home KITCHEN DESIGN

Three interior design experts share their insights on turning the heart of the home into a joyful, functioning space.

Words JESSICA BELLEF

Kitchens play to our senses, adding to the texture of our days as a thread woven into our habits, basic functions and evolving to-do lists. The development of the domestic kitchen in Australia has seen it go from a small, uncomfortable utilitarian room hidden at the back of the house to the open heart of a household, a centralised multipurpose zone where family and friends dwell, create and relax.

“Given how central the kitchen is in modern home design, it’s only natural that they act like a magnet to bring everyone together,” says Anna McMillan of McMillan Design, an interior design studio in Sydney. “As a congregation point, good kitchen design is key.” Good design, in this instance, relates to a seamless fusion of function and aesthetics, creating an environment that is a joy to spend time in. “The kitchen is the showpiece and the workhorse of a home,” says Swedish-born, Sydney-based designer Anna-Carin McNamara of Anna Carin Design Studio. “Like an Ardennes horse, it needs to be able to carry a heavy load while maintaining its elegance.”

Jodi York of Studio York Architects, also in Sydney, reports that the kitchen often forms the backbone of a home’s redesign. ”Nine times out of 10, the conversation with the client starts with an inspiration image that involves the kitchen. These images are often the initial building blocks for the interiors and the architecture as a whole,” she says, revealing that that first meeting with the client usually happens in, you guessed it, their kitchen over a cup of coffee.

Renovating a kitchen is costly, so sticking to what you love and what works for you, your family, your home and your budget will ensure your new kitchen provides happy returns for the long term. “When we design a kitchen, the main consideration is longevity both in material selections and design elements,” says McNamara. “We do our best to stay clear of obvious trends and aim to have it reflect the architecture it sits in and the functions and needs of our clients.”