Kitchens by Mastercraft Kitchens
2019 Edition
Welcome to our 2019 Look Book
Welcome to the third edition of our Mastercraft Kitchens Look Book. The calibre of kitchens designed for wonderful clients across our group nationwide, and variety of kitchen styles showcased here, is indicative of the passion and skill within each of our teams.
From Kaitaia to Invercargill, we create hundreds of bespoke kitchens every year, each one reflective of their owners’ unique tastes and preferences. We hope this collection of kitchens ignites in you the desire to cook, entertain and create your own perfect space to love.
Jewellery box
NKBA Excellence in Design Awards Winner 2018
Designer Nicola Ross says that although her clients asked for a black kitchen, she didn’t want it to look plain “black on black”, so she introduced texture to the large surfaces, to help break it up and to add visual interest and dimension.
“Everything is here in terms of functionality. We also wanted to make it look built in, like furniture,” says Nicola. “The client didn’t want to see the fridge, so we went for the new Fisher & Paykel zero clearance fridge and encased the doors in the same material as the cabinets. The bi-fold doors to the scullery are also made to look like part of the cabinetry, enhancing the built-in look of the whole kitchen. They also give the kitchen a clean look that widened out the overall space visually,” she adds.
“The open shelving above, allows the client to add a bit of her own personality to the space. I love the idea of incorporating plants into a kitchen, and this allows the perfect space to do so.”
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Ahead of the curve
NKBA Excellence in Design Awards Winner 2018
Moving away from straight lines is a brave step in design, but this stunning contemporary kitchen, in a brilliant aqua-teal gloss finish, pulls it off to perfection.
“Our inspiration was an image my client found online” says designer Christine Dawson. “Except there wasn’t enough room to curve the island to the same degree, so I came up with a ‘flatter’ shape that we nicknamed the ‘jellybean’,” smiles Christine.
In order to get the size, shape and placement perfect, the team at Mastercraft Kitchens Tauranga cut templates out of particle-board and laid them in the space, on site. It took few goes to get it perfect, she says. “We were constrained by several factors, including the position of the adjacent dining room, and also where the ducting for the extractor could be sited in the ceiling.”
Designing a curved island is one thing, building it is quite a different story. Luckily, for Christine, she was able to rely on the skills of her colleagues Ja’mi Wells in the CAD department, and cabinetmaker Neville Grey, who had previous experience of making curved cabinetry.
“Even with Neville’s skills, forming the exact curve to the template was a tricky and time-consuming exercise, but the end result is absolutely stunning, especially when finished in a high-gloss lacquer,” says the designer.
Clearly the island is the star of the show, but its presence is certainly enhanced by the fact that the rest of the kitchen has been designed and finished to shrink back into the walls, allowing the island to dominate the space. Even the lighting and the extractor have been recessed into the ceiling.
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Beautiful balance
The industrial aesthetics of this striking kitchen are a collaboration between architectural, interior, and kitchen design teams. The end result is a stunning example of synergy between functionality and contemporary design.
The kitchen sits comfortably in its space under the white cathedral ceilings. Whether you are up-close in the kitchen or looking across from the main living area, the warm timber accents pair beautifully with stainless steel, tile and stone elements.
The matching bulk-heads in seal grey vertical veneer, frame this kitchen at the scullery doorway on the left, and the large double door fridge/freezer on the right. This ensures the large stainless steel appliances don’t overwhelm the space but instead bring a beautiful balance to the whole kitchen.
Stainless steel goes beyond just appliances – it is featured under the kitchen island bench and on the working benchtop at the rear of the kitchen. While stainless steel give this space a subtle industrial feel, the timber veneer floating shelves and LED strip lights add warmth and soften the kitchen.
The cleverly placed Burns & Ferrall Panama inset chopping board set and containers bring the stainless steel and timber elements through onto the main bench, and also provide a shield to hide the kitchen sink from view when in the dining and living area.
Beyond the kitchen is an ample scullery with enough benchtop space for small appliances and food preparation, as well as a wash up sink and plenty of open shelved storage.
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Year-round entertaining
If ever there was an example of a true entertainer’s kitchen, this is surely it – an all-weather outdoor kitchen on one side, a huge walk-in butler’s pantry on the other, and a large family kitchen at its centre.
This renovation involved the complete re-orientation of the home’s layout, allowing the newly created outdoor living area to flow elegantly from the new kitchen, and the Mastercraft Kitchens team also designed and installed new wardrobes, bathroom vanities and lounge entertainment units.
The butler’s pantry feels like it is part of the main kitchen, with pocket-sliding doors to hide it away when necessary. The fridge/freezer is positioned close to the main kitchen working space and pantry, with a separate drinks fridge in the outdoor kitchen.
This is the ultimate entertainer’s kitchen – perfect for catering for its large family and regular guests - whatever the occasion or the weather.
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Black magic
This complete renovation delivers a bold, monochromatic kitchen, softened with subtle natural touches in the details.
The cabinetry choice of woodgrain Melamine in Black Wilderness gives this kitchen depth and visual interest. The four protruding spine walls that break up the back wall are painted black, in Resene Nero, to blend into the new colour scheme.
The marble-look benchtop is Dekton – a highly durable, impermeable material, made from compressed porcelain, and is continued on the rear benchtop and splashback behind. The dark veining of the ‘Aura Natural’ pattern gives a natural, organic look, and complements the black cabinetry perfectly.
The client specified glass-fronted cabinets for their glassware, and to make them a little different to the rest of the kitchen distinctive handles were added, and LED light strips added to highlight this feature.
Ample storage in this kitchen includes clever use of the space below the island bench top with wide loadbearing drawers for pots and pans, and push-to-open cupboards on the living room side.
More storage is in the thoughtfully laid-out scullery, situated behind the sliding door next to the fridge. In here, open shelves give easy access to items, while being a cost-effective option.
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Same wavelength
The owner of this home is a builder who has a longstanding relationship with the team at Mastercraft Kitchens North Canterbury. Working with a designer he knew well and was on the same wavelength with, Kathryn Lanham, resulted in a well-coordinated kitchen that works well on every level.
Being very involved in the design of his own kitchen, the owner had purchased his appliances and fixtures such as sinks and tapware well before the designing stage. Having the exact specifications of these items helped through the design process, but is not typical of most kitchen designs - nor do our designers expect clients to go to this level of detail before design commences.
Key features in this modern kitchen is the elegant island benchtop in 50mm Phoenician Primestone, and the cabinets, finished in a high gloss acrylic in metallic grey ‘Bigio’.
A point of difference with this kitchen layout is the placement of the main sink on the side bench, rather than on the island benchtop. This leaves the island benchtop clutter free and with ample room for food preparation and serving, while having an entirely separate area in the kitchen for clean-up.
This kitchen also has a butler’s pantry which runs the length of the kitchen behind the back wall, with plenty more bench space, open shelving and a second sink, perfect for the enthusiastic cook.
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Villa vibe
Set inside a freshly renovated rural villa, this farmhouse kitchen has been tastefully designed to look as if it has evolved over time.
The client wanted their new cooking range to be the focus of attention. This required designer Jes Gordon to incorporate features around it that would draw the eye. “We designed decorative overhead cabinetry, in keeping with the style of the villa setting. This provides storage and also houses the extractor unit. Painting it in contrasting white ensured the cabinetry doesn’t dominate the space,” says Jes. “And some time after we finished installing the cabinetry, our client found a mosaic black-and-white patterned splashback with brass detailing that tied the whole look together.”
The custom breakfast station on the opposite side of the dining table is a stunning design statement and provides another workspace in this kitchen.
Taking its cue from the traditional farmhouse dresser, this unit was designed and built to resemble a freestanding piece of furniture. Also finished in a deep, semi-gloss black, the top half has double bi-fold doors that glide open to reveal a beautifully designed interior, complete with granite benchtop, sink, colour-matched shelving and a crafted, tongue-and-groove back. Below the bench there’s more storage, plus a double-door, glass-fronted beverage centre with slide-out shelves. Some particularly tasteful handles, specially imported from Belgium by Enko Group, were sourced by the designer to finish this station to perfection.
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Timber treat
When walking into this kitchen one gets an overwhelming urge to run hands over its delicious surfaces. The American Oak timber veneer with its band-sawn finish on push-toopen cupboard doors gives the opportunity to touch and appreciate its rustic appeal. The expansive porcelain island benchtop in a matte finish gives this industrial style kitchen a pleasant soft and welcoming feel.
The main benchtop is complimented by a Caesarstone 20mm benchtop behind, and is continued to the outdoor kitchen bench, providing ample space when entertaining and serving. This outdoor bench has a sink for easy wash-up - and filleting the catch of the day. Composite/ engineered stone is a great choice for outdoor bench surfaces as it is hardwearing and non-porous.
Below the outdoor bench our designer has specified high pressure laminate doors made from marine-grade ply – providing a hard-wearing surface to ensure longevity against the elements. A drinks fridge is cleverly tucked into the end of the main inside bench so it’s just a step away from the outdoor area.
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Balinese inspired
A key aspect of using white space in art and design is that it allows focus to rest on key areas of interest without undue distraction. Which is why this kitchen works so well. It’s not overstated – but beautifully balanced.
Working with the owners to design cabinetry throughout this entire home was an exciting experience for designer Carly Mohan-Druce. The clients sourced all the gorgeous handles from Bali and brought them back while the house was being built. Following a slight ethnic earthy feel, Carly used Prime fumed oak to create a sense of depth which paired nicely with the heritage laminate Wenge Nero bench tops throughout the vanities.
Carly and the team at Mastercraft Kitchens Whangamata detailed and created the cabinetry throughout this home, including the kitchen, laundry, bathroom vanities and wardrobes.
A splash of colour
The first thing you notice when walking into this smart new kitchen is the vibrant glass splashback. It’s a bold and very personal statement, depicting the owners’ love of where they live and activities they enjoy together.
The kitchen sits in a brand new, architecturally designed house, and forms the centrepiece of the living area for this young family. Designer Vicki Greene says the design of the space was driven by functionality and practicality, with open shelving requested in both the main kitchen and the adjoining pantry.
“On the kitchen island, the client wanted display shelving at the front of the island, facing out to the living area, and at the back, somewhere to store all her plates,” explains Vicki. “And because she wanted easy access, we didn’t use a normal two-door cupboard with shelves, but instead opted for an open, sliding-shelf arrangement… which is also very handy for unloading from the nearby dishwasher.”
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Retro active
This homeowner’s love of mid-century design determined the look and feel of this modern family kitchen, located in a beautiful bush setting.
When Petra Brebner’s clients told her they wanted to have both colour and wood in their new kitchen, she was a little concerned, because the space in which the kitchen was located already had a native hardwood floor and plywood ceiling. “My first thoughts were, this is going to look too heavy,” she feared.
Knowing they both liked mid-century design, Petra – Kitchen Designer at Mastercraft Kitchens New Lynn, asked the husband if he liked Herman Miller? And his eyes just lit up, says Petra. “That’s when I suggested not to use colour, but just use black, along with the quartercut, Sapele wood grain they had mentioned they liked.”
“Sapele has a distinctive grain that can look quite oldfashioned if you’re not too careful,” explains Petra. But she goes on to say it can also look stunning. Just think about the distinctive grain used on the classic Eames chair. And that’s the look the designer was going for when she steered her clients away from colour.
From here, this design evolved, with wood being the hero among black and grey features. “My client told me what she had in mind in terms of volume and layout, and I just cleaned that idea up and made it work in the space, layering in the two materials.”
“In many ways, it’s now a timeless kitchen,” she says. “I certainly had a lot of fun with it, and my clients were open to my suggestions and really easy to work with. The end product is really great, and they really love it.”
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White on white
Virtually everything in this new country kitchen is white – which is more unusual than it sounds. It’s relatively common to see white cabinetry matched with a white benchtop, but in this kitchen, the appliances, the cooktop, the sink, the tap, the splashback is white – even the floor has a whitened lime wash finish to it.
Creating this white on white canvas has allowed the finer details of the kitchen to shine through, such as decorative fluted posts, scotia and ‘ogee’ profile benchtop edge detail.
Designer Gerry O’Hagan went through various incarnations, mocking up each of the details ensuring he got everything right in terms of scale and shape. Finally, he used his fine woodworking skills to create a beautifully balanced set of details, especially around the extractor fan housing above the cooktop.
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Industrial edge
This homeowner’s vision for her new kitchen was based around the look and feel of a ‘Diesel Social Kitchen’ that she’d found on Pinterest – with a raw, industrial steampunk aesthetic. “My client also wanted rugged timber that was prevalent in the rest of her home to come through into her new kitchen, so it was quite a challenge to combine both looks successfully,” says designer Anne Finlayson.
The most prominent feature in this kitchen is the chunky 100mm-thick benchtop, made from Macrocarpa sleepers. Anne says it took four big guys to bring it into the house, and it’s certainly not going anywhere now that it’s fixed in place.
Macrocarpa was also used for the drawer and cabinetry fronts, where a ‘distressing’ process was used to create the industrial, worn look. “We used chains to get the indentations, then filled them in with a patina paint, and finished them off with a natural oil finish,” explains Anne, who says that her client wants the timber surfaces to continue to gain character as they age, hence the oiled finish.
The benchtops are hardwearing Caesarstone, and have a honed finish, similar to raw concrete. “It was a product new to the market at the time the kitchen was being designed, and was the perfect colour and finish we were looking for.”
A scullery is tucked behind a funky steel barn door. It sits next to a large cabinetry tower clad in blackened steel and features blackboard paint, for the creative homeowner’s sketches and notes.
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Why choose Mastercraft?
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Designed exclusively for you
We don’t use a cookie cutter approach to our customers’ kitchens. We will work with you to understand your wants, needs, and personality, and then design a kitchen uniquely for you.
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Surprisingly affordable
Our kitchens will generally cost the same or less than comparable big store kitchen packages. When you consider that we guide you through the process and install the kitchen for you it’s a straightforward decision. Why do all the work and pay more for it?
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Award winning designs
Mastercraft are multi award winners. We bring the same flair, attention-to-detail, focus on quality materials, and precision installation to your kitchen — no matter how big or small.
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Locally designed, manufactured and installed
We have an extensive network across New Zealand — all with design, manufacture, and installation capabilities. So no matter where you reside or where your kitchen project is located, Mastercraft Kitchens is in your area.
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Ten year guarantee
Mastercraft Kitchens guarantee their products, manufactured in-house, to be free from defects arising from faulty craftsmanship, for each and every owner of the property, for ten years from the date of installation. All other products supplied through Mastercraft Kitchens carry the guarantees issued by individual product partners.
The heart of your home
As a devout foodie, I believe the look and feel of the kitchen is crucial to the character and flavour of the home.
When you choose Mastercraft Kitchens, you’ll be in the hands of qualified, experienced people who understand that a kitchen is more than affordable custom design, more than durable, quality materials.
Mastercraft understands that your kitchen is the hub where families and friends congregate. Where food is prepared and shared.
Mastercraft understands that your kitchen is the beating heart of your home.
— Trudi Nelson is a radio / TV host and newsreader and a Past President of The New Zealand Guild of Food Writers. Trudi also runs an online foodie blog: Fresh in the kitchen (www.fresh.co.nz).
