It was back in 2019 that we first received a call from Celine. She’d received extension plans and knew that at some stage they’d need a kitchen to match.

But this wasn’t to be any ordinary kitchen. Fresh, yes. Free of the past, no. Different, absolutely!

Celine and Tristan live in a 1965 Cotswold Cottage and wanted their entire extension (completed by Dellatorre Constructions) to feel at home with the original dwelling. We know from experience that this kind of fusion can require a lateral take on things and daring to do something outside the box.

Celine wanted the kitchen to tell the story of her family, have a functional but beautiful form, and an appreciation for the raw material in the design. Our answer? Coming up!

Requested was a refined rustic industrial inspired kitchen with a dark palette, a splash of green and absolutely no white. Over time – largely off the plan – we nutted out a design and mulled over the right materials. Not every client knows what they like. Celine was not one of them.

She was keen to include black and greys, but we had to keep the space warm. The bench needed to seat a minimum of three people, she wanted ribbing to the back of the island (something she had spotted in our showroom display), and there were to be no handles. Yep, no handles.

Of course, when old and new spaces combine, there’s often some discrepancies to navigate, and this project was no different. The circulation space adjacent to the kitchen and pantry is the junction where the old two storey cottage and the new extension meet. The upper-level plumbing and stairs resulted in multiple ceiling heights – something we would have to consider when creating the display shelving.

Nathan was also going to have to weave some of his magic to ensure the modern appliances – a freestanding oven, an integrated fridge, a concealed rangehood and an integrated dishwasher – would maintain the feel of a kitchen that also complemented the cottage it’s attached to. Not to mention find the right combination of storage solutions for the chopping boards, spices, oils, oven trays and baking dishes.

Together we worked with Celine to determine the best overhead orientation (horizontal, for what it’s worth), lighting for the overheads and above the island, and even a system for the garbage.

The ongoing challenge was making all this work in a unique way that also sat comfortably alongside an existing style. Our tag line isn’t one a kind for nothing. We got on the case.

The original home was considered closely before we made any material selections. It was important that the new space reflected a contemporary approach to these conscious choices.

Within the newly built space one of the exterior walls of the original cottage is exposed. We set out to juxtapose its materiality and texture with the joinery choices we made so it remains a beautiful historical feature of the room.

To achieve that old-fashioned charm, we chose solid Wormy Chestnut in a clear satin finish.  Textured wood like this has character and warmth, giving rustic aesthetic.

Where things got a little bit different? We combined numerous textures – not something you typically find in a kitchen space. In this kitchen, symmetrical timber ribbing, matte black melamine, earthy tiles, stainless steel, brushed black fittings, and concrete all unite.

We went with a concrete feature island with feature angled waterfall ends, which adds an industrial element to the space, complementing the angles of the new extension. It was made off-site from hand poured concrete and fitted in one piece by a small army of men, shoutout to Justin from Adelaide Outdoor Kitchens for creating such a beautiful centrepiece. Much like the Cotswold Cottage, it’s designed to endure! To bring the materials together for a refined overall look, we used Dekton Domoos for the remaining bench space and splashback upstand. It has a dark matte finish causing it to meld into the Black Clean Touch of the drawer and door fronts.

The polished concrete floor gives off earthy tones. And Celine’s suggestion for a hint of green was inspired. The green Zellige tiles we used for the splashback not only add texture and softness, but they also connect effortlessly with the gumtrees outside.

Never one to disappoint, Nathan wielded his usual magic to ensure the appliances would blend in seamlessly. Mindful of the no-handle request, we notched them out of the solid wormy chestnut drawers, added push-to-open to the remaining, and created wormy chestnut handles for the black integrated fridge. The material palette was kept refined and simple. The space also got a little bit funky.

We linked the entry and kitchen island back with the addition of 20×20 solid wormy chestnut ribbing in each area. And, rather cleverly, the ribbing frames the display units in the space where the ceiling changes heights.  Shelf size here is varied to combine storage options and aesthetic appeal.

To light up this wonderful new space, we used LED strip lighting to the underside of overheads with Celine selecting pendant lights over the island. As for that special place for spices, oils, and vinegar… sorted! We included a VS sub side, which is a two-tiered pull-out system, for holding all the things!

It’s safe to say that not one of our ideas (or Celine’s) was rubbish, not even the one about the garbage. What’s not to love about a 4-way bin system?! We figure you didn’t see them much in 1965, which is why you can’t see one here either. Like so many of our features, it is cleverly hidden away.

Once the kitchen area was nailed (including a pantry with a feature barn door) we also completed a laundry, an office, plus master and guest robes.

Celine has told us what a pleasure it was doing business with people who so obviously care about their staff and their clients. She said it was clear that we had the right people doing the right jobs, in the right way. The pleasure went two-ways. Celine had a great sense of what she was after, she communicated it well, and she was actively seeking something a little less predictable.

We love the chance to do something different. In this case it meant embracing a combination of textures and creating a design configuration of more drawers than cupboards – a point of difference Celine loves. She says cooking is more pleasurable and they finally feel like grownups. The extension is officially complete.