stale.
Fresh ideas & easy updates
● For a quick kitchen refresh, consider swapping out key appliances such as an integrated rangehood for an exposed stainless steel design, or an exposed rangehood for an integrated style with a tiled or rendered finish.
● Consider updating old whitegoods in different finishes such as matt black or fingerprint-resistant stainless steel.
● Integrated wine storage brings a bespoke finish and custom racks can be fitted to existing cabinet dimensions.
● A change of surface helps demarcate zones for different purposes – especially useful in an open-plan space.
● Decant oils and seasonings into decorative vessels and display on the benchtop or open shelves.
● Large-scale foliage gives an instant lift.
