A simple alteration transformed this kitchen into a comfortable space for the whole family.
“Our kitchen and dining areas are important to us; they’re where we spend most of our time as a family, especially with children who are in and out of the kitchen all day,” says Bernice Morrell of Morrells Boutique Venue, who lives in Northcliff, Johannesburg, with her husband and four children, ranging from 21 to two-and-a-half years old.
The original house was built in 1890, so extensive renovations were done to the whole building with the help of their architect, Jaco Havenga, and took approximately eight months to complete. “Jaco is brilliant with practicalities and he understood what I wanted to achieve. My brief was for him to extend the kitchen, which is situated towards the back of the house near the entertaining area, and let in more natural light. We extended the kitchen by 1m, which made a difference to the space, and we put in two sash windows on either side of the range cooker. They let in so much light, bring the garden ‘inside’ and give me a great view of the garden while I’m cooking. We also didn’t want a ‘pretentious space’, but rather a place that would fit the family comfortably,” says Bernice.
Bernice says that living through the renovation, with wheelbarrows going up and down the house and cement and dust everywhere, required a lot of patience, but it was worth it at the end because it was done correctly, up to standard and the end result was exactly what she wanted to achieve.
The kitchen is decorated in a rustic, country style with a mix and match of eclectic pieces. “I love the rustic feel as it allows you to play with comfort. We travel a lot, locally and abroad, and we’ve found a lot of pieces we treasured and had to bring back. I’ve also found heaps of interesting and unique pieces in antique stores. Some items in my kitchen are from Budapest, others from Mr. Price Home, but it all fits and works perfectly. My favourite pieces are my copper pots, from the Culinary Equipment Company, and my olive oil”.
“We now have a lovely, relaxed and beautiful kitchen – it’s exactly what we wanted and the design is perfect. I love the light and view from my windows, the relaxed feeling and the style which suits us perfectly. It’s the perfect place where we as a family can chat, laugh and be together”, she says.
Bernice’s Renovating Tips:
- Plan everything carefully and meticulously.
- Imagine yourself in your kitchen and where everything must be in relation to you, especially when cooking. You might want certain things, such as olive oil, close at hand.
- Keep it fun and practical as it’s a space you’re in everyday and you need to feel comfortable in it.
Sources
Culinary Equipment Company, Tel: 011 701 2200 or www.culinary.co.za
Jaco Havenga Architects, Tel: 082 462 8623
Morrels Boutique Venue, Tel: 011 476 9495 or www.morrels.co.za
Text by Caral Lopes. Photographs by Christoph Hoffmann. Taken from the November 2009 of Garden and Home.
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