Kitchen of the Week: A Traditional Shaker Kitchen in a London Townhouse

Kitchen of the Week: A Traditional Shaker Kitchen in a London Townhouse- It almost never happens that you move into a property and are completely satisfied with the kitchen. We all have such different habits that what works for one might be inefficient for another. So when it comes to kitchen design, sometimes the only way to achieve real satisfaction is to go bespoke. That’s certainly what this family of four decided for their home in west London. The previous kitchen was perfectly adequate, but it just didn’t quite fit with their lifestyle or taste, so they asked kitchen designer Charlie Kingham to tailor the space exactly to their family’s needs.

Charlie Kingham | London

Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here A young family
Location West London
Size 7m x 5.5m
Designer Charlie Kingham of Charlie Kingham London

The space had already been extended, but the previous kitchen was rather small. ‘The clients wanted a larger kitchen that fully utilised the space,’ explains Charlie Kingham. ‘A pillar in the centre of the room was also removed and a box frame put in to make it completely open-plan, so it was quite an extensive building project,’ he adds.

Charlie Kingham | London

Being bespoke, everything down to the insides of the cabinets was designed with the clients’ habits in mind. ‘We spent a lot of time understanding the clients’ lifestyle – how much stuff they had and how they worked in their kitchen – to be able to give them what they really wanted from the space,’ says Kingham.

The larder, or ‘tea-and-toast unit’, houses all of the family’s jams, cereals, spices and herbs, as well as an integrated microwave unit, to keep everything easily accessible yet hidden from view.

It was important the major appliances be hidden away, too, so some of the units hide a fridge-freezer (right of this open cupboard), a dishwasher and the rubbish bins.

Integrated appliances, Miele.

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Charlie Kingham | London

Even the drawer configuration was bespoke. ‘The family wanted to use traditional cabinetry elements, so the drawers run on proper beech runners,’ explains Kingham.

Charlie Kingham | London

All of the cabinets are made from hardwood and hand-painted in pale grey. The insides of the cupboards are oak. The worktops are a light granite that looks almost like marble. The parquet flooring was existing, and the pendant lights were the clients’ choice.

Cabinets painted in Pavilion Gray, Farrow & Ball.

Charlie Kingham | London

To the right of the sink is an integrated dishwasher, with integrated bins in the cupboard to the left of the sink.

Shaker 900 sink, Perrin & Rowe. Phoenician tap with matching hand rinse, Perrin & Rowe. Hot-water tap, Quooker.

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Charlie Kingham | London

Kingham included an island to increase the sociability of the space. ‘It was mainly to do with the couple having small children,’ he explains. ‘We wanted to create a space where people could interact, but that was also adaptable. The kids can sit up there and do homework without being shut away from the rest of the room.’

Charlie Kingham | London

The worktop overhangs at either end of the island, meaning both sides can function as seating areas if necessary. ‘It was all about keeping it flexible,’ says Kingham, ‘but we wanted to locate the bar areas at the sides of the island rather than opposite the sink, as that would have obstructed the view through to the dining area.’

Charlie Kingham | London

Although the kitchen is very large, the clients didn’t want to take it for granted, and a large part of the redesign was about making the most of the space. ‘Most people think having a large kitchen is a godsend, but it can be just as difficult to make a large kitchen work well as a small one,’ says Kingham.

A ladder system allowed the designer to install cabinets all the way to the ceiling. When not in use, it has its own storage box to prevent it becoming a toy for the kids. The ladder and stools are all made bespoke in antiqued oak for a naturally aged effect.

Charlie Kingham | London

The range cooker was the clients’ request. ‘They wanted to make a feature of it,’ says Kingham. The extractor fan is clad in the same hand-painted hardwood as the cabinets. An antiqued mirror splashback adds depth to the space. ‘Mirrored splashbacks are deceptive, and they don’t constantly show signs of grease in the way the grout around tiles can,’ explains Kingham.

Lacanche Cluny range cooker, available from John Lewis.

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

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