Creating a Calm Kitchen by Kerrie Hess

“I think that the Calacatta Nuvo tone is just so timeless that it will never date.  Investing in classics for the parts of your home that you don’t update often is best. It’s easier to be more flamboyant with soft furnishings that you can update seasonally.”

Fashion illustrator Kerrie Hess knows what she likes and what suits the way she lives – which is why she chose Caesarstone’s Calacatta Nuvo in her new kitchen.

Kerrie Hess is the epitome of feminine charm and artistic flair – her calm and beautiful aesthetic is reflected throughout her new home, now with a brand new renovated kitchen.

A fashion illustrator, Hess creates beautiful drawings that she sells online to consumers at kerriehess.com.au, as well as commissions for clients such Cartier, Printemps Paris, Tiffany and Co, Louis Vuitton, Lancome, Net-a-Porter and Maison Laduree Paris. Her work has also been featured in Vogue and Tatler and while it has an undeniably feminine touch, it never seems cheesy or clichéd, just elegant and refined.

“I truly love getting up each morning to something new everyday that is always creative,” she says. “Whether it’s working on a new print for my own Limited Edition Print Shop or working with a fashion or beauty client I do realise that it’s very lucky to enjoy getting to work of a morning!  Just being creative is always my happy place.”

An experienced renovator, Hess knew exactly how she wanted her kitchen to look, even down to the Caesarstone^® benchtop.

“I had actually renovated my previous kitchen with Caesarstone Calacatta Nuvo so I knew I loved the look and the surface,” she explains. “I tend to love bright but classically styled kitchens, with a few personal elements to keep the space interesting.”

“Calacatta Nuvo is just so fresh and contemporary.  A lot of my home has my own quite feminine artwork so I like to balance that with some elements of clean simplicity.”

In both kitchens she ran Caesarstone^® up onto the splashback, “so you can really see the stone at eye level too”, she says.

Like her last home, Hess’s new residence is a traditional Queenslander with a large and airy kitchen space. She started with a clean white base palette, which helps to highlight the delicate illustrations she has on almost every wall and creates a spacious feel, despite the petite size of the actual work area.

Kerrie Hess’s top tips for creating a calm kitchen:

1. Search Pinterest for ideas that might be a little different to the usual to get you inspired. ​​
2. I decided to go for a traditional English butler’s sink for this kitchen as well as silver English tapware to add some extra elegance. (I had to find these online from specialist sellers.)
3. It’s best to do these updates at the same time as the Caesarstone^® installation so everything can be cut to size in advance and installed on the same day.​​
4. I also added a chandelier pendant light to the kitchen just to balance the sleek and clean lined countertops and add some feminine elements to complement my artworks.​

Kerrie Hess

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