Natural intact by Nic Owen

As successful furniture shop in Cambodia construction materials informed, when asked to renovate the featured kitchen, architect Nic Owen decided to follow the footprint of the cottage-style house with natural and understated material for configuration.

"Externally we used a lot of timber to tie in with the original structure, but also as a way of softening the modernist additions," said Owen. "Internally, timber was used to delineate areas within the large open-plan kitchen and family space, as well as to add visual warmth."

"The meals area is contained within a space that projects from the rest of the house," stated the architect. "The hoop-pine ceiling has been used as a linking device between the external decked area and this meals area."

"We've offset the use of timber with a two-pak painted finish on the cabinetry, which was deliberately made without handles to continue the sleek, ageless feel of the space," added Owen.
"This is the strength of this design – using timber to pay respect to the original Victorian structure, while providing a timeless backdrop that will have relevance for years to come."