The Block judge Darren Palmer's covetable new kitchen

The residence of interior designer and The Block judge Darren Palmer and his husband Olivier hasn’t always looked so suave. “When we bought it in 2015, it was pretty much a Frankenstein’s monster of a house,” he says. “It’s in Bondi, in a really great spot, but I walked in and thought, ‘Okay, there’s a lot to be done here.’”

Darren Palmer kitchen — The gently grooved joinery in this handsome kitchen is Kinsman’s ‘Avalon’ door in Coastal Oak Woodmatt, with Matt White Knurled Bar handles. *(Photography: Kristina Šoljo / Styling: Kerrie-Ann Jones)*

They did bits and pieces over the years but eventually decided a major renovation was on the cards. The finished result is a triumph, with a new open-plan kitchen, living and dining area. “The kitchen is stellar,” says the interiors expert, who’s returning as a judge on the 2024 series of The Block. “I realised I could make it a little bigger if I pushed the fridge back into some dead space in the hallway behind.” The cabinetry was selected by Darren from the range at Kinsman and arrived ready to install. “You can kind of create anything,” he says.

“The light timber grain with the vertical line profile is perfect for the coastal location.”
Susan Hasler, Head of Design at Kinsman

Darren Palmer's kitchen cabinetry — An Asko oven and microwave from Winnings have been built in seamlessly. *(Photography: Kristina Šoljo / Styling: Kerrie-Ann Jones)*

The kitchen island is CDK Stone’s Monreale marble. “It’s very, very beautiful,” says Darren, who revolved the colour palette around the naturally-occuring pinkish-beige tones. “Look for a material that has a balanced distribution of movement across the slab,” advises CDK Stone director Tony Victor. Whether it’s just Darren and Olivier unwinding after a busy day, their teenage son is home or guests have dropped in, it’s a kitchen that draws everyone to it.

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Darren Palmer with Olivier Duvillard and their dogs in the living room.

The Block judge Darren Palmer’s freshly renovated Bondi home

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Designer’s tip

You don’t need to go custom to get joinery that fits like a glove. “I specified everything to Kinsman,” says Darren. “I said, ‘I want this height, this width, this finish,’ and they took care of everything else. It’s a really good system; they have in-house designers who will work with you.”

Darren Palmer's kitchen bench and cabinetry — At the centre is the CDK Stone Monreale marble island, with a pair of DesignByThem ‘Bobby’ stools by its side. Beacon lighting MFL By Masson Gypsum downlights (over island), Meir round paddle pull out kitchen mixer tap in Champagne. *(Photography: Kristina Šoljo / Styling: Kerrie-Ann Jones)*

“When working with a designer to choose joinery, have an idea of the look you like and your storage needs.”
Susan Hasler, Head of Design at Kinsman

Architect: Deuchrass Architects
Interior design: Darren Palmer
Builder: Taste Living
Joinery: Kinsman
Stonemason: Macarthur Marble & Granite using CDK Stone
SOURCE BOOK

Writer Rebecca Hooton Features Writer

Rebecca has 17 years of experience in the magazine industry. She worked as an intern at Cleo while completing a Bachelor of Communication at Western Sydney University. Following that, she was employed in writing and copy editing roles at titles such as Dolly, before becoming the features editor at Cosmopolitan Australia. She’s since had features in publications such as ELLE Australia and is currently a features writer across Home Beautiful, Country Style and Inside Out. You’ll most likely find her manifesting a cottage in the Cotswolds or watching Bluey (with or without her kids).

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