A Makeover Series
New Year, New Kitchen
We love a good home renovation story, I mean who doesn’t? There’s something so satisfying about scrolling through before and after shots, which show just how magical transformations can be. Especially when it comes to kitchens.
We believe kitchens are a special kind of transformation – and yes, we’re bias – but it’s not just us who thinks so. In fact, in most homes the kitchen wears many hats… It is the buzzing hive of activity during the morning hustle and the conversation filled room during evening wind downs, the true centre of the family team huddle. It’s also the place for laughter with friends, the pop-up computer room for paying bills, an entertainment zone, a make-shift children's creative space and let’s not forget its original purpose - a place to feast on good food with your favourite people. That’s why when you transform the most used room into your own oasis, the results are just priceless.
What better way to kick start the year than look through some of our own wizards makeovers, after all January seems to bring a revived, and refreshed new outlook on the exciting 12 months that lie ahead.
The Before & Afters
Our kitchens can be found in suburbs across Melbourne, and we’re starting in the beachside location of Sandringham. Suzanne & Martin had practicality in mind, and with their children growing up and soon to fly the coop, it was time for an overhaul. And what a difference it made. Kitchen renovations are so much more than simply replacing benchtops and cabinetry, it’s about form, function and most of all – layout. By knocking through existing cabinetry and reconfiguring the space, we created a walkthrough direct into the dining area; opening up the room and welcoming in the light. It’s incredible to see the impact that a simple change in layout can have to the flow of a home, not to mention the returns you’ll see in resale value.
“We’ve been in our home over 20 years and you learn to live with the layout […] Thank you to Jordan and the team for helping us to realise the potential of our kitchen.”
A short jaunt away lies our second transformation, nestled in the heart of Elsternwick. Heather and Kelvin’s home is another testament to how a kitchen’s layout can make all the difference. By stripping away the 70s style cabinetry and re-working the space, this revamp speaks for itself. Making use of every inch of space, they’ve introduced a wall of custom Polytec Thermolaminated Guilford profile cabinetry (in Classic White Gloss) to ensure the room works both functionally and aesthetically. Careful planning around the way you use a kitchen is essential to design, the aim should always be that you seldom need to move far from your work area. In short, things should be in grabbing distance!
Travelling inland and a little closer to Melbourne's CBD, sits the suburb of Balwyn, where our next home resides. This Cinderella-like transformation is truly magical in its seemingly effortless change from wood-clad to elegant (you shall go to the) ball-worthy sparkle. Adapting the rooms layout resulted in relocating the kitchen to work best with Suzanne and Andrew's existing floorplan – a move which made sense. Combining old with new, the stunning contrast of brilliant white against the classic parquetry flooring makes this modern kitchen truly shine.
To round off our makeover tour we’re heading back to the seaside, well just a stone’s throw away, where the suburb of Elwood is home to the last two kitchens we’re showcasing.
The first is Kevin & Greg’s delightful Edwardian home that had a reboot from top-to-bottom. When it came to the kitchen they had big plans in mind, making structural changes to open up the space and make the most of their federation-style floorplan. Armed with look-books and brimming with ideas, the duo were set on transforming their standard kitchen into an entertainers dream, ready for martinis and brilliant brunches. This overhaul illustrates the impact of clever design, with darker Shaker profile custom cabinetry receding into the space and enlarging the room. This is exactly the type of wizardry we approve of.
“Wood Wizards helped develop plans to incorporate a functional kitchen into a challenging space. They listened to our ideas and showed genuine interest in how the kitchen fitted into bigger-picture renovations and structural changes to our home.”
Last on our tour, but by no means least, is our Elwood evolution. Bev and Rodney partnered with Susie Miles Design to bring their 90s décor into the 21st century. This transformation has feels of holding a boom-box overhead, complete with soundtrack to perfectly accompany a slow-mo montage revealing a whole new look.
This type of metamorphosis exemplifies the true power of a kitchen – whereby changing everything but the layout revives this space. From dark and encroaching to illumining and expanding, this kitchen is ready for Act II.
“Our experience with Wood Wizards was exceptional and exceeded all expectations […] We could not have been happier with the experience and quality of the outcome.”
If these transformation tales have got your imagination running wild into your own kitchen’s potential, then reach out to our team. We love nothing more than bringing kitchen dreams to life, and what better way to start the year than getting out a look-book and imagining the possibilities.