We’ve all heard the story of the man who loved the product so much he bought the company. Well, this is kind of the same. But different. Genevieve is married to Daniel, who owns a company called DLH Projects, which creates small-scale infill developments across Adelaide. One of his current projects consists of just nine allotments in a cul-de-sac at Flagstaff Hill, with what are the best views over the city.

In fact, they both became so enamoured with the project – and those views – they claimed one of the lots for themselves. Not a bad recommendation. (And, at the time of writing, there are still two lots left, if you’re quick…) Thus, the pair set out to build a new home there for their family. But, as you might imagine from people whose company aims to ‘set new benchmarks in collaboration with only the best architects, designers and consultants’, it was always going to be something special. And it’s equally special for us to be one of those consultants.

It was while doing their research that Genevieve and Daniel happened upon some of our work in a Kitchen Yearbook. That led them to the SpaceCraft Joinery web site and, after sampling more of our wares, they put in a call and we soon met to discuss their architectural plans. Like a lot of our clients, they were desperately seeking someone who could ‘get’ them and what they were after. And what they were after was an earthy/industrial style of home. Right up our alley. Or cul-de-sac.

As DLH would be managing the project, our design had to tie in with a concrete-look tiled floor and plywood-sheeted walls of birch, which were already specified. No problem. Interestingly, Genevieve and Daniel had never worked with an interior designer before. But you’d never know it from the obvious homework they’d done and the copious amounts of visual reference.

Originally, the brief to us was to design and build the joinery for the kitchen, pantry, master walk-in robe and the laundry. But soon enough, the ensuite vanity was added to the list. Most of the budget was dedicated to the core of the home, the kitchen, with the other areas to be cleverly cost-effective. (Something Nathan is all too used to hearing and solving.)

On the floor plan, the fridge had already been consigned to the butler’s pantry, which sits directly behind the galley-style kitchen. It’s always so promising for us when the main kitchen area doesn’t have to accommodate large or overbearing appliances such as fridges, because a minimalist approach allows what’s on show to be more aesthetically pleasing. And we all wanted this kitchen to be a show-stopper.

With all of this information and inspiration, Nathan set about designing a space that would meet Genevieve and Daniel’s aesthetic aims and the functional necessities of a young family, who like to entertain. The result is a moody, almost-masculine, earthy/industrial-inspired space, with a minimum of materials but certainly not character.

For the main kitchen and pantry zone, the minimalist design features all the things specified on their checklist (and many, indeed, sourced by DLH). Let’s start with the birch ply shadow-line framework and open shelving matched with the very cool black traceless doors, drawer fronts and panels. Quite the statement.

Your eye, though, is immediately drawn to the Brique Collection vertical green tiles from Cerbis Ceramics as well as the stunning concrete tops that contrast so nicely with that svelte black. And these tiles were the source of the only hiccup in this whole project: the tiler mistakenly laid them horizontally (perhaps it was force of habit) but when Genevieve luckily discovered the error, they were switched 90 degrees while the glue was still wet.

In any minimalist design, the details are always going to be critical. And every detail in this scene is exquisitely exotic. Instead of boring, humdrum handles, you’ll find saddle-tan leather pulls with a brass core, along with slimline handles wrapped in matching leather from MadeMeasure in Melbourne. There’s the Yokato rumbled brass organic mixer tap from Brodware, which looks like a priceless ancient relic. And there’s a gorgeous SMEG pyrolytic-cleaning black double-oven, coupled with a SMEG Smartsense induction cooktop and concealed rangehood.

While task lighting is taken care of by LED strips hidden underneath the overhead cupboards, the scene-stealers are the Long John 5 pendants from Fred’s International over the workbench.

The end result is a home that certainly makes the most of its views. No matter whether you’re looking out over the fair city of Adelaide or turning inward to a kitchen that makes the maximum of minimalism.