A Retro Renovation
Located less than two hours north of Auckland, lies the picturesque community of Whakapirau. Situated by the Kaipara Harbour, Whakapirau is a beautiful destination and for Citywide Kitchen designers Rachael and Peter Hill, it was the location for a recent kitchen renovation project for their clients David and Brian.
The house rests a stone’s throw from the waterfront and with stunning views across the Kaipara harbour, and expansive decks front and back, this kitchen renovation was to become the social hub of the home.
For David and Brian, there was only one main design feature for the kitchen and that was retro. The kitchen was to be an extension of their personality and style, and whilst functionality was at the heart of the design, Brian's love for all things retro was integral.
This project required precision cutting for the cabinetry which is why Rachael and Peter came to Cutshop® North Shore, their manufacturing partners for the past three years to ensure a job well done.
Between Peter and Rachael, they designed a kitchen that incorporated all the ideas from the clients and added a few touches of their own. Due to the purpose of the kitchen as a social place where David and Brian could entertain with friends and family, it was decided that a galley kitchen was a must, allowing people to breeze through to the deck outside.
A scullery was set opposite to the kitchen which, although is a tad unusual, serves well for entertaining on the rear deck as a second kitchen with a Bar set in a nook right next to the scullery door.
One of the stand out features of this kitchen is the colour. Initially, Brian wanted a darker blue, however, Rachael presented three alternative blues that really met the retro inspiration and David and Brian fell in love with one of the choices. It was meant to be, as the colour chosen perfectly matched the material chosen for the dining room chairs.
The galley kitchen accommodates a kitchen island bench which is wide enough to entertain and comfortably house four bar stools. By installing outward facing cupboards on both ends of the island, Brian is able to showcase his retro crockery which was enhanced by glass shelves and spotlights.
Attention to detail is key to creating the perfect kitchen and in this case, the fine details can be seen in the retro fluted glass chosen for the display cabinets.
“One of the things about working with Cutshop® is the EASE. From the initial cabinetry list sent through to the team, to the final email advising everything is ready for truck collection and everything in between!”
For any kitchen island, it is always important to factor in a power supply. This can either be brought up through the floor if you have floorboards or channelled through the concrete and is one of those elements that it’s not until you don’t have it that you realise you need it. Include pop up power points for those that don’t like to ‘see’ them.
With this kitchen, Peter and Rachael designed the cupboards to scribe to the ceiling. As all of their kitchens are custom made, these can be adjusted for every project and are intended to maximise all available space, whilst banishing those annoying places where dust can settle.
Creating a bar is an entertainers dream and for kitchen designer Rachael, the location is everything. A nook on the opposite side of the kitchen island was the perfect spot for a bar. By keeping this area separate from the main kitchen working triangle of the fridge, sink and hob prevent people from tripping over each other.
Adding glass shelves and a mirror behind adds extra light and dimension with a touch of class. Not forgetting the all-important wine fridge, an absolute must for any bar area.
“The team at Cutshop® North Shore are always accommodating. There are times where errors occur whether on our part or theirs. These things happen, however, the team at Cutshop® are always quick to get it rectified straight away. Plus, if I have to pick up, the team always help me load the truck.”
For Rachael and Peter, one of the highlights of this renovation was working with their clients David and Brian, who were an absolute delight. Using Cutshop® for all their cabinetry needs ensured that Rachael and Peter had more time to work with their clients. Clients who are over the moon with their stunning new kitchen.
Whether you are starting on your kitchen renovation journey or are looking for CNC specialists to manufacture your projects then get in touch with Cutshop® to find out more.
Tips For Designing A Kitchen With Personality
All kitchens are an extension of personality, however, it is so easy to lose confidence with being bold with kitchen design especially if lurking in the back of the mind is the thought ‘what if we sell?’
Kitchen Designer Rachael Hill, offers her tips to create the perfect dream kitchen:
A lot of clients talk to us about their dream kitchen design, but in the back of their minds lingers the question, ‘what happens if we sell?’, or they may have a double fridge that will not fit the space, or they need a bigger oven than usual which can stress the client and start the process on the back foot.
For anyone taking the first step on the kitchen design journey, relax.
Most people only renovate one kitchen in their lifetime, and so don’t worry about what other people might want. By talking with your kitchen designer or architect, they will pick up on your character and fully discuss the look you are trying to achieve.
The main thing is to focus on all the things that matter to you - the colours and styles that you love. You do not need to run with the trends, sometimes the best kitchens are the most unique!
