Kitchen

"Because it's simple, and because it's everywhere, it's immersive,

The floor and the wall merge into one as concrete, wood, and subtle, warm tones create an integrated look. Customized furniture and built-in pieces throughout add to the minimalist vibe.

Brutalist materials like concrete and steel are balanced by the gentleness of the wooden carpentry. Ash wood is used for the cabinetry throughout, from kitchen cabinets to storage units.

The new kitchen features ceiling-to-countertop tiles in a grid pattern, which reappears throughout the home. The globe flush mount overhead is from Anthropologie, while the hardware is from Altas Homewares and Alno Hardware.

The kitchen is composed of stainless steel, from the cabinetry fabricated by Barcelona company Timblau, to the counters and backsplash, the latter given a mirror polish for contrast to the former’s patina on the surfaces. The boxes were brought in on a crane and then the group put them together in place. “The kitchen shouldn't be a closed dirty area of the house,” says Jon. “But [rather] the heart.” Fitting, as social life in the Basque culture revolves around eating together.

“We wanted a palette that would express a more neutral feeling in the living, dining and bedroom areas, and a touch of color in the kitchen and bathroom areas,” says Aretio.

The renovated kitchen is open, airy, and connected to the rest of the main level. Plum Projects used Bedrosians Magnifica Luxe polished white porcelain for the island, countertops, and backsplash. The black upper cabinets are made from Richlite: a durable, sustainable material made from recycled paper.

Lee Buchanan of Lee Build created a screen of white ash slats beside the kitchen as well as the entry. "The stairs are beautifully integrated into the kitchen so the kids and I are always talking and someone is always sitting on the bottom steps,

Natalie and Lauren opted for high-quality finishes to ensure the kitchen would stand up to many years of use.

The new kitchen features green kit kat tiles, a terrazzo-effect rubber floor, white cabinetry, and cherry wood veneered cabinets. The client originally wanted teak cabinets, but 4 S Architecture recommended using cherry wood instead as it is more sustainable but has the same warm tones as teak. “We couldn’t get behind teak as a product so we used FSC certified European cherry that has less air miles than American cherry,” explains architect Julia Hamson. “The client was really pleased with the result.”

The kitchen cabinets have also been cleverly designed by 4 S Architecture to combine a luxury appearance with cost-effective construction. The carcasses were sourced from DIY Kitchens and delivered preassembled, which cut down on labor costs. While the white cabinet doors are also from DIY Kitchens, the cherry veneered doors are bespoke. “We worked with as many off-the-shelf products as we could to minimise cost and added a few bespoke items to elevate the scheme,” explains architect Julia Hamson.

The custom-made wooden dining table is surrounded by a set of Claudia chairs by Aristeu Pires.