キッチン

This inviting Japanese home built from a palette of steel, wood and concrete is the product of architects Takaharu and Yui Tezuka. Photo by: Adam Friedberg

Keeping it simple and clean, the interior echoes the open theme of the space, while the stripped Douglas fir post-and-beam frame is given a chance to shine.

By foregoing a fixed dining table in favor of a large American walnut wood countertop by Cuisine Elysee, the couple is able to enjoy a open space with a clear view of the back of the house and the garden terrace outside.

Australian expats Carla and Paul Tucker tasked designer Dan Gayfer with expanding their Melbourne bungalow without adding any square footage. In the kitchen, a soft palette of wood, laminate, and tile created cohesion, impressive considering the clients didn’t see a single finish, color, or material in person prior to their homecoming. The kitchen cabinets were clad in Russian birch plywood, and the countertops were concrete.

Make sure your kitchen fits seamlessly with the rest of your home. A good entertaining space should have a look that's consistent with the overall design, so use finishings, colors, and other elements that compliment the rest of the space.

The dining room is delineated from the kitchen by a long kitchen island with a higher partition between the two spaces. The island provides storage along its length, with exposed shelving at the ends. The drum lighting pendants by Axiom were also made using local timber.

The contemporary kitchen features custom white finishes and richly textured untreated timber accents. The cabinet and pantry doors rest flush with the wall to emphasize the tall ceilings and help reduce visual clutter.

In the kitchen, black-cushioned bar stools by Erik Buch pop against the blonde wood counters, custom white melamine cupboards, and milky ceramic tile backsplash. The kitchen sink is by Franke, the faucet by Grohe, and the fridge by Liebherr.

The kitchen table.

The large, naturally lit kitchen is the heart of the house. Messmate-clad cupboards and huge expanses of glass dominate the space where Angelucci uses the sink, Gorman works at the kitchen island, and Pepa and Hazel look on. Play in the courtyard between the kitchen and garage is easily supervised and enclosed from the alley behind the house.