A Liz Howes Renovation on Kerfield

Bringing A Characterful Home Up To Date… …With A New Kitchen And Bathrooms

text by Michael Nott photos by Structure and Design

LIZ HOWES FROM HOWES AND HOMES HAS RECENTLY COMPLETED MAJOR RENOVATIONS TO A MEDITERRANEAN STYLE HOUSE IN BORROWDALE. THE HOUSE WAS ORIGINALLY FEATURED IN STRUCTURE AND DESIGN SEVERAL YEARS AGO – BEFORE THE CURRENT RENOVATIONS – IN ISSUE 5. AT THAT TIME LIZ HAD RECENTLY COMPLETED RENOVATIONS AND EXTENSIONS TO THE VERANDAH. THIS TIME AROUND LIZ HAS COMPLETED RENOVATED THE KITCHEN AND ADJACENT SCULLERY, THE BAR/ ENTERTAINMENT ROOM AND THREE AND A HALF BATHROOMS INCLUDING AN OUTDOOR SHOWER OFF THE MASTER EN SUITE BATHROOM. THE NEW RENOVATIONS TOOK ABOUT 10 WEEKS TO COMPLETE.

In the kitchen, part of an existing wall was demolished to open up the flow behind the new centre island. A new window was installed – a fixed panel in a black aluminium frame, rather like a vertical skylight. It allows more light into the space and also creates an unbroken view from the foot of the staircase, through the kitchen and out to the back courtyard. Removing the wall and adding the window not only allows more light in it gives the previously farmhouse style kitchen a much more contemporary, light and airy feel. Some of the rustic features have been kept to add texture and character, like the rough plastered walls and the large hood over the cooking area.

The kitchen was completely gutted and re-designed after consultations with the client, Liz and Carina Hawkins from CH Drafting and Design. The process involved Carina having several meetings with the client to ascertain how they use their kitchen and what new features they would like to include. Carina then came up two layout designs for the client to choose from and Liz and the client decided on the colours and materials finishes. The cabinets were made and installed by Nhamo Murwira, an independent contractor who regularly does commissions for Howes and Homes. The cabinets are in a dark blue/grey colour with pale quartz counter tops, except for the centre island which has a solid oak top to match the table in the breakfast nook. The island has a convenient prep sink and creates much more working surface and extra storage. Oak bar stools are tucked under one side of the island top. There are open shelves in one corner of the kitchen where some different finishes have been used, like a section with T&G panelling. Some of the top cabinets have downlighters fitted in them. The cabinets have glass fronts which can be lit up and strip lights underneath creating a separate kitchen space. The large hanging lantern lights over the island and in the breakfast nook were designed by the client and made up by Liz and her team to complement the new downlighters in the ceiling. The old quarry tiles in the kitchen were stripped out and replaced with vinyl wood-look floor tiles in the Finfloor range supplied and fitted by Dynamic Flooring.

In the downstairs guest bathroom the shower was removed as the space was very cramped and impractical. The bathroom now has an elegant vanity with a hand carved basin set on a generous oak consul table with a mirror above and a pendant light. The basin here, and in the other two upstairs bathrooms, is hand carved from white opal. It was designed by Alice Jul and supplied by The House by the Sea – a Danish/Zimbabwean interiors company. The walls were rough plastered but some sections were skimmed to allow for a stylish (and fun) dark wallpaper to be used.

Upstairs there are two ‘Jack and Jill’ bathrooms each accessed by twin bedrooms. The two bathrooms have been standardised so they’re almost the same size, layout and design. In one bathroom a bedroom cupboard was bricked up to pinch space for the shower on the other side, and in the other bathroom space was pinched by removing part of the chimney from downstairs and bricking up a small section of an existing window. In both bathrooms new floor and wall tiles were installed, as well as new toilets and new vanities with stone basins. Both have large walk in showers with glass screens. In one bathroom there’s a feature wall section using a lighter coloured wallpaper with a fresh design of palm leaves in grey and brown which complements the tiles. (The wallpaper was sourced from Inner Living.)

The large en suite master bathroom has received a major makeover. The carpet on the floor was taken up and new floor and wall tiles fitted. The same wallpaper as used in the other smaller bathroom was also used here. An old corner bathtub was removed and a new, more modern, free-standing bath installed under the window. The double vanity has twin basins sitting on a custom made drawer unit. The owners requested that they didn’t want any plug sockets visible on the counter top so plug sockets have been concealed inside one of the drawers for hairdryers, electric toothbrushes and shavers. The old corner shower, which had long windows opening onto a private upstairs courtyard, was replaced with a modern glassed in shower cubicle and new, long fixed-panel windows installed. Chic matte black fittings complete the new look. Outside on the balcony courtyard a new shower was installed with a wall and deck of CCA treated slatted timber.

While the renovations to the kitchen and the bathrooms have helped to bring the facilities right up to date and made the spaces more convenient (and a touch luxurious) all the alterations have been done in keeping with the rustic and relaxed Mediterranean character of the home.

Howes and Homes: Liz Howes 077 225 3236 Nhamo Murwira: cabinets and joinery: 071 271 4351 CH Drafting and Design: Carina Hawkins: 078 521 6780 House by the Sea: Alice Jul: 077 722 4987

The scullery was also gutted and redesigned with the old black granite counters from the original kitchen being re-used here. There was a large cabinet made to house all the equipment for the solar system. The solar installation meant that part of the scullery floor had to be cut out to accommodate the underfloor wiring but Liz recycled the quarry tiles from the kitchen so the floor has been seamlessly repaired.

Across the hallway from the kitchen Howes and Homes has renovated the original TV lounge to become a new bar/entertainment area. (The TV lounge has moved to another room in house.) It makes for a more convenient flow of entertaining space for the bar to be located here, overlooking the verandah and the pool, while the TV lounge is tucked away in a more private and cosy space. In the bar new wall cabinets in a deep Petra Blue colour contrast with light oak counter tops and an oak coloured vinyl floor to replace the original quarry tiles. The dark colour adds a feeling of warmth and intimacy and stands out against the pale creamy wall colour. There’s a central free-standing bar counter with an oak top made in a herringbone pattern similar to parquet and an oak drawer unit under the window. The cabinets and the bar table were again manufactured and fitted by Nhamo Murwira according to the clients designs. The pendant light over the window cabinet has been re-used from the old kitchen.