Luxury Kitchen Renovation in Tauranga South

This Tauranga south property had stunning outlooks of the estuary and beyond, but homeowners, Martin and Karen, were more distracted by a discolouring sink, tired-looking cabinetry, and degrading stone benchtops. Having worked with Refresh Renovations Consultant, Sharon Giblett two years prior to provide a secure, enclosed garage, Martin and Karen didn’t hesitate to get Sharon back for the job.

The earlier job was a full makeover from head to toe; this one was similar. Martin and Karen wanted a more contemporary feel in their kitchen that would match the rest of the home. They also wanted to move the sink to take better advantage of the garden and estuary views.

Embarking on a full renovation

At the outset, Martin and Karen had planned on giving their kitchen an update, but after discussions with Sharon and further inspection of the kitchen, the duo agreed a full kitchen renovation would be of greater benefit, and value, due to the age and deterioration of the existing cabinetry.

Martin and Karen had a healthy - and firm - budget they wanted to work to so Sharon was tasked with the challenge of recommending products and fittings that would bring the final cost of the kitchen renovation under budget.

Having experienced the Refresh approach to renovations before, Martin and Karen knew the process and had full confidence in Sharon and her team that she would deliver a professional kitchen with quality results.

Starting from scratch

Sharon began by having her team completely demolish the old kitchen. The existing bulkhead remained and the existing coving was kept intact as well. This was tricky to achieve and took some finessing but the end result was worth the earlier effort.

Sharon’s team also had to retain the existing tiled flooring and use some leftover tiles to complete the newly exposed step and upstand under the new breakfast bar area. This also proved challenging but Sharon knew it would achieve the result Martin and Karen were after.

Careful project management and scheduling of all necessary trades meant Sharon met the original budget agreed upon with Martin and Karen; however, there were a couple of unforeseen variations. Once the shelving unit between the kitchen and dining room was removed, it was revealed that the timber floor hadn’t been sanded or polyurethaned underneath. This area had become visible beneath the breakfast bar so Sharon had to arrange for emergency floor sanding. 

Sharon’s project management of these variations ensured Martin and Karen’s kitchen renovation remained on track and the trestle table Sharon had organised for Martin was operating well as a temporary camp kitchen!

Contemporary touches

To achieve the contemporary look Martin and Karen wanted for the new kitchen, luxurious cabinetry was installed along with a beautiful benchtop. The sink was relocated to look towards the garden freeing up space on the extended peninsula bench and creating better workflow in the kitchen.

New mosaic tiling, which took a lot of skill to cut and piece together in tight spaces, was finished to an exceptional quality, while professional plastering and painting ensured a seamless aesthetic throughout.

Adding to the modern look of the kitchen, pendant lights with copper hues were installed over the breakfast bar, perfectly complementing the brass handles on the cabinet doors and drawers, a favourite feature of Sharon’s in the kitchen.

A stunning result

Sharon is once again thrilled she was able to deliver a professional and successful renovation project for Martin and Karen. “This was always a beautiful home and the setting of the kitchen was great, but the new dramatic contemporary style suits the house much better, and the backdrop of the Tauranga estuary views sets it off well.”

Martin and Karen are also happy with the result and their second Refresh Renovations experience.

“We were extremely happy with the expertise and experience provided by Sharon Giblett from Refresh Home Renovations Tauranga. She guided us through the whole experience providing suggestions and ideas when needed, and coordinating all the trades to ensure the renovation of our kitchen was completed within the time frame and to the high standards she always achieves. We are loving our new kitchen.” - Martin & Karen Sadd, Refresh Renovations Clients, Tauranga South

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