Kitchen of the Week: Clean Lines and Cool Colours in a London Terrace

Kitchen of the Week: Clean Lines and Cool Colours in a London Terrace- When she began thinking about installing a new kitchen, crisp and clean were the words the owner of this Victorian terraced house in south London came up with. ‘She was looking for a design that would feel softly industrial and contemporary, but was made with traditional materials,’ says Tim Higham of Higham Furniture, who designed, made and installed the new kitchen. ‘We went for a simple framed Shaker kitchen,’ says Tim. ‘It has cleaner lines than traditional Shaker cabinets, to keep the space looking airy.’ Tim had to build around a chimneybreast and a huge bay window at the front of the house, while also making sure the design made the most of the abundant natural light in this double-aspect room. The result is a brilliantly functional room that, despite being loaded with storage, feels light and spacious.

Higham Furniture

Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here A couple and their two daughters
Location Clapham, south London
Size Approx 8.5m x 4m
Designer Higham Furniture

‘The owner didn’t want tall units on both sides of the room,’ says Tim. ‘This is a really bright space with windows at either end that allow light to flood all the way through. If we had built in lots of cupboards, it would have felt cramped and enclosed.’

The solution was to go for simple shapes in pale tones, and to build just base units along one wall, working around existing features. ‘To accommodate the range cooker, we created deeper cabinets either side of the chimney,’ says Tim. ‘Now, this run of units has a clean, continuous line.’

Higham Furniture

A shallow shelf above the run of base units balances the look and is ideal for displaying small items. A peninsula containing the sink divides the cooking area from the family dining space beyond.

Chevron solid oak flooring, Türgon.

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Higham Furniture

A splashback of glossy white tiles behind the stainless-steel range softly reflects the abundant daylight in the room and contributes to its light, open feel. The work surface is pale, too, to enhance the effect. ‘We chose 40mm Corian worktops in Glacier White, to create the clean, crisp look the owner wanted,’ says Tim.

Range, Bertazzoni.

Higham Furniture

‘To help the kitchen function as a flexible family space, we added casual seating at the peninsula,’ says Tim. ‘Now, it can work as a breakfast bar or somewhere for friends to perch while the owner is cooking.’

Tolix H stools, John Lewis.

Higham Furniture

‘We had to reduce the depth of the cabinets at this end, to fit alongside the angle of the bay window, so we created recessed bookshelves here,’ says Tim. ‘The owner loves to cook and this is a handy place for her books.’

Satin nickel cup handles, SDS London.

Higham Furniture

Storage was designed to suit specific items. This set of drawers contains a maple utensil tray in the top and space for cookware below. ‘The scooped and scalloped design is low at the front so you can see what’s inside, but taller at the back so things don’t drop off the end,’ says Tim. ‘It works really well with cookware like baking trays.’

Higham Furniture

This tall bank of units contains two integrated fridge-freezers flanked either side by a substantial larder and a crockery cupboard. To prevent the deep units from projecting across the window, Tim designed a breakfront for this run, with the central cabinet protruding slightly further than those either side. ‘The fridge-freezers were 600mm deep but the window rebate was less – around 480mm,’ explains Tim. ‘This design creates enough space for the appliances without obstructing the window.’

Cabinets painted in Shaded White Estate Eggshell, Farrow & Ball. Satin nickel knobs, Homebase.

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Higham Furniture

A larder unit contains a microwave and bespoke storage for everything from spice jars to wine bottles. All the cabinets are made from a mix of lacquered and painted birch ply, while the drawers, storage racks, pull-out shelves and trays are in solid maple.

Higham Furniture

Scooped and scalloped drawers feature again in this beautiful crockery cupboard. ‘They pull out, so it’s easier to access everything,’ explains Tim, ‘but the raised back means there’s no risk of the objects falling down the back of the cabinet.’

Higham Furniture

The dining space continues the kitchen’s light, pared-back aesthetic, but with a few pops of blue as accents. The owner chose a warm off-white for the walls, which helps the white details stand out without darkening the space overall.

Higham Furniture

In the peninsula, the white Corian worktop contains a moulded sink. ‘It’s a completely seamless part of the worktop,’ says Tim, ‘with no material change and no evidence of a join.’ The sink has a stainless-steel bottom. ‘This is easier to keep clean and can be more robust,’ says Tim.

Ionian pewter-finish tap, Perrin & Rowe.

Higham Furniture

‘The owner didn’t go for lots of ceiling lights,’ says Tim. ‘Instead, small wall lights below the shelf provide task lighting.’ The simple wooden shelves are painted in the same shade as the cabinets.

Hector wall lights, Original BTC. Shelves painted in Shaded White Estate Eggshell, Farrow & Ball.

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

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