A Quirky Country Kitchen With a Story to Tell
Creative thinking goes a long way in this kitchen packed with love for family and old treasures
Rebecca Gross
February 1, 2016
Design writer and historian. I write about contemporary architecture and design, and I study cultural history through the lens of architecture, design and visual culture. I have a Masters in the History of Decorative Arts and Design from Parsons The New School for Design, New York. My latest book is called "Ornament is not a crime: Contemporary Interiors with a postmodern twist."
Design writer and historian. I write about contemporary architecture and design,... More
“The kitchen is where it all happens in our house,” says Trent McNamara, who, along with partner Bec Hegeman, renovated, designed and decorated this cozy country kitchen in New South Wales, Australia. The result of that work is a much-loved kitchen packed with family treasures and salvaged materials that is uniquely theirs. “It is where we eat, drink, and socialize,” McNamara says, “and when the kids are awake, you can usually find them sitting around our old kitchen table.”
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: Trent McNamara, Bec Hegeman and their three young children
Location: Just west of Brunswick Heads, New South Wales, Australia
Size: 172 square feet (15.9 square meters)
While the project may have had budget constraints, the couple’s creativity certainly didn’t have constraints. They both have a “love of materials and furniture that already have a history etched into them,” McNamara says. The pair scoured antiques stores and salvage yards, and engaged experienced woodworkers to design and decorate a kitchen that oozes character and personality. “Everything in the kitchen has a story to tell,” McNamara says. Being that it’s the heart of the family home, those stories will surely continue to grow.
McNamara and Hegeman’s house sits in a valley traditionally occupied by banana and dairy farms. It was originally a one-bedroom cottage owned by a banana-farming family with six children. The original owners relocated the cottage to the area in the 1950s and converted it to a three-bedroom home. They sold it to McNamara and Hegeman only a few years ago, and it now comfortably accommodates the whole family, including three young children.
Who lives here: Trent McNamara, Bec Hegeman and their three young children
Location: Just west of Brunswick Heads, New South Wales, Australia
Size: 172 square feet (15.9 square meters)
While the project may have had budget constraints, the couple’s creativity certainly didn’t have constraints. They both have a “love of materials and furniture that already have a history etched into them,” McNamara says. The pair scoured antiques stores and salvage yards, and engaged experienced woodworkers to design and decorate a kitchen that oozes character and personality. “Everything in the kitchen has a story to tell,” McNamara says. Being that it’s the heart of the family home, those stories will surely continue to grow.
McNamara and Hegeman’s house sits in a valley traditionally occupied by banana and dairy farms. It was originally a one-bedroom cottage owned by a banana-farming family with six children. The original owners relocated the cottage to the area in the 1950s and converted it to a three-bedroom home. They sold it to McNamara and Hegeman only a few years ago, and it now comfortably accommodates the whole family, including three young children.
BEFORE: The couple renovated the very basic kitchen in mid-2014, seeing it as a blank canvas with potential. Wanting more space — especially for foodie Hegeman — they reconfigured it. They walled in an old, empty alcove to create more countertop and shelf space, pulled back a wall, added a double sink and mixer faucet, and worked on some serious storage solutions.
AFTER: Functionality and a rustic, country aesthetic were high on the priority list, so the couple took inspiration from the surrounding countryside and combined it with their love of all things old and unusual. The orange pantry, for example, is a repurposed 1930s locker from an old railway station.
It had to feel homey and cozy — “a bit like one of those getaway [vacation] shacks or cottages that you hear about through a friend of a friend,” McNamara says. It also had to hold up to the wear and tear of three children under 5.
It had to feel homey and cozy — “a bit like one of those getaway [vacation] shacks or cottages that you hear about through a friend of a friend,” McNamara says. It also had to hold up to the wear and tear of three children under 5.
McNamara and Hegeman did most of the work themselves to keep the budget on track — something they had never attempted before. They stripped the walls and ceiling to reveal a hardwood frame and lifted the vinyl floors to find 100-year-old mixed hardwood boards about an inch thick. “And so it began,” McNamara says. The floorboards had all the rustic charm and patina he had hoped for and, with some sanding, “the grains and colors that showed through were amazing,” he says.
“The floorboards are one of the things we love most about this kitchen,” McNamara adds. “They were the biggest challenge for us, and we can sit back not caring if the kids are dragging a chair across them. We know the wear and tear will just add to their rustic charm.”
“The floorboards are one of the things we love most about this kitchen,” McNamara adds. “They were the biggest challenge for us, and we can sit back not caring if the kids are dragging a chair across them. We know the wear and tear will just add to their rustic charm.”
To make the most of the budget, McNamara and Hegeman used recycled, reclaimed and salvaged materials and objects. “Some of them were found for free and others at a 10th of the price they would have cost us new,” McNamara says.
An old wooden ladder above the sink holds pans and utensils for cooking. Open shelving, made from floorboards that were used on a movie set, accommodates dry-food storage over the countertop.
An old wooden ladder above the sink holds pans and utensils for cooking. Open shelving, made from floorboards that were used on a movie set, accommodates dry-food storage over the countertop.
At Heath’s Old Wares in Bangalow, they found old advertising crates that they repurposed for drawer fronts, and window lifters now used for drawer handles. The cabinet face is made from reclaimed hardwood fence pickets.
Not only did McNamara and Hegeman love the materials they found, but so did the local old-school woodworker who turned their designs into reality. “Stan Ceglinski at The Billinudgel Woodwork Co. was practically salivating when I showed him my design and described what I wanted built,” McNamara says. “He loves using recycled timber and knew exactly what we were after and why.”
Not only did McNamara and Hegeman love the materials they found, but so did the local old-school woodworker who turned their designs into reality. “Stan Ceglinski at The Billinudgel Woodwork Co. was practically salivating when I showed him my design and described what I wanted built,” McNamara says. “He loves using recycled timber and knew exactly what we were after and why.”
Wanting more light, they replaced the original window with a larger one from an old Queenslander, with timber frames and glass shutters. This was picked up at Red Ned’s in Tweed Heads, as was the support beam, which comes from an old wharf and has been weathered by 35 years of sun and sea.
The custom-made countertop was designed by McNamara and Hegeman and made by Ceglinski. It’s made up of two solid slabs of Australian teak, which came from a local tree that was struck by lightning.
McNamara says he has always been an avid thrift store shopper and loves to hunt for treasures at bargain prices.
He has a clear love for country and western paraphernalia, and some of his collection can be seen around the kitchen. These pieces could almost be paying homage to the original owners of the property, who were horse-lovers and bred Clydesdales.
McNamara picked up the kitchen table and pantry from his favorite furniture and bric-a-brac store, The Big Fish in Brunswick Heads. “It’s one of those funky shops that always has something that you can’t resist,” he says. And, in fact, McNamara spent so much time at The Big Fish looking for pieces for the house, he has made a career change. “I bought into the business and now work there,” he says. A very fitting conclusion for a kitchen with a story to tell.
Tell us: Have you renovated your own kitchen and added some personality? We’d love to see it! Upload photos in the Comments and fill us in on the story.
More: 10 Ways to Get the Modern Rustic Farmhouse Look
Tell us: Have you renovated your own kitchen and added some personality? We’d love to see it! Upload photos in the Comments and fill us in on the story.
More: 10 Ways to Get the Modern Rustic Farmhouse Look
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As to how one feeds a family of five with such a small stove and
refrigerator, it's a bit like camping and involves learning contentment. They have a decent sized wok and a pot big enough to
boil pasta hanging from the ladder. I had a friend who lived in a large
camper with her husband and four children for a number of months. She
had a gas stove and a roaster oven. She said she didn't miss a big
kitchen a bit and could cook anything she wanted. The thing that looks
challenging to me is how to clean in a sink that small. Nevertheless,
small spaces encourage togetherness, and I bet great family bonding will
happen around that table as they break the beans and make the
biscuits--guess their Australian biscuits are different from my Southern
ones! Thank you, Houzz, I love seeing homes from around the world.
Kuche+Cucina, your showroom is a lovely upscale version of this vibe.
Well, the owner must be quite an interesting gal. Kudos to following what makes you happy. I see there is some extra space to the left of the stove. I would have opted for a bigger more modern one but if it suits their needs then so be it.