Kay & Darryl’s Story
Kay is one of Adelaide Hills top home stylists. When a home sells for a record price, chances are the real estate agent employed Kay’s styling weeks before the final sale. So after years spent in some of South Australia’s most luxurious homes, she developed a few ideas of her own for the family kitchen.
After seeing the high quality workmanship of the kitchens in the homes she was styling, she knew to use their cabinet maker, Fisher Kitchens for her own home.
Kay wanted an open plan, modern kitchen that easily catered for outdoor entertaining. Her husband Darryl was after a breakfast bar. Overall, they wanted a warm, homely environment for themselves and their two teenage kids to cook and relax.
Deliverables
Kitchen
The challenges
Kay’s kitchen was brown melamine, closed in and dated. She wanted a bigger space that was light, but still homely. She knew knocking down walls would eat into the budget, so she wanted to know where she could save and where she should spend a bit more.
Her biggest challenge? Taking her ideas and turning them into a kitchen that was accommodating and practical for the whole family.
The solution
Fisher Kitchens took Kay’s kitchen ideas and combined them with their practical know how.
Entertaining made easy
Fisher Kitchens created a seamless flow from the open plan kitchen to the outdoor entertainment area.
The benchtop extended through the windows. Plates, condiments and food could all pass through the open windows to the BBQ outside.
“We wanted a low section for a social side and a bit of a high section just to hide the sink and things like that from the dining area. My husband is quite tall, so he wanted to have his breakfast at the higher section,” Kay
Location
Price Guide
Turn-around
“Having Braydn’s eye made a difference. It was all custom made for us.
The bench tops are wider, in line with the fridge and the window.
So, we could have an outdoor serving section as well.”
Kay
A kitchen renovation on average costs just over $25K, according to the latest HIA research. Fisher Kitchens saved Kay money by using laminate benchtops and melamine doors.
Products like Laminex laminate are easy to clean and low maintenance. They are a great choice for families because laminate is resistant to scratches and stains and inexpensive to fix if damaged. Laminate benchtops are a great choice for a tight budget, with average costs ranging from $350-$650 per square metre. Compare this to stone, which can cost between $700 and $2000 per square metre.
Melamine doors have a tough outer coating making it resistant to excessive moisture, heat and stains. It can also withstand dents and scratches. In comparison, a polyurethane kitchen can be between 30 to 40 per cent more expensive due to the amount of labour required to produce.
For a breaky on the go, a breakfast bar was installed which could also hide the sink and dirty dishes.
Kay wanted to incorporate crisp whites with warm textures. The natural tones found in wood can make any area a retreat. But, wood deteriorates quickly with moisture, heat and the sharp items found in a kitchen.
Fisher Kitchens used Woodmatt melamine for the door fronts of the kitchen cabinets. This affordable, durable material looks like wood but can stand the conditions of a kitchen. The timber contrasts yet complements the white tones Kay chose for the splashback tiles and benchtop.
“I did greys, but then I added some sea green to the pantry and Braydn said, ‘yeah, you can do that’. No one would notice it, but I do. It’s just adding those little features that’s nice,” Kay
