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Written by Suzanne Brown
Putting in a new kitchen was part of the overhaul of our old terrace house, which involved demolishing the outdoor bathroom, turning an original bedroom into a bathroom and building two new bedrooms.
One of the new bedrooms was to be constructed over the kitchen, so the whole area was almost completely demolished and rebuilt to allow for the lowering of the floor.
My partner Mark especially liked the original configuration of the kitchen but agreed we needed to add storage and counter space while updating the much loved but impractical old Kooka stove. We wanted enough space for both of us to cook.
To replace the wall that ran alongside the courtyard we wanted bifold doors that could be opened up to create a big summer room.
The architect suggested aluminium-framed doors but we wanted to keep the rustic feel of the original kitchen so opted for Stegbar customized wood doors in a French window style.
A concrete floor had always appealed but because we had a floating floor we didn't think it would be possible.
Then friends mentioned a new product called Pandomo, that looks like concrete but is softer underfoot and can be laid over timber in a layer as thin as 1/5". It's used in restaurants and commercial premises so we went to see it in situ and were impressed.
We chose a neutral shade, laid by Concrete Artisans, to complement the countertops. The result is ultra-modern and seamless, it feels great underfoot and is more forgiving of dropped glasses than standard concrete or tiles.
We'd seen a picture in a magazine of doors and drawers with recycled exotic blackbutt wood laid horizontally and brushed stainless steel accessories.
The kitchen companies we approached dismissed it as too difficult so eventually we engaged a joiner to build the carcasses, countertops and backsplashes then my father Russell, who can make just about anything, took on the doors and drawers.
We decided against blackbutt as it would have been too dark and chose NSW spotted gum decking boards instead.
They were machined to 1/3" thick and delivered to Russell where he mounted them on melamine. He installed them with brushed stainless steel handles from the old cupboards.
Within a week the humidity had buckled the beautiful doors and some wouldn't open properly. We shipped them back to Russell who relaminated them onto exterior plywood and varnished them again.
It was hard to beat the old Kooka stove for character but we soon fell in love with a cobalt blue enamel Ilve stove that had to be ordered from Italy and took three months to arrive.
We bought all the appliances from a housewares store that agreed to hold them for us until installation.
We hung pictures and displayed lots of blue items to match the stove.
We thought more wood would make the room look dark so decided on Raw Silk CaesarStone countertops with Antique White glass backsplashes.
Russell took on the job of making wood shelves, using spotted gum stair treads. He made tongue-and-groove joints and laminated a 4" piece onto the front to make it look like a thick wood shelf without the weight.
The new kitchen has added value to our house financially but as the heart of the home it's contributed to our lifestyle with lots of storage and workspace plus a stove that can cope with cooking for a crowd.
The natural light through the French doors has made a difference to the ambience of the room and we love opening up the entire 13 feet of them for a huge indoor-outdoor room with the courtyard.
We did manage to stick to budget, although if Russell hadn't made the cupboards we would have blown out.
The bill for labor and materials.
Total: $35,495
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