When faced with the request for a kitchen not to be traditional in look or feel, it would be difficult to know where to start. But for Sydney designers Heath Baldwin and Hayden Bagnall, they were all for giving this family home a unique identity – and to show their prowess for minimalist design and sculptural style.

Within the narrow layout (earning the home its ironic name of Broad Residence), Baldwin & Bagnall designed a kitchen covering two areas: a ‘prep’ kitchen and a ‘social’ kitchen. As expected, the prep kitchen is hidden behind a swing door with plenty of bench space, cupboards and a Fisher & Paykel CoolDrawer. On the other hand, the ‘social’ kitchen opens to the open living and dining space, complete with everything an avid entertainer needs for cooking and washing up.

At first glance it would be rude not to first acknowledge the monolithic marble island bench that sits proudly as the centrepiece of the polished ‘social’ kitchen. Commissioned by Baldwin & Bagnall, the marble marvel can also be used for serving food or displaying objects, and selected appliances so that they are barely visible. Hiding behind this smooth stone front is a black oven, microwave and dishwasher that blend seamlessly in with the black joinery. Sitting behind as though a seamless continuation of the curvaceous form is a marble splashback, without the distraction of overhead cupboards and a well-integrated rangehood. But for this kitchen, the real act of concealment is the integrated fridge and freezer by Fisher & Paykel, behind the white joinery doors.

For a family who love to cook and entertain and hoped for somewhere far from stock standard in their home to do so, Baldwin & Bagnall have delivered. The result of dedicated design work and an abiding approach is a kitchen that is closer to a sculptural masterpiece.