Light and dark collide in this kitchen by Schemes and Spaces

Victorian terraces are highly sought after for their inner-city locations, elegance and decorative beauty, but they often have dark, compartmentalised rooms that aren’t conducive to modern living. The owners of this inner-city Victorian terrace wanted to restore and extend their turn-of-the-century heritage-listed home and to modernise the layout with a large and light-filled open-plan kitchen that would serve as a family gathering point and be practical for entertaining. They engaged Daniel Taylor of The Planhouse for the building design, and Maria Roussos of Schemes & Spaces for the interior design. Maria paired Dekton^® Domoos and Dekton^® Kelya with timber cabinetry to create an entertainers’ kitchen that complements the contemporary and historic features of the home.

The new extension, accommodating the kitchen, dining and living area, wraps around a side courtyard and pool, providing privacy from neighbours and a water view from every space. The kitchen is at the corner of the L-shaped room, where it faces the informal dining table and has the lounge to its side.

Black and timber surfaces line the two walls of the kitchen, providing a recessive backdrop to the light-filled room. Maria selected Dekton^® for the back benchtop and splashback with large-format slabs creating a seamless look. “I selected Dekton^® for its durability and heat resistance with gas cooktops,” Maria says. “I also wanted to achieve the slimmest profile for the benchtop and 12mm Dekton^® provided me with this.”

The 12mm Dekton^® Kelya from the Natural Collection is on the back benchtop. Inspired by natural stone, Kelya is a deep grey-black with delicate white veining. It pairs beautifully Dekton^® Domoos from the Solid Collection, which provides a dark, inky surface on the splashback. Both Dekton^® surfaces have a matt finish to complement the matt black laminate on the overhead cabinetry. Maria selected the solid colour for the vertical surfaces to allow the timber cabinetry and large kitchen island – the gathering point for family and friends – to come to the fore.

Dekton^® is an ideal surface for family and entertainers’ kitchens, as it’s easy to clean with liquids and spills simply wiping away. It can also withstand heat, which means the client’s work burner won’t mark it, and hot dishes can go straight from the cooktop or oven onto the kitchen bench.

Now a light, bright and modern home, this Victorian terrace stills retains its beauty and character for the client and for family and friends to admire and enjoy.

Learn more about Dekton^® products here.

Credits:
Interior Design: Schemes & Spaces
Building Design: The Planhouse
Builder: Kostos Construction
Joinery: Fineline Joinery Group
Photos: Ryan Linnegar