From a cookie-cutter 2000s kitchen — think grey floor tiles, stark white cabinetry and wood-look wallpaper — to a sleek and seriously stunning kitchen. Come along as we show you this kitchen transformation from Studio Esar. Plus a few other areas of the house they made over while they were at it!
We love a before and after transformation and this one will not disappoint. Come take a look!
Related article: Modern Victorian home: Step inside Elsternwick House
Related article: From 90’s nightmare to a dreamy coastal boho kitchen — a stunning before and after kitchen transformation
You’ve seen it before. That typical kitchen from the 2000s with zero personality.
“This home belongs to a professional couple with 2 older children plus their 2 small dogs,” says Silvia Roldan, Principal Designer and Creative Director at Studio Esar.
“Their home is split over 2 levels with amazing views of the ocean. It’s situated in Mount Martha, a suburb of Melbourne on the Mornington Peninsula.
“It has 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and 2 powder rooms. The entertaining area which consists of the kitchen, dining and living, is on the upper level with uninterrupted views of the coastline.
“This was your typical circa 2000’s home. It felt cold and dull with a tired and unimaginative palette. We’re talking grey tile floors, stark white paint, timber-look wallpaper and laminate surfaces.
“The house had a great layout, high ceilings and amazing sea views so there was very little structural work required.”
The home was in desperate need of a kitchen transformation.
“The home owners appreciated that the house needed some major updating. The existing selections felt really outdated and there was a general lack of warmth and ambience to the home,” Silvia explains.
“They approached Studio Esar to provide them with a concept for a space that was more updated and contemporary. They wanted a place they felt proud to call home and recognised the value in investing in quality materials and updated joinery to a more contemporary design.
“With very little structural modifications required to the interior, we elevated the beauty and functionality of their spaces with a soft-white, textural and natural palette.”
What came next was a true before and after triumph.
“The kitchen is the star of the show!” smiles Silvia. “We took it from the original outdated look with its brown timber and gloss white laminates, to an award winning kitchen. It is phenomenal!
“We also extended the kitchen beyond where the original footprint ended (the microwave and oven tower). This meant the whole back wall became a real statement piece that you can see in all its glory as you come up the stairs.
“The striking Fior di Pesco marble on the benchtops, splashback, island and rangehood is the hero of the kitchen. Its apricot tinges and brown undertones tie in with the warm pink in the herringbone floors and the soft-white 2pac joinery.
“The fluted timber wall behind the shelves adds texture and rhythm and closes off a redundant highlight window. Curves introduced to the island benchtop and landing wall smooth transitional spaces and soften the angular edges typical of this era of build.”
The rest of the home also got a much needed makeover.
“Upon entering the home, we did herringbone-timber floors and shiplap-lined walls. The timber floors continue on the split-level staircase to the living spaces upstairs and bedrooms downstairs. Natural light filters through the new timber battens, enhancing the openness of the stair and ground-floor landing,” says Silvia.
“The main bedroom is now a serene retreat with extra-chunky loop pile carpet, textural sheer curtains, an upholstered bedhead and frame and hanging pendant lights.
“In the bathroom, the main ensuite features a natural stone vanity in the main ensuite with bronze tapware and timber veneer joinery.
“The existing floor and wall tiles were re-grouted, and reeded glass installed to the shower screens to enhance the texture and diffuse the light.
The original home is completely unrecognisable. There is not an inch of this 4 bedroom home we didn’t touch.
The kitchen transformation in this Mount Martha home is truly something else. But how do you ensure that your renovation won’t feel dated in a few years time?
“Don’t follow trends!” laughs Silvia. “This is one of the key design principles Studio Esar goes by. Trends come and go, but classic and timeless will never date.
“When it comes to designing homes, we focus more on little details that will elevate a kitchen. The benchtop thickness, for example. The thicker the better. Think 60-80mm. Materially, the most minimal kitchen, with carefully curated finishes, will always stand the test of time.”
With such a stunning home transformation, we just had to know where some of the materials were sourced from.
Entry
Flooring: George Fethers — Herringbone — Maison by Fethers — Paramount Oak
Walls: Shiplap panelling in Dulux Natural White
Kitchen
Stone: Fior di Pesco from World Stone Australia
2-pac joinery: Dulux Limed White Quarter
Pendant light: Rakumba — Potter DS pendant by Anchor Ceramics
Integrated refrigerator: Fisher & Paykel
Refrigerator handles: Made Measure
Appliances: Miele
Tap: Faucett Strommen, Pegasi range — Discovery Bronze finish
Sink: Franke — Bolero
Bathroom
Natural stone: Tundra Grey
Basin: Caroma
Taps: Faucett Strommen, Pegasi range — Discovery Bronze finish
Timber veneer: Elton Group
Wall sconces: Orb wall sconces from Lighterior
Bedroom
Lights: Cult Design — &Tradition, Mega Bulb pendants
Credits
Photography: Elise Scott
Joinery installation: Borella Kitchens & Joinery
Are you as in love with this kitchen transformation as we are? That stone has stolen our hearts! Big thank you to Silvia for sharing another gorgeous Studio Esar project with us. To see more from this talented team, check out their website or Instagram.
More home tours
