Isn’t there such a huge difference between looking through kitchens you like on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest; flicking through glossy design magazines, or watching reno shows on TV versus trying to actually design or renovate your own kitchen?
Dreaming about your ideal kitchen can be total fantasy – a mythical magical world of unlimited budgets and space where how things function in daily life are not an issue and seemingly inconsequential things like storage, cleaning and durability just don’t matter. This is fiction, so you don’t need to consider if something you love right now will be yesterday’s news in 3 months time. After all… you’re probably a multimillionaire and can just buy a whole new house.
OK, so back to reality. If you’re reading this you no doubt have a space in your home where a kitchen should be, a kitchen that needs replacing or at the very least something about your current kitchen you need help to rectify. So as we like to say at Woodstock Cabinet Makers…”We think it’s time we introduce you to Jack”.
So here is a recent (real life!) storey about Jack, a new kitchen and yet another happy Woodstock Cabinet Maker client.
Anastasia had used Jack previously to renovate her kitchen and bathroom. Extremely happy with both quality and service, after that house successfully sold and she moved on to building her dream home, there was no doubt who was first on her list for her dream kitchen. But why stop there? It just made sense to enlist Jack’s help to create her family’s ideal bathrooms (3, including the powder room), laundry and even a luxury walk in.
The reality of building a new home is that there is a lot to factor into the overall cost. That’s why it was important that she knew someone like Jack would understand how much of her budget she needed to allow for the kitchen, and other cabinetry requirements, as well as how vital it was they stick to that agreed amount. Going over budget would mean sacrificing something else in the build – something Anastasia and her family did not want.
Timber and white were on Anastasia’s wishlist when they met to discuss the brief. Although Jack is no stranger to working with beautiful and specially sourced natural timber products or the skill required to pull off perfect high gloss white 2pac, for Anastasia’s kitchen, budget, busy family life and overall build scenario, Jack made some recommendations. In the end a stunning timber laminate and gloss finish white laminate were combined with a character look Caesarstone for the benchtops. As spectacular as her favourite kitchens from magazines and Pinterest, but well within her budget – so far so good!
When it came to the design, Anastasia knew her large family of five needed plenty of space to spread out as well as be together without getting in each other’s way. The extra long island bench top was definitely the right solution. Allowing everyone to enjoy each other’s company, chat and relax while more than one person could cook. But the benchtop needed to add to the space rather than divide it. It had to look great, after-all this was her family’s dream home.
Extra thickness for the benchtops upped the WOW factor and was still far less than the original marble surfaces they had their eye on – not to mention far easier to clean and maintain. To that, a feature timber laminate cabinetry detail gave substance to the structure, yet finished well above floor level. Giving the high end designer look of floating or suspended joinery without the expense. This feature also defined the seating section for bar stools which meant no one was ever sitting directly in front of the section where you would ideally prep or serve meals.
The huge walk in pantry was a must have. It helped to perfectly divide the very long space allocated for the kitchen as well as providing a proper family size larder. Storage for anything and everything could comfortably find a home in here. Within the rear cabinetry of the actual kitchen, space was allocated for a seperate pull out day pantry. If you’ve not considered this before it is a total game changer when efficiently cooking for busy families. Stirring something on the cooktop and need a splash more oil – just reach over and it’s there. Sauce, salt, spice, pasta, rice… you got it. No more wearing out a path to the butler’s pantry just to grab that one thing you need. You simply keep your essentials at your fingertips. It also works a treat for grabbing a buys breakfast or snack on the go!
Everything else in the kitchen was the perfect fusion of form and function. Fridge on the far left so her teenage children could grab a drink on the way past, central sink in the island so Anastasia could work on dinner and still see how her new garden was coming along or just watch her beloved dog Teddy lazing in the sun. With his 30 plus years of experience, Jack had every detail (down to the smallest) under control. What a relief for Anastasia and her family whist building a new home, to have total confidence in such an important sector of the overall outcome.
Anastasia credits effective communication as the key for her project’s success. The combination of her visual inspiration with Jack’s experience, know-how and just generally being a true professional to deal with, is why she continues to recommend Woodstock Cabinet Makers to all her friends and family. So if you’re serious about getting started on making your dream kitchen a reality then please contact Jack today.