A Heritage Home with the Kitchen as Its Foundation

The collision of history and contemporaneity is executed with finesse in this home, where the kitchen is the centrepiece.

Working with the heritage charm of a restored Victorian house, Robson Rak has designed a home that doesn’t shy away from its past, yet it feels thoroughly modern. At the centre of Bredablick house in Melbourne sits a modern kitchen that acts as both the functional hub and aesthetic heart of the property.

Light-filled and neutral-toned, the kitchen is awash in serenity, most notably with the lush surroundings that are in constant view. “The key living areas were reconfigured to create more functional spaces, with a focus on enhancing the connection to the outdoors. A modern, dynamic kitchen was designed to overlook a newly landscaped garden,” Chris Rak, Principal, Robson Rak, explains.

Conceived as a dynamic space to blur the lines between inside and out, the kitchen’s aesthetic expression offers a contemporary take within a heritage setting. Rak describes this transformation as a balance of preserving tradition while “infusing the home with a contemporary freshness, bringing it into the 21st century for a family of four”.

In partnership with Gaggenau.

A Heritage Home with the Kitchen as Its Foundation

The appliance selection was important to match with the aesthetics of the space. A Gaggenau 400 Series oven, cooktop, and downdraft system, allows function to reign supreme.

Modern and airy, the newly planned kitchen in Bredablick now benefits from a view to the garden.

Keeping the original proportions in mind, the kitchen has been reimagined to serve as a practical, open space that facilitates both circulation and connection. The joinery offers a subtle reference to the past with the Shaker-style detailing, albeit brought into the modern age through minimalistic detailing. It’s the epitome of classic with a modern edge.

Central to the kitchen’s design is the incorporation of Gaggenau appliances, chosen not only for their high performance but for their ability to embed effortlessly into the space. “The client was eager to use Gaggenau,” Rak says. “Those who’ve experienced Gaggenau before often return to it. Its distinct design language pairs well with the contemporary kitchen we’ve created.”

The range of appliances, while unobtrusive in their visual impact, contributes to the overall efficiency and functionality of the space, ensuring it remains practical for everyday use while also suitable for serious culinary pursuits. Reinforcing the planning and preference towards the indoor-out harmony, the 400 Series Oven, 200 Series Cooktop and Vario downdraft ventilation have been placed in the kitchen island encouraging a peaceful lookout to the verdant garden when cooking.

The GUBI A1965 pendant, DK3 Ten round table and PIA chairs in the kitchen nook.

“The design and colour of the appliances must harmonise with the overall design language of the kitchen.”

– CHRIS RAK, PRINCIPAL, ROBSON RAK

The dining room sits beside the kitchen, bringing in light and offering a cosy corner for connection, where a custom Daniel Barbera bronze table adds weight.

The materials and fixtures play a key role in maintaining the connection between the home’s Victorian roots and its modern additions. “The design and colour of the appliances must harmonise with the overall design language of the kitchen,” Rak says. For Rak, the style and functionality of the appliances should seamlessly integrate with the form and function of the custom joinery. To that point, the Grey Pebble Dulux colour of the cupboards unifies with the Arabescato marble on the bench, gently illuminated by a set of show-stopping Prandina Flyer W3 wall lights that jut out.

This kitchen is the centrepiece of Bredablick, expertly blending practicality and beauty. “I especially love the modern, articulated lights that gracefully arch over the space,” Rak notes, adding that these details elevate the kitchen to a workspace that feels at once practical and inspired.