Kitchen of the Week: A White, Bright and Lofty Kitchen in Oxfordshire

Kitchen of the Week: A White, Bright and Lofty Kitchen in Oxfordshire- Having bought and renovated a property south of Oxford, the couple who own this beautiful, lofty kitchen spied a further opportunity. There was space in the house’s grounds for a brand-new home, which they could design and build to exactly suit their needs. ‘They wanted the luxury of space,’ explains Marcus Watkins of Kitchen Architecture, who was asked to design the kitchen. ‘So they created an open-plan home, with a vaulted ceiling, to give that feeling of light and airiness.’ The style would be pared-back, so treasured artworks and design classic furniture could shine. ‘They wanted to take a really restrained and minimal approach to the architecture and the interior,’ says Marcus, ‘for a very clean, simple look.’

The couple had fallen in love with the wide, soaped floorboards made by Danish company Dinesen, and from there imagined a fresh, white interior with a kitchen to match. ‘Bulthaup’s b1 kitchen was an obvious fit,’ says Marcus. Elegant, sleek and deceptively simple, the kitchen contains a wealth of inspired features and carefully considered details, all working together to keep the space uncluttered, clean and highly functional.

Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here A semi-retired couple with an interest in property, whose grown-up children have left home
Location South of Oxford
Designer Marcus Watkins, design manager at Kitchen Architecture
Property A home built around two years ago, with a vaulted living area containing the kitchen, connected to a two-storey building that holds the bedrooms, bathrooms, study and utility
That’s interesting The ceiling apex is approximately 5m high

bulthaup by Kitchen Architecture

The kitchen fits seamlessly into the open-plan living area, which contains a dining and living space, too. The all-white scheme creates a crisp backdrop for the owners’ beautiful furniture and is continued on the snowy units and splashback.

‘If you keep things quite simple, each individual element sings out and is highlighted,’ says Marcus Watkins. ‘There is no sense of clutter or distraction here.’

Eames DSR chairs, available from The Conran Shop.

Read more ideas for making an open-plan kitchen and living space work

bulthaup by Kitchen Architecture

The vaulted ceiling is around 5m high, so the extractor hood and chimney had to be made bespoke. ‘This was still the best place for the hob, though,’ explains Marcus. ‘We like to put hobs on an island because it’s more sociable. Everyone now tends to spend more time at the hob than the sink, so it’s nice to not face a wall and to be connected with the room and other people.’

From here, you can look out of the window or see the dining table. ‘We installed the ovens on the wall opposite, so you can keep an eye on them, too,’ says Marcus.

Hob, Miele from Kitchen Architecture.

bulthaup by Kitchen Architecture

The units are all from Bulthaup’s b1 range, with Alpine white laminate. ‘Laminate often carries with it bad connotations,’ says Marcus, ‘but it’s actually a very practical, solid surface. It doesn’t chip, like a painted finish can, and it wipes down very easily.’

The units have an anodized aluminium trim around the edges and side panels to create subtle contrast. ‘The aluminium is also practical and hard-wearing,’ adds Marcus.

Bulthaup b1 kitchen, Kitchen Architecture.

bulthaup by Kitchen Architecture

Marcus slotted a small appliance recess within the wall that contains tall units, so the kitchen has two functional sides. ‘If somebody is using the sink or cooking at the hob, someone else can still come in and make a cup of tea or access the fridge without getting in their way,’ explains Marcus. ‘There are cutlery drawers here, too, and space for small appliances, such as a kettle or coffee maker.’

Wooden flooring, Dinesen.

bulthaup by Kitchen Architecture

The splashback is made from the same white laminate as the units. ‘It has very few joints, unlike a tiled splashback where you see a lot of grout,’ says Marcus. ‘This means it’s far easier to maintain and clean, because it’s a largely unbroken surface.’

Browse a range of stylish splashbacks

bulthaup by Kitchen Architecture

The kitchen island is generously wide, and offers plenty of work space for preparing food. The worktop is 10mm stainless steel from Bulthaup’s b3 range.

bulthaup by Kitchen Architecture

There are no handles on the drawers and doors in the kitchen to preserve the sleek look. Instead, recessed grips with angled edges give access. The aluminium used to trim the units peeps out from behind, creating a soft contrast.

bulthaup by Kitchen Architecture

The induction hob fits flush into the island worktop, making it extremely easy to clean. ‘As it’s flush, it becomes an extension of the work surface, too,’ says Marcus. ‘If the worktop is crowded, you can rest a chopping board on it to create additional space.’

Beyond the dining area, huge glass windows pull in lots of light. ‘There’s a whole wall of glass on this side overlooking the garden,’ explains Marcus, ‘so you get a lot of light and green from outside, which offsets all the white inside.’

bulthaup by Kitchen Architecture

Art and books punctuate the snowy scheme and draw the eye, while the simple white kitchen melts unobtrusively into the background.

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