Meisner on the Park
Inspired by the modern coastal landscape, this stunning award-winning kitchen embraces natural elements to bring the outdoors in.
The breathtaking ‘Meisner on the Park’ is an award-winning kitchen from Kate Anderson Design (KAD), a family-owned kitchen design business operating on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. With over 16 years’ experience in renovations and kitchen design Anderson has worked closely with cabinetmakers for the last seven years. Providing clients with a ‘difference in service’ that Anderson saw lacking within the industry, every project that arrives on her desk is special to work on, but her latest project, Meisner on the Park was especially close to her heart.
The kitchen is also the designer’s personal project. As a stand-alone piece of art, the kitchen features a wall of beautiful Porta Tasmanian Oak Dressed All Round battens.
“The use of Porta Tasmanian Oak laid in vertical form gave the extra height the space needed to feel bigger than the original kitchen we ripped out, as well as the additional luxury of hidden cabinetry behind the entire wall of timber,” says Anderson.
The hidden cabinetry behind the wall of Porta timber is Anderson’s favourite element of the project.
“Although this was a time-consuming task, it was well worth the money, time and effort,” says Anderson. “The battens were individually hand sanded back, and then finished with a Danish oil to give a natural, raw finish.”
“This is my dream kitchen, and the planning and design stage took me over six months,” explains Anderson. “I have three beautiful boys and a husband, so I needed a robust but elegant coastal kitchen that suited the open plan living.”
Meisner on the Park is a stunning example of what can be achieved with an expert kitchen designer. The Porta timber battens were secretly fixed to the laminate cabinetry for a seamless finish.
“Not only is the design functional and practical, but it’s the combination of textures within the different materials used,” says Anderson. “The Porta battens bring the outside in and the added warmth of the Tasmanian Oak concealing hidden cabinetry makes it a must have feature.”
In developing the design for Meisner on the Park, Anderson was inspired by the modern coastal landscape.
“When I design, I like to incorporate the beautiful Sunshine Coast landscape by bringing the outside elements in,” explains Anderson. “Either from the hinterland through the greens and the timber elements to our beautiful beaches and oceans through colour and textured finishes.”
“The simplicity, warmth, texture and elegance of the Porta Tasmanian Oak helped create the modern coastal design,” adds Anderson. “Porta are my go to for any timber design elements I work with in my kitchen designs. The flexibility and product options we can achieve with Porta make our kitchens a standout.”
KAD was recently awarded the National People’s Choice Kitchen Design Award 2021 by Kitchens & Bathroom Quarterly for the Meisner on the Park project.
“To be a first-time entrant in the awards and placed with the caliber of designers within this Australian wide category was a feat I could only have dreamed of, let alone be awarded as the winner. It truly is still sinking in!”
KAD’s Kitchen Design Tip
For any renovation, Anderson recommends living in the space first if you can.
“This way you pick up any deal breakers when working with your designer on your new space,” explains Anderson. “Listen to your designer, after all you have gone to them for a reason and don’t rush this process.”
Kitchen Design Trends
In 2022, KAD see more colour coming back into the kitchen in all material elements – from cabinetry and raw timbers, to stone and tiled splashbacks.
“Clients are choosing to be a lot bolder in creating a kitchen space that will evoke more emotions now we are spending more time at home,” says Anderson. “The Sunshine Coast is a very social community so creating a space to entertain in that flows and incorporates our local landscape is a must.”
