Kitchen of the Week: A Walnut Island Adds Warmth to a Family Space

Kitchen of the Week: A Walnut Island Adds Warmth to a Family Space- While planning an extension to connect an outbuilding to the main house, the owners of this property in Kent realised it would, in fact, make the ideal location for a new, inviting family kitchen.

‘The original brief was to create a stylish yet functional space in a room to the rear of the house,’ explains John Stephens of Rencraft. ‘However, after a couple of visits to the property, it became apparent that the kitchen could work better if it was moved to the new extension. Now our clients have more than just a kitchen; they have an open-plan kitchen-diner and light-filled living space with French windows looking out onto a beautiful garden.’

Rencraft Ltd

Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here A busy working family with three school-age children
Location Sevenoaks, Kent
Size 15m x 15m; an L-shaped extension to an existing property
Designer John Stephens and Robert Waite of Rencraft

Rencraft Ltd

‘Aside from the initial changes to the layout, the multi-level island was also a key part of the design process,’ designer John Stephens explains. ‘It really does form the focal point of the room and was integral to the clients’ brief for a stylish yet functional family kitchen. Once we had this right, everything else just flowed.’

Check out 10 decisions you need to make when planning a kitchen island

Rencraft Ltd

Fitting the Corian worktop on the island unit was one of the most challenging aspects of the design. ‘There was very little margin for error,’ Stephens says. ‘The raised “bar” area was cut as a separate piece of Corian, which then had to be slotted on to the lower level, creating a seamless look.

‘The size and shape of the worktop meant that the grooves in the underside of the work surface had to be precise. Fortunately, it slotted together perfectly first time.’

Rencraft Ltd

The white walls and worktops contrast beautifully with the rich, warm shade of the oiled walnut on the island. A circular, end-grain walnut chopping board provides a durable food preparation area, while the inset American-style fridge-freezer blends neatly into the scheme.

Rencraft Ltd

Bespoke storage for two more walnut chopping boards has also been incorporated. ‘We always keep in mind the need for a room that’s both stylish and practical,’ says Stephens.

Check out some more great kitchen storage solutions

Rencraft Ltd

‘For me, the curved, multi-level island really is the standout feature,’ says Stephens. ‘It works from both an aesthetic point of view and also on a functional level, as guests can sit and chat with their hosts while sipping a drink, yet the prep area remains concealed from view.’

Rencraft Ltd

The wall units have been hand-painted in white to help them ‘blend in’ to the walls, while the base units have been painted in a slightly darker off-white. The travertine floor adds a third, slightly darker, cream shade. ‘This subtle scheme helps to create an extra sense of space, which was something the clients were very keen to achieve,’ says Stephens.

Walls and wall cupboards painted in All White; base units painted in Dimity, both Farrow & Ball. For travertine floor tiles, try Floors of Stone.

Rencraft Ltd

The kitchen is fully kitted out to meet the demands of a modern family, with appliances including a range cooker, a wine cooler, and a boiling-water tap.

Range cooker, Britannia. Boiling-water tap, Quooker.

Rencraft Ltd

In keeping with the practical-yet-streamlined theme, there’s an EVOline pop-up electrical socket in the island, which is hidden away when not in use, maintaining the crisp, clean lines of the design.

For pop-up electrical sockets, try Socket Store.

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