The kitchen and dining areas enjoy open indoor-outdoor connection.

Light-hearted by the sea

This modest sized beachside kitchen makes the most of every detail to lighten the space, creates flowing connections and ensures there's a place for everything – walnut cabinets and aged brass accents feature

Light-hearted by the sea

This modest sized beachside kitchen makes the most of every detail to lighten the space, creates flowing connections and ensures there's a place for everything – walnut cabinets and aged brass accents feature

DESKTOP

MOBILE

Designed by: Kate Gardham, Suede + Stone

Photography by: Mitch Brown, Fabit Photography

Designed by Kate Gardham, Suede + Stone

From the designer:

The setting

This new build was an re-imagining of a modern day summer beach house situated on the Coromandel coastline for a retired bachelor who loved fishing and opting for a quieter life in this remote location.

From the moment that you enter this home you are graced with this open-plan kitchen that opens up to views of Kūaotunu Beach.

A question of scale

Because this project is rather small in scale so we felt it had to be well crafted and with the appliances integrated – to ensure the finished kitchen looks substantial and not disjointed nor bitsy.

We didn’t have the luxury of space so we wanted everything to count and something in particular with this project we fell in love with was this white oak floor.

However, instead of designing the kitchen cabinetry to match the tone and cut of the same wood, we opted for complementary contrast – opting for a walnut timber in a custom colour and a modern shaker style with a very thin profile boarder.

Casual seating tucks under the island benchtop.
Casual seating tucks under the island benchtop.

Taking cues

The homeowner didn’t have a clear vision of the look and colours he wanted and so we talked through options that resonated with him and looked to the surrounding exterior and landscape for connectivity.

Given that it’s a personal space and owner’s summer home, the kitchen had to resonate with him and offer something special and meaningful.

Spending time with the owner was key to the success of this project.

Part of summer life

The aim was not just to achieve a beautiful kitchen, but really to address the functionality of how he wanted to live.

We had to look at what was important to him (and what was not important to him) and this kitchen is a perfect reflection of that – responding ideally to his everyday life and how he lives during the summer months.

It’s a place to gather around and eat the catch of the day in, so it made sense to create an island with social seating on three sides for friends to gather around.

We also opted for two dishwashers, sinks and bins for when our homeowner is entertaining – making it easy to cope with cleanup and rubbish disposal on the fly.

Colour/material palette – looks and functionality

The colour palette was really an integral part of the design – for this, we selected walnuts and aged brass (with a living finish that will patina with time and use) that we felt complements the walnut and the Taj Mahl Almond porcelain marble surfaces beautifully.

Then there’s the soft tones of blonded timber for the floors, and organic pearlised organic tiles in the scullery to achieve honesty and simplicity in the design.

We chose the Ascale Taj Mahal porcelain/sintered stone for its durability – so when filleting or cooking fish there won’t be any fuss or worry about scratching or burning the benchtops.

Scullery

The scullery’s main function was for holding appliances like the coffee machine and toaster, along with providing food storage and a location for the secondary sink and bins.

Both sinks have a pull out tap for ease of washing up the mess made when the owner is filleting fish he has caught that day.

Island views

The island sink in the main kitchen was situated to take in the views perfect for a space that is regularly in use for prep and washing up.

A secondary dishwasher F&P dish drawer was positioned in the kitchen to the right of the sink.

Cleaning, fresh food storage, cooking zones and the island’s social seating have all been neatly defined – keeping tasks separate but also allowing for an easy flow from one task/use to another.

Cooking zone

The cooking zone has ample drawer storage for cooking utensils and pots and pans and the ventilation has been encased in an aged brass box.

Wall lights are positioned above the stone floating shelf to connect the high ceiling with the kitchen cabinetry.

Even the open shelving in the scullery is under-lit.
Even the open shelving in the scullery is under-lit.

Let there be light

Because the overhead eves on either side of the kitchen were deep overhangs affecting the natural light projection into the space, I utilised a polished benchtop finish to bounce natural and introduced lighting through the kitchen area.

Plus, for all-important task and ambient lighting we used a combination of pendant, wall lights and strip lighting recessed into the floating shelves.

While our homeowner had a tight deadline due to constraints of tradies availability to a remote area.

Green thinking and savvy solutions

To reduce our carbon foot print we reused some of the owner’s existing appliances rather than purchasing everything brand new.

This project was all about teamwork and a good example of collaboration with the subcontractors during the design process was being able to readily move the scullery wall to accommodate a second dishwasher in the space.

It all takes time but moving the original wall line from the architect plans meant the owner could easily load his coffee cups straight into the dishwasher without having to walk into the main kitchen area.

The height of the ceilings had the illusion of making the kitchen look bigger which worked to our advantage so we ran tall cabinetry full height to maximise this.

Brass handles will patina with age and use.
Brass handles will patina with age and use.

Challenges addressed

  • We had to work backwards in this design, when I was brought into the project the building work had already started, so some walls had to be moved to allow for the owner’s appliances and to be able to make the scullery usable with practical walk-in clearances and achieve benchtops deep enough to accommodate a sink and leave adequate space for prepping toast or making coffee.
  • The architect hadn’t allowed for an island in the original council consent plans, so the nib wall was too short in length and the joinery doors had already been ordered – I had to work out how we could work in with this and we chose to position the island 100mm off the wall / door line to allow it be a sculptural piece and also for ease of cleaning from a practical point of view.
  • Natural light to the kitchen area due to large eaves overhangs – as previously mentioned, we chose a polished benchtop finish in a lighter tone Taj Mahal to bring in and bounce light into the kitchen space together with the use of a combination of lighting sources within the kitchen – pendant, wall lights and recessed strip lighting.
  • Timelines and product availability – we ordered products straight away and stored them both in our factory and on site so that when the builder’s subcontractors were available we would be ready to go – the builder’s contractors were hard to get to site so this pushed timelines and we had to accommodate for the installation of the kitchen cabinetry and benchtop templating and installation.

Find more design ideas and inspiration at trendsideas.com

Credit List

Designer
Kate Gardham, Suede + Stone
Cabinetry
Main: Dezignatek Thermaform – Milan Profile, Ecru Matt; timber: American Walnut, crown cut, custom colour; brass: Rich Gold, Water Aged With Satin Clear Finish, from Metalier Coatings; engineered stone: Taj Nahal Almond, polished, from Ascale
Cabinetry hardware
Blum Legrabox
Benchtops
Taj Mahal Almond porcelain/sintered stone, polished, from Ascale
Splashbacks
Kitchen – Taj Mahal Almond engineered stone, polished, from Ascale; scullery – Mallorca White Satin 10 tile, from Tile Space
Sinks
Kitchen – Mercer Acero Granite Series, Bologna Single Bowl, White; scullery – Mercer Acero Granite Series, Livomo Single Bowl I White ;
Taps
Buddy Kitchen Mixer with Pull Out Spray, in Brushed Brass – Living Finish, from Plumbline
Oven, cooktop, ventilation, refrigeration, dishwasher
Fisher & Paykel
Flooring
Oak Pearl Engineered Flooring, from Vienna Woods
Other
Iver Brunswick Pull Handle in Signature Brass for integrated fridge freezer
Awards
Trends International Design Awards (TIDA) Kitchens – Highly Commended

Designed by Kate Gardham, Suede + Stone

From the designer:

The setting

This new build was an re-imagining of a modern day summer beach house situated on the Coromandel coastline for a retired bachelor who loved fishing and opting for a quieter life in this remote location.

From the moment that you enter this home you are graced with this open-plan kitchen that opens up to views of Kūaotunu Beach.

A question of scale

Because this project is rather small in scale so we felt it had to be well crafted and with the appliances integrated – to ensure the finished kitchen looks substantial and not disjointed nor bitsy.

We didn’t have the luxury of space so we wanted everything to count and something in particular with this project we fell in love with was this white oak floor.

However, instead of designing the kitchen cabinetry to match the tone and cut of the same wood, we opted for complementary contrast – opting for a walnut timber in a custom colour and a modern shaker style with a very thin profile boarder.

Casual seating tucks under the island benchtop.
Casual seating tucks under the island benchtop.

Taking cues

The homeowner didn’t have a clear vision of the look and colours he wanted and so we talked through options that resonated with him and looked to the surrounding exterior and landscape for connectivity.

Given that it’s a personal space and owner’s summer home, the kitchen had to resonate with him and offer something special and meaningful.

Spending time with the owner was key to the success of this project.

Part of summer life

The aim was not just to achieve a beautiful kitchen, but really to address the functionality of how he wanted to live.

We had to look at what was important to him (and what was not important to him) and this kitchen is a perfect reflection of that – responding ideally to his everyday life and how he lives during the summer months.

It’s a place to gather around and eat the catch of the day in, so it made sense to create an island with social seating on three sides for friends to gather around.

We also opted for two dishwashers, sinks and bins for when our homeowner is entertaining – making it easy to cope with cleanup and rubbish disposal on the fly.

Colour/material palette – looks and functionality

The colour palette was really an integral part of the design – for this, we selected walnuts and aged brass (with a living finish that will patina with time and use) that we felt complements the walnut and the Taj Mahl Almond porcelain marble surfaces beautifully.

Then there’s the soft tones of blonded timber for the floors, and organic pearlised organic tiles in the scullery to achieve honesty and simplicity in the design.

We chose the Ascale Taj Mahal porcelain/sintered stone for its durability – so when filleting or cooking fish there won’t be any fuss or worry about scratching or burning the benchtops.

Scullery

The scullery’s main function was for holding appliances like the coffee machine and toaster, along with providing food storage and a location for the secondary sink and bins.

Both sinks have a pull out tap for ease of washing up the mess made when the owner is filleting fish he has caught that day.

Island views

The island sink in the main kitchen was situated to take in the views perfect for a space that is regularly in use for prep and washing up.

A secondary dishwasher F&P dish drawer was positioned in the kitchen to the right of the sink.

Cleaning, fresh food storage, cooking zones and the island’s social seating have all been neatly defined – keeping tasks separate but also allowing for an easy flow from one task/use to another.

Cooking zone

The cooking zone has ample drawer storage for cooking utensils and pots and pans and the ventilation has been encased in an aged brass box.

Wall lights are positioned above the stone floating shelf to connect the high ceiling with the kitchen cabinetry.

Even the open shelving in the scullery is under-lit.
Even the open shelving in the scullery is under-lit.

Let there be light

Because the overhead eves on either side of the kitchen were deep overhangs affecting the natural light projection into the space, I utilised a polished benchtop finish to bounce natural and introduced lighting through the kitchen area.

Plus, for all-important task and ambient lighting we used a combination of pendant, wall lights and strip lighting recessed into the floating shelves.

While our homeowner had a tight deadline due to constraints of tradies availability to a remote area.

Green thinking and savvy solutions

To reduce our carbon foot print we reused some of the owner’s existing appliances rather than purchasing everything brand new.

This project was all about teamwork and a good example of collaboration with the subcontractors during the design process was being able to readily move the scullery wall to accommodate a second dishwasher in the space.

It all takes time but moving the original wall line from the architect plans meant the owner could easily load his coffee cups straight into the dishwasher without having to walk into the main kitchen area.

The height of the ceilings had the illusion of making the kitchen look bigger which worked to our advantage so we ran tall cabinetry full height to maximise this.

Brass handles will patina with age and use.
Brass handles will patina with age and use.

Challenges addressed

  • We had to work backwards in this design, when I was brought into the project the building work had already started, so some walls had to be moved to allow for the owner’s appliances and to be able to make the scullery usable with practical walk-in clearances and achieve benchtops deep enough to accommodate a sink and leave adequate space for prepping toast or making coffee.
  • The architect hadn’t allowed for an island in the original council consent plans, so the nib wall was too short in length and the joinery doors had already been ordered – I had to work out how we could work in with this and we chose to position the island 100mm off the wall / door line to allow it be a sculptural piece and also for ease of cleaning from a practical point of view.
  • Natural light to the kitchen area due to large eaves overhangs – as previously mentioned, we chose a polished benchtop finish in a lighter tone Taj Mahal to bring in and bounce light into the kitchen space together with the use of a combination of lighting sources within the kitchen – pendant, wall lights and recessed strip lighting.
  • Timelines and product availability – we ordered products straight away and stored them both in our factory and on site so that when the builder’s subcontractors were available we would be ready to go – the builder’s contractors were hard to get to site so this pushed timelines and we had to accommodate for the installation of the kitchen cabinetry and benchtop templating and installation.

Find more design ideas and inspiration at trendsideas.com

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Credit List

Designer
Kate Gardham, Suede + Stone
Cabinetry
Main: Dezignatek Thermaform – Milan Profile, Ecru Matt; timber: American Walnut, crown cut, custom colour; brass: Rich Gold, Water Aged With Satin Clear Finish, from Metalier Coatings; engineered stone: Taj Nahal Almond, polished, from Ascale
Cabinetry hardware
Blum Legrabox
Benchtops
Taj Mahal Almond porcelain/sintered stone, polished, from Ascale
Splashbacks
Kitchen – Taj Mahal Almond engineered stone, polished, from Ascale; scullery – Mallorca White Satin 10 tile, from Tile Space
Sinks
Kitchen – Mercer Acero Granite Series, Bologna Single Bowl, White; scullery – Mercer Acero Granite Series, Livomo Single Bowl I White ;
Taps
Buddy Kitchen Mixer with Pull Out Spray, in Brushed Brass – Living Finish, from Plumbline
Oven, cooktop, ventilation, refrigeration, dishwasher
Fisher & Paykel
Flooring
Oak Pearl Engineered Flooring, from Vienna Woods
Other
Iver Brunswick Pull Handle in Signature Brass for integrated fridge freezer
Awards
Trends International Design Awards (TIDA) Kitchens – Highly Commended

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