Eltham bespoke kitchens shaped by how you cook, store and gather.
Bespoke kitchen renovations for Eltham homes
Most kitchen renovations in Eltham start with a room that no longer suits the people in it. Bench space sits in the wrong spot. Storage fills up faster than it should, and the layout keeps everyone out of the way instead of together.
The Kitchen Design Centre designs and builds kitchens around the way your household really moves through the day. We start with your space and your routine, then work out the layout from there.
What makes Eltham kitchens different to renovate?
Eltham homes were rarely built to a standard plan. Mudbrick and architect-designed houses sit on sloping bush blocks, and much of the 1970s stock splits across levels.
That changes how we approach a remodel. Walls are rarely square. Ceiling heights shift between rooms, so we draw the floor plan from real measurements rather than assumptions.
TKDC has worked with homeowners across Eltham on kitchens and on wider home renovations. Every one of those projects started with the house in front of us.
Design, cabinetry making and installation handled in house
Ask who actually builds the kitchen, and the answer is usually three different companies. The showroom belongs to one, the cabinets come from another, and a third crew turns up to fit them. Nobody owns the whole job.
One drawing runs the whole way through.
- Your kitchen is drawn to the measurements of your actual walls.
- TKDC builds the custom cabinetry in its own Bayswater factory.
- We install it.
- Nothing is ordered in from an outside manufacturer.
Only a few businesses in Victoria still make the kitchens they sell. A flat pack kitchen comes in boxes cut to standard sizes, so your house has to suit the cabinets. Ours works the other way round.
We make vanities and joinery in other rooms the same way.
How does a kitchen renovation with TKDC work?
You arrive with a rough idea of your dream kitchen. Four stages sort out the rest.
- Book a Showroom Tour. A Showroom Assistant walks you through the displays and talks through what you have in mind.
- Next comes a Project Consultation. One of our designers visits your home and works out what the room can do.
- You then see a 3D design walkthrough, with your Project Costing, before a single cabinet is built.
- TKDC manufactures your cabinetry before the existing kitchen comes out. That keeps you cooking for longer. Installation follows.
A TKDC client manager books the trades and keeps you updated across the renovation journey. Floors are covered, dust is contained, and the site is cleaned every day. You do not have to ask.
Choosing cabinetry, benchtops and finishes that last
Once the layout is settled, the choices move to what goes into it. Cabinetry gets opened and closed thousands of times a year, so the parts you touch most are the ones that wear out first.
- Drawers carry the weight, so we fit Häfele Grass systems that stay square under load.
- Corner cupboards get Häfele corner storage systems like the Leman corner unit.
- Around the sink, water does the damage, and that shapes the benchtops we choose.
- Storage solutions come down to what you actually own.
As for finishes, TKDC’s trade-qualified cabinet makers spray and cure paint in the Bayswater factory, so the colour stays the same on every door.
Which benchtop materials are still available in Australia?
Silica-based engineered stone is banned in Australia. That ruled out the benchtop most kitchen makeovers used to fit.
TKDC works with three surfaces now. ĒCLOS is a mineral surface from Cosentino with no crystalline silica in it. It is rated to about 220 degrees. Porcelain copes with heat the same way.
Laminate resists scratches and suits plenty of homes. Trace silica under one per cent can still show up in ĒCLOS. Ask us about it.
Registered builders and qualified cabinet makers behind your kitchen
Michael Simpson and Peter Schelfhout own TKDC and still run it. Both are registered builders with the Victorian Building Authority and have more than 60 years of experience in design and build between them. A registered builder answers for the work in your home.
Qualified cabinet makers have built our kitchens in the Bayswater factory since 1994. Meet the designers, or read what clients say.
Plan your Eltham kitchen renovation with us
All of that is easier to judge in person than on a screen. TKDC’s Eltham showroom is at 3 Bridge Street, Eltham VIC 3095, open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 5 pm, and you do not need an appointment to drop in.
Walk in any time to open the drawers and test the full-size displays yourself. They are complete kitchens, so you can stand in one rather than look at samples. If you would rather be shown around, call 03 9439 5244 and book a Showroom Tour.
A designer then visits your home for the Project Consultation. You can book either one online.
FAQs
Will I be without a kitchen for the whole renovation?
The Kitchen Design Centre builds your cabinetry before the old kitchen comes out, so you are without a working kitchen for less time. On most Eltham jobs, your fridge is moved and stays on.
What affects the cost of a kitchen renovation in Eltham?
Benchtop material and the amount of cabinetry move the cost the most, and older Eltham homes often need the plumbing moved. The Kitchen Design Centre talks that through with you before your Project Costing.
Do you make cabinetry for other rooms in Eltham homes?
The Kitchen Design Centre makes cabinetry for laundry, wardrobes and home offices in Eltham homes. We take on bathroom renovations, too, and a joint job runs the same way as a kitchen.
Who designs and builds my kitchen?
A Showroom Assistant meets you first, then one of our designers visits your Eltham home to plan the layout. Qualified cabinet makers at The Kitchen Design Centre build it, and our own team fits it.
How do I start a kitchen renovation?
Start with a Showroom Tour at The Kitchen Design Centre in Eltham, where a Showroom Assistant walks you through the displays. A Project Consultation follows at your home, and a designer measures the space.