Beating rising damp to perk-up an old kitchen

Tim's first thought was to revive a tired old kitchen, prompting him to put a call through to Jenny from Amazing Makeovers. The kitchen had poorly designed benches that enclosed the space and a tired colour scheme, so Jenny decided neat and chic was the way to go.

Shade from the grand trees in the street unfortunately created a dark feel in the kitchen. It needed a lift, so she added light colours with distinguished chrome and stainless steel. The new splashback tiles are an unusual earthy pink and the benchtops a creamy stone. The minimalist sink features a chunky spout, lever taps and a deep, round basin. With the dishwasher taking care of any dirty dishes, there is no need for drainage trays around the sink. This kitchen is designed to keep itself tidy. 

The microwave is tucked away under a benchtop and the rangehood also emerges from under a cupboard. Aside from the coffee machine and a toaster, there is nothing to clutter the benches, leaving them free and inviting for food preparation. The redesigned bench also stretches out on the dining-room side, making provision for a breakfast bar. 

The home has a lot of character, so Tim wanted to retain some of its more redeeming features. Rich, polished floorboards have been preserved and brought up to standard with the rest of the refurbished home. Flooring flows through the dining, lounge and kitchen area, creating a sense of continuity between the rooms.

With badly positioned appliances and no room for the fridge, the original kitchen was quite awkward to work in. After ditching the old stove, the corner recess was extended in height to fit the refrigerator. The space under the stairs where the fridge used to reside has been converted to storage space for a much more logical layout.

Jenny Herbert

Amazing Makeovers

What was the client hoping to achieve?

I think Tim's big hope was to get the leaking roof fixed and all signs of the water damage banished. With regard to the kitchen, he seemed pretty easygoing and was very receptive to my ideas.

Did you come across any challenges?

Yes. I was due to go to France for five weeks before the project was completed and then Tim was due to go to China for three months. It was challenging to try to get work done on time, because all the tradespeople were so busy.

How does the kitchen design correspond with the rest of the home?

We were going for a classical look, nothing too avant-garde. We wanted the kitchen to stay in keeping with the age of the building.

What do you like most in this kitchen? 

I love the stone benchtops and the chunky tap.

How did you choose the materials and appliances?

We chose appliances that were reliable, had a good name and were good value. The materials were chosen on durability and also the aesthetic value.

Tim

What was your brief for Jenny?

I just wanted something practical that looks good. The whole house when I moved in was quite run down. It had been a rental property for some years. It's a great character house but inside was all badly let down. I wanted to give the whole house a good spruce up, and that included the kitchen.

How was the kitchen improved?

Well the whole thing was gutted and rebuilt, basically. The new kitchen is more spacious, it's easier to move around in and it's got plenty of bench space. It's got a dishwasher and a modern gas stove. And it's got a decent pantry cupboard that it didn't have before.

Did removing the existing wrap-around bench leave you enough room to work?

I was a bit reluctant to shorten the bench, but it is easier to get in and out now. There's still plenty of space. Not having a large sink helps - it doesn't have a drainage tray or anything like that. The dishwasher takes care of all that.

How much influence did you have in the design process? 

Not much. I went through some ideas with Jenny and she put ideas to me. I helped with the colours, but really didn't have a lot of input into the design. I was happy just to let her do what she was doing.

Are you happy with your new kitchen?

The end result is great. It all feels very functional; everything's in the right place.