From closed-off to connected: rethinking how a kitchen feels to live in
This project started with a space that felt disconnected from the rest of the home.
Dark, enclosed, and not somewhere you’d naturally gather.
The brief wasn’t just to “design a kitchen” — it was to change how the space felt.
So the first decision wasn’t about cabinetry or finishes.
It was about opening things up.
By removing the wall between the kitchen and dining space, we allowed natural light to travel through the home and created a much more social, connected layout.
Designing around real life
One thing we always encourage clients to do is test their layout before committing.
In this case, the island was lived with for four months before being finalised.
That meant the final design wasn’t just visually right — it worked intuitively with their day-to-day life.
Because a kitchen shouldn’t just look good.
It should feel easy to live in.
The details that make it personal
This project had some really unique elements.
One of our favourites was the custom UV light filter built into the back of the bench seating — a completely bespoke feature designed around the client’s lifestyle.
Alongside this, we used natural oiled European Crown Oak on a birch ply core, paired with solid oak linear handles to keep everything feeling warm, tactile and calm.
A space that’s still evolving
The kitchen is now installed and already feels like a completely different home.
There are still final touches to come — worktops, tiling, soft furnishings — but the foundation is there.
A space designed to be lived in, not just looked at.
For the full before & after transformation, you can view the full project here:
https://www.instagram.com/p/DXJdraADeW_/?img_index=1
