b'kitchensLeft: Part of the villa renovation included replacing the joinery throughout the home. Once complete the joinery was painted in Resene Thorndon Cream with cabinetry in Resene Alabaster. Double doors open the kitchen to an outdoor area with weatherboards painted in ReseneHalf Alabaster. The kitchen walls are painted in Resene Albescent White.Resene Gull GreyResenetop tip Eighth Thorndon CreamYou can easily repaint cabinetry yourself with Resene Lustacryl semi-glossResenewaterborne enamel or askThorndon Creamyour kitchen manufacturer to use Resene AquaLAQ,a durable finish especially ThekitchenwallspaintedinReseneSpaceCoteLowmade for cabinetry. Optbut I think we really pulled it off.Sheen in Resene Albescent White from the Karen Walkerfor the Resene AquaLAQAnother key part of the original PaintscollectionprovideasubtlecontrasttothebrightSoftTouch finish to reducevision for the kitchen was to have white cabinetry in Resene Alabaster, ceiling in Resene Eighthfingermarking. the cabinets running almost floor to Thorndon Cream and trims in Resene Thorndon Cream. Theceiling but with an original stud height same colour scheme is used throughout most of the homes interior. of 3.4m that was a big ask. To solve that The warmer Resene paint colours bring out the richness of theproblemthecoupleoptedtodroptheceiling wooden flooring. The clean whites accentuate the high ceilings andheight. That allowed the cabinets to not only almost run to ceiling create a spacious tranquillity. height and still be usable, but they were also able to add in a practical As well as keeping the kitchen light and bright the mix of cool andoverhead storage cavity, all while satisfying their goal of clean, even warm neutrals honours the homes history, Jessica says. lines through the whole space.The commitment to a cohesive look is a defining feature of theThe scullery door is tall and thin to match the cabinet shapes, and finished kitchen renovation. Jessica and Thomas laboured over eachthe main kitchen is clear of bulky appliances, with just a wall oven element of the kitchen to ensure it not only satisfied their vision forand cooktop visible. We knew we wanted a big double fridge, but thefinishedkitchenbutworkedwellwiththeirdesignchoicesthat went into the scullery. Instead, theres a small bar fridge in the throughout the open living areas. Colours in the island benchtopkitchen island for the practical things, along with the dishwasher.influenced wall colours, flecks of grey in the stone base of theWemovedourfamilyintothehousepartwaythroughthe fireplaceinfluencedthecolourofthekitchenislandandtherenovation, Jessica says. Wed just had our second daughter, who marble splashback. was a month old, and we had a three-year-old. We went through Jessica says the vision started with the quartz island benchtop andallthelockdownswithnokitchen,loungeordining.Itwas went out from there. We chose the stone first. We knew which onetrying times!we wanted so we took photos of it and started modelling up theAnd though the couple have renovated other properties for clients kitchen we wanted. there was a difference when it came to tackling their own home.The couple worked closely with friend and cabinetmaker MattYou have more ownership, and I think you can be more creative TaineofRabbetDesignwhoaddedhisexpertiseonwhatwasand push the boundaries a bit further when its your own place, possiblebeforemakingallthekitchencabinetry,includingtheJessica says, adding that there is a unique satisfaction knowing that centrepiece kitchen island, which features an elegant curved end intheir efforts are now being enjoyed by new owners.both the marble and the fluted wooden panelling painted in ReseneIt was an absolute labour of love, and we feel very proud of the Gull Grey. journey this property took us on. We turned it into a warm luxurious Jessica says the island was one of the biggest challenges of thehome and restored its heritage. kitchen,butalsooneofthemostrewardingaspectsofthe finished design. design Jessica Driver and Thomas WardIt was a balancing act getting all the elements working together;www.iamdeveloper.co.nzwords Kerri Jackson Resene creating that curve, then adding the fluted panelling and the stone,images Taylor Wilson Half Alabaster45'