OK, I admit it. When I first stepped foot into Jess Young’s beautiful home, I swooned. Big time (especially when I saw that kitchen). But can you blame me?

Look at that modern Shaker kitchen. The light, airy space. The classic Shaker-style doors, mixed with contemporary accessories – from the lighting to the handles. Then accented with those the vivid colours from the Moroccan rug and crackle-glazed green splashback. This is an idea Jess openly concedes she stole from someone else. (Don’t worry Jess, I would have done the same thing if it were my kitchen!)

Jess and her husband Reuven told me they felt like they needed a little help to realise their décor aspirations. So they hired interior designer Beth Dadswell of Imperfect Interiors to concoct a scheme for the entire house – including that Shaker kitchen.

Their brief was to incorporate their love of travel, with particular focus on Morocco and India – but most importantly, they wanted to comprise aspects of their New Zealand heritage in the design. This included having lots of natural materials and plants throughout.

There had been a second kitchen on the first floor, which they ripped out and made into another bedroom. Handy, as they then lost a bedroom to make a small family bathroom bigger while also borrowing space from it to create a master suite. Two years later, they looked at sorting out the dark and narrow galley kitchen and turning it into a Shaker kitchen.

More on this gorgeous Shaker kitchen

It wasn’t more room that they needed, but more light. So, with the help of architect Richard Bridges, from Alexander Owen Architecture, they used redundant space from the side return and extended around two metres with a long skylight spreading the length of the space. Hello, gorgeous Shaker kitchen.

As if that wasn’t enough, they removed most of the back wall to create that stunning picture window. The result? A bright and fresh room that draws your eyes up to the majestic ceiling height and out towards the gorgeous garden.

Now back in the Shaker kitchen, feeling tiny sat in the incredible picture window, Jess informs me that they picked Puccini Kitchens, with the brief being a super-efficient space that worked for family living.

They also wanted a sensible, ergonomic arrangement with the sink, dishwasher, cooker, and fridge all located within easy distances from each other, with an informal dining area close to the kitchen that utilised the picture window.

Here’s what Jess had to say about the project. “My favourite part of the house has to be the Shaker kitchen, in particular the picture window.

“In fact, we now spend all our time in there as you are practically floating in the gorgeous garden. It’s much more light, practical, relaxed, and perfect for family life.”

I think you’ll agree that this home has an incredible energy. A beautiful mix of elegant period details and modern finishes has created a space that is truly enviable.

I’m not jealous – you are.

Photography: Chris Snook

Feature image: Jess says the picture window is one of her favourite things about her renovated home.

So did you love this Shaker kitchen as much as we did? Then check out this dreamy country-style kitchen.

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