How this dramatic black kitchen balances function with beauty

The kitchen is the focal point of the living space in a house that comprises two perpendicular rectangular boxes, one on top of the other in the modernist style.

You’ve used a dramatic contrast of light and dark – talk us through the visual textures used.

The materials were selected with the complete project in mind. The stone benchtops and splashback were hand selected from Italian Stone – our belief is that the bench should be the best material in the house as it’s the most used and touched surface.

There’s no scullery in this design, whereas we would typically include one in a modern kitchen. However, we have a half scullery behind the cabinetry for appliances such as a toaster and coffee machine.

The living area is open plan – have you used any design devices to demarcate the kitchen from the rest of the area?

The open-plan space is designed for furniture. The kitchen materials and form present a dramatic presence, as do the raw steel elements in the space, the spiral staircase and fireplace surround.

The use of space and scale makes for ease of use.