| Individual Design and Construction |
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TRADITIONAL AUSTRALIAN CHARM AN AUTHENTIC RUSTIC KITCHEN When the clients approached Individual Design and Construction to create their new kitchen, they emphasised how important it was for the design to fit with the distinct aesthetic in the existing house. Ron Macfarlane from Individual Design and Construction designed the kitchen, ensuring it ‘moulded itself’ with the home. The use of rustic timber posts and painted eucalypt doors ensures the kitchen looks as though it truly belongs in the home. To develop a rustic Australian aesthetic, spotted gum in the form of solid stiles and rails was installed and natural timber veneer plywood was used on panels. Doors on the internal part of the kitchen were finished with Dulux satin two-pack paint in ‘Crewelwork’ while other doors in the room were finished in a three per cent wax effect two-pack acrylic. Natural stone benchtops, spotted gum kickboards and feature grade flooring further enhance the warm country-style of the kitchen. It was also important that the new kitchen eradicated the issue of darkness that the clients had with the existing kitchen. This was achieved with the installation of a large window, light colours and the white two-pack polyurethane on doors to encourage light reflection. Considerable architectural challenges were encountered when the kitchen was being built. These included the limited natural light in the previous design, the massive scale of the raked ceiling, and accommodating the timber posts. To make the most of the expansive raked wall, Ron used cabinetry of different heights and depths, creating dimension and forcing the eye towards the kitchen, not the wall. After searching various timber recyclers, he found a post identical to the existing posts in the room. The kitchen is accessible from the main walkway of the house and from the dining room, so a design that made accessibility and manoeuvrability simple was important. The cooking zone is in the lightest area of the kitchen, and the family can access the other zones – preparation, dry and cold storage – without disturbing the main cook. Founded 30 years ago by Clinton Buckwell, Individual Design and Construction builds kitchens, bathrooms, laundries, fitted furniture and bars, and has won more than 70 awards, including Cabinet Maker of the Year 2010 and Best Kitchen Over $40,000 in the 2010 CMA Awards. The company was also awarded the 2011 HIA National Kitchen Design of the Year. CONTACT |
