Hobsons Choice
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here A professional couple, plus their dogs
Location Abingdon, Oxfordshire
Size A brick barn, all on one level, with 1 bedroom and 1 en-suite bathroom; 100 sq m
Designer Vanessa Weeks of Hobsons Choice
This traditional red-brick barn is located in the grounds of a larger farmhouse, on what was once a pig farm. But while this may only be a one-bedroom property, it doesn’t feel poky.
The long living area is all on one level, allowing the roof to stretch up to its dizzying full-height glory. So was it a challenge to ensure the kitchen units didn’t get ‘lost’, with all that space above?
‘It is really high,’ agrees designer Vanessa Weeks from Hobsons Choice, who were behind the kitchen’s chic, functional design. ‘But that’s also its beauty. It allowed room to create the amazing copper ceiling section, above the island, which helps make the space feel more intimate.’
When it came to the design of the units, Weeks cleverly worked with the lofty dimensions. ‘We used top boxes on top of the standard-height tall units, and the wall units are higher than usual. This helps with the proportions of the room, and gives additional storage for items you don’t use everyday,’ she says.
Rafters painted white add to a roomy feel that’s one-part light industrial and one-part traditional farmhouse.
Who lives here A professional couple, plus their dogs
Location Abingdon, Oxfordshire
Size A brick barn, all on one level, with 1 bedroom and 1 en-suite bathroom; 100 sq m
Designer Vanessa Weeks of Hobsons Choice
This traditional red-brick barn is located in the grounds of a larger farmhouse, on what was once a pig farm. But while this may only be a one-bedroom property, it doesn’t feel poky.
The long living area is all on one level, allowing the roof to stretch up to its dizzying full-height glory. So was it a challenge to ensure the kitchen units didn’t get ‘lost’, with all that space above?
‘It is really high,’ agrees designer Vanessa Weeks from Hobsons Choice, who were behind the kitchen’s chic, functional design. ‘But that’s also its beauty. It allowed room to create the amazing copper ceiling section, above the island, which helps make the space feel more intimate.’
When it came to the design of the units, Weeks cleverly worked with the lofty dimensions. ‘We used top boxes on top of the standard-height tall units, and the wall units are higher than usual. This helps with the proportions of the room, and gives additional storage for items you don’t use everyday,’ she says.
Rafters painted white add to a roomy feel that’s one-part light industrial and one-part traditional farmhouse.
Hobsons Choice
An L-shaped black bar area adds a social element to the island unit. It’s raised above the main worktop to demarcate it, and contrasts with the white. ‘The black shade was chosen to coordinate with the darkest tones in the wooden floor,’ says Weeks.
The owners chose upholstered bar stools to make eating more comfortable. ‘This is their main dining area,’ says Weeks. ‘They made the bar top deeper so you can easily balance a wine glass while you sit there, and not have your knees knock against the cupboards.’
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The owners chose upholstered bar stools to make eating more comfortable. ‘This is their main dining area,’ says Weeks. ‘They made the bar top deeper so you can easily balance a wine glass while you sit there, and not have your knees knock against the cupboards.’
Now for something completely different: a barn in sunny California
Hobsons Choice
The red-brick barn is a beautifully characterful, long, low building, but the owners wanted the kitchen to contrast with the rustic style. ‘They knew they wanted crisp, clean lines from the start,’ says Weeks.
It was a challenge to blend modern and ancient because the rest of the barn takes country styling to the max. The adjacent living area is pure log-cabin chic, featuring wood-panelled walls and stags’ heads, while a fabulous ceramics collection adds quirky colour and shape. (There’s even a special ‘dog room’ at one end of the property, which is about as country as it gets.) But, as Weeks says, ‘the simplicity of the kitchen works perfectly with the owners’ eclectic style. A fussy or detailed kitchen would have detracted from all the beautiful pieces they display.’
It was a challenge to blend modern and ancient because the rest of the barn takes country styling to the max. The adjacent living area is pure log-cabin chic, featuring wood-panelled walls and stags’ heads, while a fabulous ceramics collection adds quirky colour and shape. (There’s even a special ‘dog room’ at one end of the property, which is about as country as it gets.) But, as Weeks says, ‘the simplicity of the kitchen works perfectly with the owners’ eclectic style. A fussy or detailed kitchen would have detracted from all the beautiful pieces they display.’
Hobsons Choice
This was very much a kitchen designed to be used, not just looked at. ‘The clients enjoy cooking, so this had to really work well as a kitchen,’ says Weeks.
They opted for Bulthaup’s b1 kitchen in Alpine White lacquer, which has a pleasing lack of fiddly details. ‘It’s a highly engineered product featuring the latest soft hinges,’ Weeks says. The worktop is laminate with a solid core. ‘The clients wanted something they could wipe down easily.’
The fridge is concealed in the tall unit next to the ovens.
b1 kitchen, Bulthaup. All appliances, Miele.
They opted for Bulthaup’s b1 kitchen in Alpine White lacquer, which has a pleasing lack of fiddly details. ‘It’s a highly engineered product featuring the latest soft hinges,’ Weeks says. The worktop is laminate with a solid core. ‘The clients wanted something they could wipe down easily.’
The fridge is concealed in the tall unit next to the ovens.
b1 kitchen, Bulthaup. All appliances, Miele.
Hobsons Choice
The copper ceiling panel, which accommodates the extractor fan, is bespoke. ‘It was designed by the owners,’ says Weeks. It sits squarely over the island unit, creating a striking, industrial-chic effect.
A trio of industrial-style, oversized pendants makes another strong statement in this kitchen. Their large size adds focus and grounds other elements – smaller, more conventional lights might have looked lost in the mix, and so messier.
The door to the bedroom was designed and built bespoke by the owner’s craftsmen on site, with metalworkers and joiners both involved. It’s clad in floorboards.
Flos Smithfield ceiling lights by Jasper Morrison, available from John Lewis. Copper ceiling panel, bespoke.
A trio of industrial-style, oversized pendants makes another strong statement in this kitchen. Their large size adds focus and grounds other elements – smaller, more conventional lights might have looked lost in the mix, and so messier.
The door to the bedroom was designed and built bespoke by the owner’s craftsmen on site, with metalworkers and joiners both involved. It’s clad in floorboards.
Flos Smithfield ceiling lights by Jasper Morrison, available from John Lewis. Copper ceiling panel, bespoke.
Hobsons Choice
The island is long – 2.5 x 1.1m – and has plenty of storage. ‘As the barn isn’t overly large, the kitchen also needed to be able to store items for the open-plan living area,’ explains Weeks.
The island very much works as a room divider, too. ‘The face of the island consists of drawers and pull-outs for cutlery, utensils, crockery, pots and pans. The back has cupboards, which are largely used for items required in the living area, such as books and games,’ she says.
The island very much works as a room divider, too. ‘The face of the island consists of drawers and pull-outs for cutlery, utensils, crockery, pots and pans. The back has cupboards, which are largely used for items required in the living area, such as books and games,’ she says.
Hobsons Choice
‘The splashback is back-painted glass,’ says Weeks. ‘It’s a really practical choice. Originally the owners considered adding another colour to the scheme, but it was decided it would be a bit too much.’
The minimal sink sits opposite the hob, while wall cabinets above the sink add extra storage. ‘These take care of items such as a mugs and glasses, as well as being used for tea and coffee,’ says Weeks.
Tap, Quooker.
How to rock an unusual splashback
The minimal sink sits opposite the hob, while wall cabinets above the sink add extra storage. ‘These take care of items such as a mugs and glasses, as well as being used for tea and coffee,’ says Weeks.
Tap, Quooker.
How to rock an unusual splashback
Hobsons Choice
One of the things that make this home unique are the long shelves crammed with ceramics, in burnt oranges, greens, blues and earthy browns.
Collected by the owners over the years, they add a bohemian, gallery feel to the space and an almost Mediterranean flavour to the design and atmosphere of the room. ‘The owner often searches for more unusual pieces while on holiday, finding great items in France and Germany,’ says Weeks.
The shelves line the whole wall, linking the kitchen and adjacent living area.
Collected by the owners over the years, they add a bohemian, gallery feel to the space and an almost Mediterranean flavour to the design and atmosphere of the room. ‘The owner often searches for more unusual pieces while on holiday, finding great items in France and Germany,’ says Weeks.
The shelves line the whole wall, linking the kitchen and adjacent living area.
Hobsons Choice
Glass doors frame the view through the living area and into the kitchen. Engineered wooden flooring throughout the space helps to tie the different zones together.
Browse 10 kitchens that break the mould
Browse 10 kitchens that break the mould
Hobsons Choice
The kitchen may be super-modern, but this is very much a country pad, as the living area’s décor show. The walls have been panelled in wood, while stags’ heads add a country manor flavour.
Mitford Lounger Sofa, John Sankey.
Mitford Lounger Sofa, John Sankey.
The original vision: an artist’s sketch of the planned design.
bulthaup by hobsons|choice Bath
The kitchen floor plan.
TELL US…
What do you think of this kitchen and living area? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
TELL US…
What do you think of this kitchen and living area? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
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