Trends New Zealand Trends Volume 31 No 2 New Zealand | Page 51
The big
picture
Renovating this house was
all about opening it up to the
views front and back, with a
kitchen right at the centre
It makes sense to position kitchens and living
areas where you can enjoy the best view, and
this may well be on the top floor of a house.
This inner-city San Francisco house, which
has been extensively renovated by architect
Jonathan Feldman and his team at Feldman
Architecture, already had the living areas on the
top floor. But the rooms were compartmentalised and the kitchen was a small galley area in
between a bedroom and the living room.
To create the large, contemporary living
space the new owners required, the entire floor
was gutted – along with the rest of the house.
This opened up the top floor to the spectacular
views at the front and back. As well as floor-toceiling glazing at either end, light penetrates the
kitchen in the middle of the space through large
skylights above a perforated metal ceiling.
“This screen runs across the ceiling and
wraps right down the wall beside the stairs,
connecting all four storeys,” Feldman says.
“Light travels through the screen not only from
the skylights, but also from windows and artificial lighting behind the metal, including LED
lighting within a reveal at the top. Additional
natural light travels down to the floor below
through a glazed floor beside the island.”
Because the owners are both serious cooks,
the kitchen is highly functional, yet it maintains an uncluttered, minimalist aesthetic. The
cabinetry, which extends beyond the kitchen on
both sides, conceals a wall of storage and large
amenities, including a fridge-freezer, powder
room, media centre and lift. High cabinets can
be accessed by a ladder on a rail.
“We crammed a lot into a sleek facade,” says
Feldman. “There is even extra-deep storage
behind the cooktop and sink.”
The architect teamed a mid-toned grey
wood veneer with a lighter laminate and durable quartzite benchtops. All the materials are
hard wearing and easy to clean.
Preceding pages and left: The entire
living area is on the top floor of this
extensively renovated house, to
maximise great views across San
Francisco. The kitchen is positioned
in the centre of the space. Skylights
above a perforated metal ceiling
bring in plenty of natural light.
Above: The open-plan family living
area opens to balconies at both the
front and rear. This small balc