Dream kitchen renovation upgrade in Papamoa Beach, Tauranga

A place to entertain

After purchasing what she considered to be her “forever home” in Papamoa, Carol wasted no time making inquiries to customise her beloved new property. Before getting in touch with Refresh, she looked into upgrading to double-glazed windows, installing heat pumps and optimised HVAC, and switching the property over to gas. 
Although she was well on her way to sorting some things out, Carol wasn’t only interested in functional updates; she also wanted to reconfigure the kitchen’s layout, install new flooring, and make sure the new windows were properly integrated with the interior. 
The existing layout and appliances weren’t conducive to hosting nor cooking; two things Carol loves. For professional assistance in bringing her dream kitchen to life, Carol reached out to local Tauranga Renovation Consultant Peter Jenkins who came on board to guide her through the process. 
Peter visited Carol’s property to discuss her goals and ideas for the project. The two explored different options, design features, and configuration possibilities.

Adjusting priorities 

Carol wanted to create a built-in coffee bar in the dining room that would act as an extension of the kitchen and become a conversation area. However, after ironing out some details and talking over the potential costs, Carol opted to reprioritise her wish list to stay on budget and the coffee bar didn’t make the cut. Peter also explained that this was something that could easily be executed down the line should she find her and her guests pining for a place to prep a cuppa. 
One thing Carol didn’t want to compromise on was having a power source built directly into the new kitchen island. This improves the functionality of the kitchen tenfold by negating the need to run extension cords or crowd the main benchtop with small appliances. But the concrete floors of Carol’s Papamoa property posed a problem. 

A clever solution

Peter worked closely with his team to provide updated working drawings that proposed a clever solution to the problem. Instead of going through the invasive process of running electricity through the concrete floor, two pillars would stand at the end of the island serving a dual purpose: one, to act as an interesting design feature and two, to house the electricity that would run to the island through the ceiling. 
Being able to see the proposed idea laid out for her so clearly allowed Carol to clearly visualise the new design. She was pleased with Peter’s clever solution and was happy to move forward with the build.

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Skilled project management

During the building phase, Peter worked closely with fellow Renovation Consultant and project manager, Danielle Renèe. While Carol didn’t specify any time constraints, she wanted the project to be completed as quickly as possible. Peter and Danielle worked hard to make that happen but unfortunately, COVID caused delays. Delivery times for the kitchen cabinetry and necessary equipment were impacted by the situation and completely out of the duo’s control. However, they worked diligently on-site to ensure that tasks within their control did go smoothly.
Hold-ups are inevitable during any renovation so how they are handled is what’s important. Despite the challenges they faced, Peter and Danielle were able to deliver Carol’s complete project within eight weeks and to the agreed-upon cost of $157,000, which included the kitchen renovation and full joinery replacement.

Fantastic results

By reconfiguring the kitchen, the entire space is functionally transformed. Natural light now floods the space thanks to the addition of a door that leads to the backyard. Without the old, cumbersome peninsula the flow in and around the kitchen is now effortless which is a dream for Carol, home chef and hostess extraordinaire.  
The design features a variety of special aesthetic details such as the understated tile splashback, open glass shelving, and the bold Tui splashback behind the new gas hob. Peter’s solution to provide the new island with power and the floor-to-ceiling timber-clad pillars makes for a standout design.
Carol is thrilled with the new kitchen in her “forever home”. She doesn’t even miss the coffee bar that she was initially so excited about. In fact, she realised that she far prefers the additional storage that foregoing the bar has afforded her and is enjoying the extra space in the dining room! Peter is also fond of the results but is far more proud of the stress-free experience that he and his team were able to provide for Carol.

Would you like to discuss your home renovation ideas?

Get in touch for a free consultation with your local Renovation Consultant.