From the Designers

One of the first homes built in Sydney’s prestigious lower north shore suburb of Mosman; this heritage listed circa 1900 property houses a professional couple and their two young children. The clients have an acute eye for detail and their budget reflected a desire for design excellence. The original kitchen and walk in pantry were a low cost addition by the previous owner and heavily worn.

A functional space that utilised the idle pantry was desired. Turning the walk in pantry into a working area for the morning rush and entertaining was a must. Whilst the client did not want a traditional kitchen, they did want the kitchen to look effortless in an impressive piece of Sydney’s heritage.

Inspiration can be born from the smallest details, searching for a unique quality, the stunning joinery of the island was drawn from a sewer breathing stack dating back to the late 1800’s. The vintage stack outside the homes front door. The Stack has a fluted base and was made from solid copper, exquisite in detail, it was the perfect flash of ingenuity. Crafting the island unit base provided the reflection to a bygone era the client was in search of. The designer generated a modern take on the old world shaker door by designing a door profile with a 10mm by 10mm shaker. A custom made timber handle sits seamlessly with the joinery detail.

Marble was introduced to the benchtops and splash backs to add a natural element and an elegant design focal point. The incredible architectural details of the home were repeated in the design. Soft edges of the joinery reflected the arches, the radius’ match that of the flutes, as do the selected modern pendant lights. The original ceiling rose could not be relocated. Instead the designer worked off the ceiling rose centre by introducing a contemporary light fitting and looping the cord. In time the cord will smooth to continue the repetition of arches. The original walk in pantry revealed a poor layout as did the location of its entry point. Relocating the entry to the space and converting it to a working scullery increased the size of the kitchen. This small change along with the direction of the joinery in the kitchen connected the two areas forming a visually balanced functional space.