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DKO’s Michael Drescher Talks Kitchens
An Artisanal Home Honouring Rich Colours and Tactility
Peninsula House is an Art Collector’s Dream

Posted: 29 Aug 2021 06:38 PM PDT

Michael Drescher muses that, "A kitchen is not just a static thing." As interior design director of DKO, Drescher has designed countless kitchens working across myriad projects, including private residences, and small- and large-scale apartments and townhouses. Given this experience, he's at the forefront of shifting demands when it comes to creating a kitchen that is both practical and beautiful.

Habitus Townhomes by DKO, photo by Timothy Kaye

For Drescher, "The kitchen is becoming more of a design object", as the veritable heart of the home, he sees the kitchen continuing to be a centre point, while also becoming a statement in itself. "One thing I see really evolving in Australian kitchens is how the island bench has become not just a beautiful object but also a social facilitator."

"One of my favourite things to do is put people at the end of an island bench, all facing each other, creating an opportunity for connection," he shares. It might not seem like much, but that subtle shift to a circular arrangement encourages interaction. "You want people to be able to be social in all parts of the home – living, dining and kitchen – and small tweaks can encourage it," he says.

"The kitchen is becoming more of a design object."

As a key element within the kitchen, Drescher pushes what an island bench can be, designing them as a natural yet distinct extension. For instance, he takes design cues from furniture and integrates it into the kitchen. "I often look at the characteristics of a dining table and break down the solidness of the island bench by having part of it with legs, adding in more detailing, and lifting or lowering the height." It's here where the notion of the kitchen as an object shines through.

Martha Cove by DKO, photo by Damien Kook

While they do require more space, this kind of statement island becomes an additional zone within the living area. Adding an extra surface in this way adds further flexibility, creating a space for kids to do homework while dinner is being prepared, or a spot for casual meals. It can even be utilised as a desk when working at home.

Even though the starting point for any kitchen always begins with the owners and how they live, Drescher points out that there are some fundamental considerations that will make a kitchen a place of joyful functionality. Regardless of size and scale, the fridge should be located at the edge of the kitchen, so anyone else can come and grab stuff without interrupting the flow if someone is cooking. Then it comes down to the arrangement of the three points – cooktop, sink and fridge – which should all be in a natural, comfortable placement with one another.

Habitus Townhomes by DKO, photo by Timothy Kaye

As a highly trafficked space in the home, Drescher always opts for high-quality materials like natural stones, timbers and veneers, aligning with the sentiment that "a beautiful kitchen wants to be touched". These offer durability and can withstand the usual wear and tear that goes hand in hand in this space.

While the idea of the kitchen being a command centre for daily life will continue, through clever design it can also be a versatile hub that brings people together.

DKO
dko.com.au

This article originally appeared in issue #51 of Habitus magazine – the Kitchen & Bathroom special

Enjoyed this story? See this clever project in Collingwood by DKO

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An Artisanal Home Honouring Rich Colours and Tactility

Posted: 29 Aug 2021 05:41 PM PDT

From its perch in Dover Heights, ‘Budge Over Dover' overlooks the ocean at Bondi Beach. Having previously had an apartment in Bondi designed by YSG, the clients looked once more to the studio's characteristic celebration of whimsy and functionality when it came to designing their new house.

Originally a dark rabbit's warren of rooms with travertine floors, the clients were looking to open up the space, allowing direct view lines from the front door out to the pool area. Accordingly, YSG removed internal walls to create open and flowing living areas and the kitchen and living area roof was raised, allowing natural light to flow throughout.

YSG replaced much of the travertine flooring with handmade matte terracotta tiles to bring character through undulating texture, complementing the small areas of retained travertine. Subtle curves in the arched doorway, cabinet handles, and built-in bench seat, along with the cushioned tactility of the sofa and bench seats soften the harder elements of the kitchen and living areas' polished marble and aged brass island bench.

"The home appears larger with raised ceilings, internal walls removal, re-modelled outdoor entertaining 'rooms' and the introduction of floating joinery particularly within the bathrooms and kitchen, imbuing a sense of lightness despite the luxe nature of the stone varieties," says YSG director Yasmine Ghoniem.

The client also looked to enhance the connection between the internal living areas and the external, including the garden, where the pool was reduced in size so there was more space to use it as an outdoor entertainment area, the courtyard and the upstairs ocean view balconies.

Generous bi-fold doors connect the living and dining area to the outside. The kitchen and living area were levelled with the outside, where the terracotta tiles continue, allowing the entertaining space to flow continuously between indoor and out.

"The entire house is steeped in craftsmanship, with the indelible mark of artisans found on multiple hard surfaces, from the shimmering strokes of the sage and toffee Marmorino plaster walls plus blushing aubergine ceiling extending to the northern courtyard like an awning to its grainy finishes on the fireplace and the brusque caramel borders on the nursery walls," says Ghoniem.

The craftsmanship through the house is evident in the diversity and refined mix of natural materials. Ten different types of stone throughout demonstrates this, including hewn sandstone plinths that anchor the open courtyard area, a custom coffee table in the lounge and bathroom vanity features.

The project was one of the first that allowed YSG to illustrate what the studio could achieve on a larger scale.

Project Details

Architecture and design — YSG
Construction — Promena Projects/Joseph Gordon
Photography — Prue Ruscoe

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Peninsula House is an Art Collector’s Dream

Posted: 29 Aug 2021 04:42 PM PDT

Carr Peninsular House peaks out above a grassy hill.

Down a winding driveway in a windswept seaside town on the Mornington Peninsula, the rectangular form of Peninsula House rests, nestled into a coastal ridgeline.

"While the landscape serves as a distinct feature of the project, it also presented one of the greatest challenges," says the managing director of Carr, Chris McCue.

The sleek home was conceived as a contemporary farmhouse and has been tactfully placed to protect against the elements, following extensive wind and solar analysis.

A glimpse of the ocean is visible from the exterior entrance to Carr Peninsula House.

"Embedded into the design are laboured experiments and analysis of the site, which unlocked an understanding of the influence the prevailing wind and solar would have on the property," says McCue.

Extensive research determined the exact location and orientation that would shelter the home from sweltering summers, brutal winters and constant exposure to harsh sea winds.

Contemporary orange black and yellow art in Peninsula House.

Both the home – and the land it stands on – have become a backdrop for the client's extensive art collection, which was a key requirement in the client's brief. Around each corner is a piece that is honoured by the home's restrained natural materiality and complemented by the Mornington Peninsula's striking natural landscapes.

"Layers of refinement and quality come through the project's materiality, which is defined by concrete, natural stone and timber, all coming together to create a subdued palette that lets the incredible art collection and view remain the focus," says McCue.

A sculpture sits outside the Peninsula House next to timber cladding.

Materials like the exterior Andorra limestone pavers and the batten and shiplap timber cladding are a testament to the project's natural palette.

"This materiality was key in realising the refined farmhouse aesthetic, but more importantly was chosen for their quality, durability and simplicity."

McCue and the team designed a gallery hall to answer functionally to the desire to highlight the client's art. The hall, which acts as the formal entrance to the home, ends with the focal point of a sculpture standing in front of a window that frames the landscape beyond.

Carr designed a hallway gallery for the client's art in Peninsula House.

The landscape is used as a feature throughout Peninsula House. In the formal living room, pared-back furniture ensures the sweeping views of the ocean have maximum impact and swivel chairs offer seating for socialising or for spinning around to watch the waves. In the master ensuite, floor-to-ceiling windows mean the bathtub can be used with uninterrupted views of the landscape beyond.

The brief also entailed the need for the home to feel "intimately scaled" when being used by just the couple.

A bathtub looks through the floor-to-ceiling windows over the ocean views.

"To achieve this, the layout has been carved up into key zones, allowing for the home to come down to a human scale with one side of the house dedicated to the client's day to day life, while the other half of the house can be opened when family visits," says McCue.

Each aspect of the home's planning and placement is designed to create anticipation. "We wanted to create a journey that would meander through the landscape, providing an opportunity for art-like installations formed from the landscape itself," says McCue.

Peninsula House is an idyllic coastal home that responds tactfully to the landscape it resides on as to the brief of its owners.