Joanna's vision for the kitchen was to make it both multifunctional and super-smart. 'I felt it needed to work as a casual family space, where my clients could relax with a cup of coffee or their kids could grab something to eat when they come in from school, but it could also be transformed in the evening into a bar for cocktails or a room to welcome guests. It's right next door to the living and dining rooms, so I wanted to the space to flow well from one room to the next.'

Calling on Patrick Byrne, managing director of Kitchaus, the plans for the kitchen design began to take shape. Together Joanna and Patrick selected a glossy lacquered Santos Rosewood veneer for the cabinetry, its immaculately book-matched and grain-matched finish showing off the almost-black and rich mahogany tones of the markings beautifully.

'It's quite a feat to match the grain so perfectly along the entire four metre-long elevation of wall units,' explains Patrick. To 'frame' the cabinetry, simple white Corian has been used, adding a crisp and clean-lined touch to the design and providing a clever way of lighting the richly veneered wall cupboard door fronts with small spots built into the overhang above.

'The Rosewood is a very luxurious material,' says Patrick, end the glossy finish gives it a contemporary touch, which works well with the other very modem materials including Corian and white glass.' While the horse-shoe shaped island surrounds the cooking area, creating a neat preparation space, the bar also conceals pots and pans when guests arrive, and doubles as the cocktail area.