Kitchen of the Week: Classic but Contemporary Style in a Victorian Home

Kitchen of the Week: Classic but Contemporary Style in a Victorian Home- When Andrew Hall of Woodstock Furniture was asked to design the kitchen for this renovated London home, its owners were already brimming with ideas. ‘They’re a very stylish couple who wanted to make the space feel contemporary,’ Hall says. ‘They didn’t want a high-gloss modern kitchen; they took a more classic approach that still feels up to date.’

Woodstock Furniture

Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here A young French couple and their baby
Location North London
Property A Victorian terraced house with five bedrooms
Room size 6m x 5.2m
Designer Andrew Hall of Woodstock Furniture

The kitchen, completed at the end of 2014, is in an open-plan space that also contains a large dining table. A glazed back wall and huge roof window flood it with light.

Woodstock Furniture

One of the most distinctive pieces in the kitchen is this huge fridge-freezer, which is fitted into a wall that divides the kitchen from a living space behind. ‘We added a niche above for storing bottles,’ says Hall.

The wall is not full height, but it creates a visual barrier between the living space and the kitchen. ‘The architect wanted the cabinets to go up only as far as that wall, but I wanted the kitchen to be as tall and elegant as possible, so I took them higher,’ Hall says.

Fridge-freezer; wine fridge; extractor fan, all Gaggenau.

Woodstock Furniture

The kitchen is built into an existing space that was knocked into one big room by the owners as part of a top-to-toe renovation of the house. They also got Planning Permission to update the rear elevation with Crittall windows, and they installed the skylight to boost light levels. ‘The rear of the house was very dark before,’ Hall says. ‘It had good ceiling heights but not much light.’

The floor is laid with porcelain tiles embossed with a subtle pattern. ‘It’s so faint and discreet that you don’t read it the minute you see the floor,’ says Hall, ‘but it’s a nice detail.’

In the market for new kitchen flooring? Check out these 10 ideas

Woodstock Furniture

‘The larder was absolutely central to the whole room and it helps the kitchen to be clutter-free,’ says Hall. He fitted it with a bifold door, which can remain open without getting in the way so the larder is easy to use. ‘It folds back against the freezer, but that’s not used a great deal, so it’s not a problem,’ he says.

Woodstock Furniture

There’s space to eat casually at the raised breakfast bar, while a large dining table caters for a crowd.

Lem bar stools by Shin and Tomoko Azumi, John Lewis.

Woodstock Furniture

The dark finish on the cabinets creates a warm feel within this very light space. ‘It brings the garden and its colours in,’ says Hall. ‘It draws the green of the grass into the room.’ He also installed two glazed cabinets. ‘They reflect the light and break up the dark green,’ he adds.

Woodstock Furniture

The bespoke dark green colour sprayed onto the kitchen cabinets has a classic feel, while the simple bar handles are more contemporary. ‘The cupboards and drawers have solid oak interiors,’ says Hall, ‘while the glazed wall cupboards are painted inside.’

Woodstock Furniture

‘The owners were quite specific about having an island with a sink in it,’ says Hall. ‘Sinks are messy things, so we created a higher breakfast zone so you can sit at the island but the clutter in the sink is hidden.’

Woodstock Furniture

The crisp white worktop is a quartz composite. ‘The sink and draining board are sunk in by about 5mm, with a rim running around the edge of the worktop to help prevent any water spilling over,’ says Hall. The owners were also very keen on incorporating a steam oven into the island worktop.

Pro3 boiling-water Design tap, Quooker. Steam oven, Gaggenau. 30mm quartz worktop in Snow, Compac, available at MKW Surfaces. Peak stainless-steel sink, Franke. Oberon mixer tap, Perrin & Rowe.

Check out ideas for kitchen splashbacks that look good with stone worktops

Woodstock Furniture

The drawers to the left of the hob are split. The top drawer has been designed to hold spices on slanted solid oak racks and below is a deeper drawer divided specifically for bottles of oil, vinegar and sauces. ‘This means they don’t litter the worktop,’ says Hall.

Woodstock Furniture

The owners opted for an induction hob with a gas wok burner, too. The solid drawers have beading around for detail and contemporary bar handles.

Wok burner, Gaggenau.

Woodstock Furniture

All the storage is designed bespoke to meet the owners’ needs and keep the kitchen looking clear and clean. In the cupboard above the ovens, divides create space for baking trays and racks.

Ovens, Gaggenau.

TELL US…
What do you think of this kitchen? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.

http://www.houzz.co.uk/photos/kitchen

Tweet