When Chelsey Mathieson was tasked with designing a compact kitchen as part of a multi-use office fit-out in a casual beachside town, what she created was a space that was funky, modern and surprisingly spacious.

With a bar leaner as the centre point of the kitchen, Chelsey needed to use all of the areas available to really make the most of the compact space that she was working with. Taking into account current trends, a modern black and white colour theme was chosen and paired with timber, concrete and marble.

To avoid visible joins in the main benchtop and maximise the usage of space, a raised Caesarstone Raw Concrete bar leaner running into the existing bifold windows was introduced. A Laminam Bianco Statuario splashback was added above the main benchtop, breaking up the starkness of simple white walls while complementing the Caesarstone benchtops. The addition of a strip of Formica Magnetic Laminate in Matt Black also avoided the need of a join in the splashback, as well as being a fun way to communicate in an office environment. The extra depth of the sink area was utilised for a raised stainless-steel top complete with a panama fitting welded in with accessories for convenience.

For an uncluttered modern feel, a BLUM space tower was implemented as a pantry/storage system with a concealed small appliance area cleverly covered by a Hafele Hawa pocket door system and BLUM HF lift systems were utilised to maximise access to the overhead cabinetry. The addition of black cabinetry with black mesh doors gives an edgy slightly industrial element to the design. The mesh doors are a great way to display items in the cabinets without using the traditional glass door option, while the use of internal lighting gives an illusion of depth and space.

As well as the use of cleverly considered storage solutions to make the most of this compact space, Chelsey’s choice of Purecoat by Melteca in Ink Black and Melteca Snowdrift Satin for the cabinet exteriors enhanced the kitchen even further. The whites in the walls, cabinets and splashback reflect the natural light that pours through the bifold window opening the space up and the contrasting black cabinetry under the benchtop highlight all of the natural looking surfaces, making them a real feature of the space.