The rooftops on the many new high-rises in Wollongong CBD may have wonderful views of the coast and escarpment - but can also suffer from exposure to heat and, of course, the city's well-known wild winds. Subscribe now for unlimited access . Login or signup to continue reading That was the problem that confronted the penthouse owners in one new tower, who asked local interior design firm Birdblack to help them turn a "completely unusable" piece of prime real estate into a comfortable part of their home.
The outdoor kitchen created by designer Sarah Nolen recently won its category at the Kitchen and Bathroom Design Institute Awards. Birdblack was one of two local businesses to pick up gongs at the Melbourne industry awards, with Woonona resident Pia Watson, of Soleil Studios also winning two categories. Birdblack's work on a striking southern Illawarra home, the Hai Lang Residence , was also recognised, with Ms Nolen and designer Stuart Gibson winning Kitchen Designer of the Year, Best Design Space for the study, Best Large Bathroom in NSW, Best Kitchen Plus in NSW.
Ms Nolen said the outdoor kitchen design for the CBD property known as the Kembla Residence was inspired by a Mediterranean palette, an aimed to make the rooftop usable year round. "They knew that they had this prime real estate that was completely underutilised," she said. "When we went up there for our site measure, it was just so intense - the glare and your head was burning from the sun - and there was so much wind that if they had loose furniture, it would all just fly away.
" "So we really wanted to create a space that was year-long entertaining whether it's just for them and their family, or when they've got bigger parties over for dinner and drinks and barbecues." She said the rooftop had been zoned into different spaces - the outdoor kitchen, a dining area and a lounge area with a built in gas fireplace and decorative wall. "You're in Wollongong, so we know everyone gets that black coal dust on everything, so we used materials you could just hose down," Ms Nolen said.
"Everything is built in, and there's a lot of storage, so when they're not in use, the cushions and throws can all be stored away, and when the winds come up everything is protected so they're not having to race up." Wollongong-based first-time award entrant takes out two categories Local designer Pia Watson, from Studio Soleil, said she had entered the awards to find a sense of community and support from her industry. And she found it - winning the "first time entrant category" and Best Large Kitchen for NSW and ACT for her work overhauling an older-style enclosed kitchen at a Rozelle property.
The bright, light kitchen was given a nod but judges not only for its beautiful appearance, but also the clever use of space. "The original kitchen was enclosed on three sides..
. so you couldn't see into the dining room or the living room, and there was also a lack of storage," Ms Watson said. "There was also this dead space to one side that wasn't big enough to really use, but was also still a good amount of space, so that was where we actually designed in a booth seat.
" "Everyone I find loves a booth seat: when you go to a restaurant, people tend to gravitate towards the comfy upholstered seating, so we really wanted to create that sort of feeling in that space." Ms Watson said a good kitchen design was functional and had a good flow, allowing people to easily move around. "We want to make sure that you're minimising the amount of steps you take in the kitchen, so you can really efficiently use the space," she said.
"And the other thing hear a lot about is storage - so in this particular kitchen, we integrated as much storage as we could and because we had the booth seat and then we the dining room, we didn't need to have stools at the island." For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit. More from Latest News Newsletters & Alerts DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team.
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