The kitchen is the focal point for this house, located in the Auckland suburb of Parnell. Blackened steel with highlights of brass and a backdrop of granite have been used, and there is a sense of permanence in the design, which is part of a renovation carried out by Bureaux architecture and interior design studio. 

“The brief was chic,” says architect Jessica Barter. “We were wanting something elegant and sophisticated that wasn’t going to date. The focus was on the black steel kitchen. It requires a labour-intensive process to produce the beautiful, specialised finish, which won’t mark with fingerprints or rust; this is important when using metal in a kitchen.”

The details are what make the design flourish. Brass elements, such as a custom-made napkin holder and the cast brass switch plates, create highlights against the dense black of the steel. The island is wrapped in the same metal and has a top of honed granite with a dynamic dark grain, which continues into the scullery and adjacent study bay.

“The island with the dining zone attached was a part of the initial brief,” says Barter. “Someone can be cooking while others are eating and talking. This is a focal point for the family to sit around.” 

The kitchen island is completed with a set of stools, designed by Melbourne furniture-maker Daniel Barbera, and a Dornbracht kitchen tap, which is a feature in itself. Bureaux custom-designed the curtain rails through the living room and the TV stand, which has brass castors, to carry the material and colour scheme through the open-plan space. 

“These elements were developed by the steelworker Stephen Brookbanks. All those blackened steel elements are important to tie the whole design together and the smaller details create the finish,” says Barter.

The architects custom-designed other furniture items throughout the home, such as a shelving unit in the living room and two consoles, including one of marble and steel design, which provides a prideful place for a sculpture by Terry Stringer. 

The clients had an existing collection of artworks that needed to be accommodated here and some pieces were purchased for the house. Works by key New Zealand artists can be seen in the house, such as the prominent Peter Stichbury painting next to the kitchen, an oval work by Bill Hammond and a series of sculptures by Paul Dibble above the fireplace.

The master suite and powder room were remodelled, with a custom leather bedhead created for the master bedroom, complemented by a set of leather ottomans. This tan-coloured leather is also carried through to the living room, with a pair of armchairs, which create a sense of softness alongside the metals and stone. The powder room features a Viabizzuno light fixture and has highlights of brass that echo the living area. All other lighting in the house is from ECC and is chosen to create atmosphere and visual interest.

From the black steel-framed doors at the entrance way through to the softened edges of the private spaces, this is a home that calls for easy, modern family living, with a design that will stand the test of time.

This article first appeared in Urbis magazine.

Subscribe here