A few weeks ago we featured designers Dan Honey and Paul Fuog's artfully remodeled apartment in Melbourne, Australia. Designed by architect Clare Cousins, the one-bedroom flat was transformed into an open living space with inexpensive materials. We especially like its kitchen and dining area, which Cousins outfitted with plywood cabinets with cutout handles, a surprise gold-plated faucet, and round pale wood table. Here, a look at the design and the elements for recreating a similar look.
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Above: Cousins paired plywood with a simple white laminate counter and an electroplated gold faucet. Photography by Sean Fennessy via The Design Files.
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Above: The laminate countertop extends down the side of the cabinets creating a frame.
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Above: Honey and Fuog's small-space survival tip: create an instant dining room between the living and kitchen area with a round table for four and overhead pendant.
The Basics
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Above: Newport Brass makes a similar crooked faucet; the 9911 East Linear Double Handle Widespread Kitchen Faucet, shown here in polished gold, is $1,046.40 from Faucet Direct.
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Above: For compact kitchens, the Shaws Original Fireclay Single Bowl Kitchen or Prep Sink can be installed as an undermount or drop-in sink and measures just 15 inches square; $629.25 from eFaucets.
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Above: Cousins installed a built-in oven in the plywood cabinets. The Miele DG6401 45cmPureLine Built-In Steam Oven is £1,998 at Bohen in the UK.
Lighting and Furniture
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Above: The Muuto Unfold Pendant Lamp (shown in gray) is made of soft silicone rubber that packs flat and unfolds into shape. Inside the shade a frosted opal diffuser hides the bulb and softens the light; also available in black and blue and currently on sale for $160.65 at Design Within Reach.
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Above: Alvar Aalto's classic Artek 91 Dining Table in birch veneer is $1,940 at All Modern (Honey and Fuog purchased it at Anibou in Australia). For a similar but much more affordable design, consider Ikea's Bjursta Extendable Table; $229.
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Above: The Eos Armchair is a similar shape and style to the dining chairs Honey and Fuog found at a local flea market. The armchair is made from powder-coated aluminum in black or white; currently on sale for $204 at Design Within Reach.
Accessories
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Above: A coiled Microbasket by Brooklyn artist Doug Johnston hangs above Honey and Fuog's sink. This example is made from cotton sash cord in a variety of colors and is used to hold salt; $30 directly from Doug Johnston. The woven fruit basket near the sink was a find from Australian store After; Johnston makes a similar basket, the 100' Tray, $100.
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Above: Designed by Erik Magnussen—and awarded the Innovative Design prize by the Danish Society of Industrial Design in 1977—the EM77 Vacuum Thermos Jug in soft mint is $99 from Scandinavian House.
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Above: A Molcajete, Mexican mortar and pestle, is $44.95 for an 8-inch size at Sur La Table.
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Above: A set of simple blue tipped Porcelain Measuring Spoons is $12.95 from Fishs Eddy.
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Above: A Green on Green Splatterware Charger Plate is made in Italy from earthenware; $82 at March.
If you're partial to glam kitchen fixtures, have a look at last week's Steal This Look, A Glamorous London Kitchen from a Designer with "Shit Loads of Talent." And for more inspiration, see our post on 10 Favorites: Cutout Kitchen Cabinet Pulls. For tips on keeping kitchen houseplants alive, visit Gardenista's 6 Ways to Revive Neglected Houseplants.