A Warm Welcome – Greenhouse Kitchen by Resident Avenue

With a generous kitchen at its heart, the Greenhouse Interiors flagship store exemplifies a residential design approach to commercial design. Drawing on a considered palette of natural materials with an emphasis on Elton Group EvenOak timber veneer, Resident Avenue has created a warm, inviting space with the welcoming atmosphere of a home and the versatility to host a range of events.

The design vision for the project was “to create a retail destination like nothing else in Australia,” explains Jessica Bettenay, Resident Avenue Founder and Creative Director. “A large retail showroom that felt like a home – a home where everything is shoppable.” Whilst the space at large has an open warehouse feel, the design “needed to be luxurious and grand but intimate and personable,” she says. “The kitchen was key to this – it needed to be commercial in scale and function but aesthetically look residential.” Stepping into the kitchen, one is immediately enveloped in a sense of warmth. Here, the rich, dark tones of aged oak are complemented by dusky pink walls, natural stone and honey-coloured glazed tiles to create a space that feels more like an elegant home than a retail store.

The newest addition to Elton Group’s range of sustainable veneers, EvenOak is made with high quality timber enhanced by organic colouring agents to evoke the natural patina of oak weathered over centuries.

Stepping into the kitchen, one is immediately enveloped in a sense of warmth.

With the joinery setting the ambience for the space, the timber selection was imperative – as frequent specifiers of Elton Group timber veneers, Jessica says that Resident Avenue “worked closely in a collaboration with Elton Group to share our vision.” Seeking a distinctive materiality that would contribute a refined aesthetic while creating a highly functional kitchen environment, “we felt that the EvenOak provided the best design outcome for its tone and durability,” she explains. The newest addition to Elton Group’s range of sustainable veneers, EvenOak is made with high quality timber enhanced by organic colouring agents to evoke the natural patina of oak weathered over centuries.

With its natural yet largely homogenous appearance, free from the splits, knots, holes and discolouration found in conventional timber veneers, EvenOak is designed to complement a wide range of joinery applications and express the beloved grain and warmth of aged oak. For the Greenhouse Interiors kitchen, Resident Avenue chose the Stone Oak tone for its classic depth and character that anchor the space, ensuring it is versatile without being bland. Capable of hosting everything from floral design workshops to fashion events, artists in residence, cooking demonstrations and perfume making, the kitchen delivers different experiences whilst maintaining a sense of identity and purpose, reflecting both Greenhouse Interiors and Resident Avenue’s considered aesthetic and ethos.

In addition to being the welcoming heart of the store, the kitchen also represents the first of a new joint venture, RA Kitchen Assemble, between Resident Avenue, a collaborating builder and Elton Group. With a focus on delivering quality finishes and resolved design in a modular, affordable manner, RA Assemble prioritises authentic materials, local suppliers and a responsible, collaborative approach. “We are excited to showcase more of Elton Group’s offerings [with] RA Assemble!” Jessica says. “Driven by design excellence, Elton Group truly elevates the concept of being ‘materially different’; they are constantly researching and developing new products, colours, textures and patterns to inspire the design of spaces,” she continies. “When designing for our clients we have a duty to deliver conscientious materials that deliver quality, functionality and design performance. We know we can count on this with Elton Group.”