Making a Statement: Kitchen Transformation in the Heart of Auckland Central

A new lease of life

This Kohimarama brick property had been solidly built in the 1980s but was starting to show its age, both inside and out. Homeowner Sara wanted to update the interior, focusing specifically on a kitchen upgrade.

With a long wish list that included altering the layout of her kitchen, updating the tiles, replacing appliances and worktops, as well as changing the flooring, Sara reached out to her local Auckland Central Renovation Consultant Maree de Latour, for project management help and design advice.

Time for a change

Sara was clear from the outset – she wanted to discuss her renovation plans with an experienced professional and seek their design suggestions and advice. Maree, from Refresh Renovations Auckland Central was only too happy to help.

For Sara, updating the look and feel of her town house would mean she could entertain guests in a beautiful, modern environment. The kitchen was the focal point of the renovations – small, uninspiring, and anything but contemporary. Sara aimed to change its design and appearance completely.

She was also very specific that she had a maximum budget to spend and did not want unforeseen additional costs. Fully respecting her position, Maree used the Refresh fixed price quotation approach, providing Sara with a quote accurate to her project. This ensured Sara was comfortable with the cost of her home’s impending transformation.

Keeping up with progress

Detailed planning and decision-making followed, which allowed Maree to finalise all the details and determine various project elements. This was time well spent to ensure a successful outcome.

Sara was going to be away for three weeks during the renovation and was concerned whether decisions would be able to be made with her not being readily available. Maree showed Sara the Refresh customer portal and the constant communication it allowed, so the project continued to run smoothly during Sara’s absence.

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Catering for a new design

Transforming Sara’s kitchen required multiple moving parts since changing the layout and updating cabinetry and appliances is no small task. The existing kitchen mixer with an additional water filter tap presented a challenge. Maree investigated how to combine these to streamline the look of the kitchen and decided on the Puretec Z1-T4 3 way tap providing hot, cold and filtered water.

Beautiful white, farmhouse-inspired cabinetry with minimal detailing give the kitchen a striking new look, while new countertops and splashback tiles, both in white, complement the newly installed stainless steel appliances.

The old flooring was removed and replaced with contemporary floor timber while a section of wall between kitchen and lounge is now a standout feature of timber slats. Natural light from an over the sink kitchen window adds to the ambience.

“The kitchen is now fresh and modern, easy to keep clean, and a pleasure to work in. Every element from the benchtop to the cabinetry handles has created an inviting and enjoyable environment. The solid timber slats tie the new flooring into the carpeted lounge area and are a real feature.” – Maree de Latour, Renovation Consultant

Creating a statement

The new engineered timber floor in the kitchen extends into the dining and hallway areas, creating a statement for all who enter the home. The front door itself was repainted in Resene Matt Black, matching the new window joinery fitted throughout the home in dark aluminium, a striking contrast with the freshly painted cream exterior.    

This formerly dated orange brick home now boasts a contemporary vibe, offset with pops of greenery, and Sara is thrilled with the result.

“Dear Maree, thank you so much for all of your hard work and complete professionalism in delivering my lovely new kitchen, flooring, doors and windows. It's been such an absolute pleasure working with you from start to finish. I could not possibly have hoped for a better experience.”

Suppliers used in this project were sourced from Refresh’s preferred partners; GIB, Placemakers, Resene and Mitre 10. Other suppliers were Collins Plumbing, Contrast Interiors, VidaSpace, Fairview Aluminium, Eastern Painters, Knobs and Knockers, and Pink Bins.

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