Instant delight

The Ultimate Post-Pandemic Transformation

When Covid hit, our kitchens became sacred. Working from home, spending time indoors and even baking sourdough bread in the heart of our houses became habit. Kitchens were the new office, play area and classroom.

It is therefore no surprise that Emma and Dean dreamt up their master renovation plan during lockdown. And what a plan it was.

They were looking for a dramatic transformation and wanted to change the floorplan, layout and function of their kitchen from cabinets to countertops. It needed to flow better, have more storage and be a space fit for a party (or playdate). Every element needed to work and effortlessly connect with the rest of the house.

Cue the Wizards. 🧙
It was time to work some magic.

We were excited to begin such an ambitious project, so it was essential to understand their needs from the start. Usually, this entails carefully thought through suggestions and functional design ideation together with our team. But Emma and Dean knew exactly what they wanted, and so we listened carefully and got to work. Starting of course with their style… modern coastal kitchen.

The show must go on

After months of isolation, the couple were dreaming up plans of socialising again. And what better place to begin than the kitchen? Emma and Dean wanted to create a space that was both functional and fun – allowing for heart-warming family meals as well as sophisticated soirees (after a quick clean up, of course).

In essence, they wanted to add drama to their space and give it the “wow” factor. The result? All this and more.

Walking into the room you are immediately struck by the minimal, expansive island with its unique veining and reflective surface. The elegance of WK Quantum Quartz in Monte Bianco draws the eye to the centre of the room whilst adding a brightness to the warmth of the timber floors.

This stunning highlight glistens in the glow emulating from the Orion Pendant light. Hanging just above, its spokes whimsically dance in the air – a true statement piece that captures the opulence of the space.

With no sinks, accessories or clutter on top, the kitchen island takes centre stage. There’s ample space for people to sit, converse and linger, whilst the width provides generous surface area for prepping, serving and eating. This focal point became the basis of the design, with other kitchen elements fitting in around it beautifully to create what Emma described as a triangle workflow.

Emma and Dean are owners of Xtracted Espresso Solutions, a family business providing high-quality coffee equipment. So, a bar area where they could brew delicious coffee in the morning and pour a glass of wine in the evening was essential. This alluring entertainment nook caters for all - featuring integrated Vintec wine fridges for easy access to favourite tipples, and a dedicated coffee station. Given their penchant for caffeine, the duo’s machine takes pride of place painted in a custom eucalyptus green to compliment the kitchen’s style and colour palette perfectly.

Simplicity = drama

With such a striking centrepiece in the room, minimal extraneous elements were necessary. We opted for handleless flat profile Polytec Guilford 2 Pack cabinetry in Taubmans Cotton Sheets Satin to keep the space streamlined.

To continue the modern, minimal theme , a Vgroove (Polytec Calcutta) panel detail was also chosen, in keeping with other areas of the house and to integrate a coastal note to the design.

Although this home features a lot of white, the results are still warm and comforting. This has been achieved through intentional design details like the Hafele strip lighting, which provides a naturally warm glow to the interior and adds a feeling of cosiness.

*Hot Tip*

If you want a focal point within your kitchen (like Emma and Dean’s beautiful island), keep the rest of the design minimal. Your eye will be drawn to that statement piece and the space will flow beautifully around it.

Form follows function

At the root of every good kitchen, is functionality. Being able to work, cook or play requires ease of access, clever integration, and genius technology. From the get-go, it was clear that Emma and Dean wanted savvy storage solutions.

So we delivered.

The integrated Blum drawers allow stacks of space. Everything has its place, including cutlery which is well organised into custom inserts. The soft close technology is a game-changer and well worth the investment.

And it’s not just drawers that deliver, even the waste storage has been mindfully planned. The Hafele Hailo Euro Cargo ST60 bin allows easy clean-up so they can keep that stunning stone spotless.

Emma and Dean used to dine out a lot, so they never thought that they would actually want to eat at home. But with state-of-the-art NEFF ovens calling, cooking became too tempting to resist. They’ve fallen in love with their appliances and are obsessed with their go-to recipe NEFF’s spicy slow roasted lamb shoulder. Other clever appliances have been selected to add function to form like the innovative Billi tap, taking you from glacial cold to molten hot with the flick of a switch. No more noisy kettle and goodbye plastic bottles!

*Scorching Hot Tip*

The Billi tap is breaking new ground. We’re talking instant boiling, chilled and even sparkling water at your fingertips. If you’re looking for convenience and speed – this is the type of tech you’ll want in your kitchen.

The best part of this renovation is that the magic doesn’t stop in the kitchen. We created a flow that spilled into surrounding rooms, making their home feel graceful and synchronised.

The butler’s pantry is an entertainment must. Keeping things clean and tidy in the main room whilst sorting, soaping and scrubbing in this adjacent smaller kitchenette, means the fun can continue without any visible mess.

It’s also the perfect space for food prep. School lunches, snacks and nibbles can all be made up in this bright and airy space. The same style of cabinetry was brought through to create a compelling continuation of style and it’s topped off with a second dishwasher for ultimate convenience.

Then there’s the brand-new luxurious laundry, which even rivels the kitchen for the favourite room in the house. The reflective quality of the stunning Beaumont laundry tiles expand the room, creating a spacious feel. Odd socks are a thing of the past. Integrated pull out laundry baskets were added for easy washing and sorting to keep things spic and span.

Emma admits she actually enjoys doing the washing after the modern coastal laundry transformation.

And that is why we do what we do.

Here at Wood Wizards, we believe in creating kitchens and cabinetry that work for you. That means your lifestyle, your energy, your needs, wants and desires. Your kitchen isn’t just a room. It’s the heart of your home.

Did lockdown get you thinking about renovating? Get in touch with us for a chat about how we can help create the kitchen of your dreams.

We understand you might have some questions. If you want to find out more about how we can help you give us a call (03) 9557 2988 and let's get started.

Before & After

Scroll through to see the home transformation…

“We are so happy with the outcome of our amazing kitchen and laundry renovation that we have and will continue to recommend Wood Wizards to our family and friends. The reason that we chose to go with Wood Wizards is because we had an instant connection with Jordan when he walked in our door. We also loved that he was from a family owned and operated business. The process of working with Wood Wizards was simple and easy. We had so much flexibility and there is always someone to talk to. Nothing was too hard for them. Their trades were on time and professional, and there’s absolutely nothing that we would change. Thank you to Jordan and all of the Wood Wizards team!”

— Emma & Dean, Aspendale, April 2022

Browse the full gallery…

Project Details

Price Guide

Kitchen & Laundry Cabinetry $60,000 - $70,000
Kitchen Benchtops & Splashbacks $15,000-$20,000

Prices are an estimate for cabinetry or stone only, including installation. Please view The Budget Checklist for further details on the various elements involved in a kitchen renovation – we will quote your total investment including trades following your initial design consultation.