It might have been their careers that brought Matt and Megan over from Melbourne. But, now, happily established with three kids and a group of firm friends, it looks like our city might have won them over for good. Especially since they bought this lovely, old stone property in Hawthorn.

Being people who like to cook and entertain for family and friends without any fuss or ceremony, the original kitchen layout was proving to be something of a straightjacket, although their love for the home’s overall aesthetic style never wavered.

So, they cast about for someone to help them realise a better arrangement and, indeed, invited another kitchen designer to come up with some ideas. Unfortunately, however, they were a little underwhelmed.

Frustrated, Matt found some online design software and started to dabble with some layout concepts himself. What he’d soon discover is that the ideas came freely but resolving them all into a functional layout proved a little harder.

About then, someone who’d put SpaceCraft Joinery on their own shortlist suggested us to Matt and Megan. (Ironically, our punishing schedule couldn’t accommodate the original recommender.)

What we discovered was a lovely couple, who – despite both being very busy with kids and careers – invested all the time Nathan asked them for to get inside their heads and evolve the brief that would help transform their living.

In their own words, what they really wanted was, ‘a design that addressed the functional and aesthetic constraints’ of the space as well as a ‘finished product that would complement and build on the overall aesthetic of the home’. They wanted the kitchen to fit softly within its surrounds and not feel at odds with the period of the home.

That said, they were also really open to something different, quirky and inviting, which the whole family could enjoy. Early on, Nathan suggested something curvy and you could see their faces light up. The creative juices were really starting to flow.

The first challenge to be resolved was that the original kitchen was U-shaped. The one advantage of that was it offered lots of bench space. The trade-off, however, was that it also brought you into a dead-end, both traffic-wise and creatively.

Nathan’s solution was to block off an unnecessary external doorway, which uncorked the genie: this simple change not only opened up the internal traffic flow but allowed him to extend the length of the kitchen and the benches. It also made way for a servery window and a barbecue directly outside.

The next problem was that the wall behind the fridge concealed a stairwell. That meant we had a very shallow wall, which governed the ultimate depth of those cabinets. We’re not called SpaceCraft for nothing, however. To compensate, Nathan built a wall of cupboards all the way to the top of the tall ceilings. He then lined up the top of the rangehood with the top of the window to save it from being overpowering.

Remember those curves we all got very excited about? Well, not only did we use one curve to soften the edge of the benchtop into the dining area, which helps to make the space look bigger; we also mirrored that on the rangehood block to create a symmetrical visual link.

What must truly stand out to the casual observer, however, above all else is the timber slats which feature on the island bench and rangehood block. Not only does the perpendicular profile add a strong textural element but also the warmth of timber (in this case, Tasmanian oak) to the otherwise unapologetically monochromatic palette. The last thing we wanted to do was clutter that look with handles, so Nathan devised a reverse-bevel finger-pull used throughout instead.

Apart from this, timber was used sparingly so as not to compete with the existing floorboards, architraves, window- and doorframes.

The anchor for the whole design is that tall wall, with its vast store of cabinetry fronted in traceless ebony: this finger-proof finish ensures it will always look great without too much effort. (Using a standard melamine or two-pack finish in such a dark tone might look great in a showroom but would very soon prove hard to live with, especially with sticky little fingers.)

This is where – if you look carefully – you’ll also find the black oven and microwave tower, within easy reach of the benchtop to ensure sufficient landing space.

To offset all that ebony and contrast with the joinery, Nathan chose Dulux Lexicon two-pack paint for the rest of the island, which reflects the play of natural light coming in from the east-facing window during the daytime. For night time or darker days, LED lighting is mounted under the rangehood as well as directly over the island.

For durability, the benches were all topped in matt Caesarstone to complement the earthy vibe that pervades the space, but in two different shades. The island top is the darker Rugged Concrete, whilst the top for the back wall and the splashback are the lighter shade of Airy Concrete. The idea behind using Caesarstone for the splashback, instead of the usual tiles, was to lessen the textural competition for the rangehood above it.

The more you look, the greater depth of thinking you’ll find. For example, there’s a concealed pod in the benchtop offering electrical points for appliances, just where you need them. Inside the pantry space, there’s a clever set of drawers. And there’s an appliance nook along with an open shelving area to allow Matt and Megan to display some treasures and have frequently used items close at hand.

But there’s one idea that was completely non-negotiable, right from the outset: and that’s the very stealthy liquor cabinet hidden away on one end of the island, where you’re welcome to mix yourself a drink. We dare say, though, there’ll be plenty of Matt and Megan’s creative juices in those concoctions, too.