Inside Michael & Carlene’s new Freedom Kitchen

The eighth episode of Ready Set Reno on 9Life saw The Block alumni Michael and Carlene reveal their new show-stopping Freedom Kitchen. Ten years in the making, the kitchen, which Carlene describes as the ‘heartbeat of the home’ celebrates bold colour and design.

One of the last rooms to be renovated in the couples Gold Coast home, which they share with their children Paddy and Stella, the kitchen is truly unique, with several eye-catching features. The space that is seen upon entering the house, makes an immediate impact and is sure to leave a lasting impression.

The Kitchen.

Cabinetry in Freedom Kitchens Impressions Green Slate Flint shines in this Classic Modern kitchen. The sole door colour used throughout the kitchen and laundry, Green Slate may be considered a bold choice, but it is one that is completely at home in this space.

Colour is very important to Carlene. “I need to live with colour,” she explains. When deciding upon the colour palette for the kitchen and laundry, she wanted to draw references from the home’s surrounds. Living among beautiful gum trees, the Green Slate was the perfect choice as it not only brings the outside in, it compliments the rest of the home’s interior also. The result is both luxurious yet warm and welcoming at the same time.

A seamless look is achieved by using Green Slate on not just the cabinetry but the kickboards and bulkheads as well, creating a floor to ceiling look. Appliances are concealed behind tall cupboards, and drawers and cabinets along the back run provide additional storage complemented by upper louvre shutters and square hand-cut tiles.

The island bench acts as another centrepiece of the kitchen. Measuring a generous 3.4 metres long, it features a curved bench seating dining space, eliminating the need for a traditional dining table. In fact, the family haven’t used a dining table in the ten years that they have been renovating, enjoying instead to eat and entertain around the island bench. Add the generous storage provided by 12 deep drawers and this island bench is a key design feature.

The Kitchen Continues.

The kitchen flows through under arched doorways to include a butler’s style sink, integrated dishwasher positioned across from the fridge and pantry. This allows the spacious island bench to be clutter free. Oozing texture and beauty, the galley style room is the true workhorse of the house, the place where the prep, mess and tidying happens.

On one side sits a double door fridge with cabinetry above and pull out drawers hidden behind tall cupboard doors. Opposite, sitting below 50-year-old Queenslander windows with dimpled glass that Michael sourced from Gumtree, the functionality of this zone is evident with the inclusion of an integrated dishwasher and bin, ceramic farmhouse sink with mixer and plenty of bench space for prep and tidying up.

The Laundry.

Sitting pretty next to the kitchen, the laundry space is drenched in natural light. Michael has (half) jokingly dubbed the room as ‘most improved room’ in the home. Relocated from what the couple nicknamed a ‘downstairs dungeon’, this simple yet stylish and functional room ticks all the boxes now that it has been brought upstairs with the kitchen space.

Doors in Green Slate feature again with tall cabinetry to the left of the washer and dryer, with a hidden pull out wire laundry basket on the other side. Ample folding space courteously of a generous benchtop paired with a single ceramic sink plus gold tapware and bar handles creates a laundry that anyone would love spending time in.

Style tip: Consider colour for your new Freedom Kitchen and whether it is the right choice for you. Carlene explains that her approach to colour is to consider what you can appreciate from a distance versus what you want to live with every day. For her, that is colour and it could be right for you too. Typically people shy away from colour, naturally leaning towards a more neutral palette. But this stunning kitchen is the perfect example of colour being used well, in unity with its surroundings and completed with timeless hardware and other finishes to create a timeless look.

Ready to see how your own kitchen or laundry can be transformed by Freedom Kitchens? Start your own journey with us today!

Click HERE to book a free design appointment at your home at a time that suit you, or click HERE to download our latest catalogue.