Kitchen of the Week: A Design-led Space Fit for Family Life

Kitchen of the Week: A Design-led Space Fit for Family Life- When Jane Powell, kitchen designer at Roundhouse, set about creating this kitchen for Phoebe and Nick Bryans and their family, the brief was well thought through. ‘Phoebe had a clear vision of what she wanted, which was design-led with a slightly industrial feel, using stainless steel and brick,’ says Jane. But in addition to thinking about the aesthetics, the functionality and atmosphere of the space were crucial, too. ‘It had to be a relaxed family area,’ says Jane. ‘Friendly and warm, not at all clinical, and somewhere that reflected the family’s personalities.’

Phoebe came armed with a mood board of images, and she and Jane worked closely together to devise the whole scheme. ‘Her ideas were very much on the pulse of current trends,’ says Jane. ‘One tear sheet she had featured an open shelf on an island, so we incorporated that here.’

The finished room is a gorgeous lesson in contemporary design, but it has a wonderfully relaxed, sociable feel. It forms a beautiful and highly functional link between the other rooms in this space and can be admired from all sides. ‘We used a combination of open and closed storage,’ adds Jane, ‘and a mix of textures, from wood to stainless steel, to get that industrial vibe.’

Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here Phoebe and Nick Bryans and their three children
Location London
Designer Roundhouse
Size The kitchen area is approximately 4.6m wide and 4.25m long

Roundhouse

‘The cabinetry is in matt lacquer, and the warm grey colour scheme is integral to the whole space,’ says Jane. ‘If we’d gone for a safe choice – all white for instance – it might have looked clinical and cold.’ The kitchen is the Urbo handleless bespoke matt lacquer kitchen from Roundhouse, in Downpipe by Farrow & Ball.

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Roundhouse

‘The central island is a key piece for the whole family,’ says Jane. ‘The children can be at one end doing their homework while Phoebe or Nick are cooking at the other. Everyone can be seated without feeling tight for space.’ The shelf in the island was Phoebe’s idea, and is home to small stacks of white china and a row of cookbooks. ‘It contributes to the relaxed feel,’ says Jane.

Roundhouse

‘This kitchen works beautifully for everyone,’ says Jane. ‘It’s a huge, open-plan room with the island at its centre, a relaxed living space at one end and a dining area in the glass extension at the other. The kitchen links the two spaces beautifully.’ Ample storage keeps the space functioning and looking ordered. A pantry beside the ovens, for example, holds all the food items, including dry goods, bottles and spices.

Roundhouse

The stainless steel worktop on the island extends out to create a place to sit within the kitchen space. In addition to the kitchen’s steel, Corian and matt lacquer, the island and units also feature thin strips of oak. ‘We designed the solid oak handrail on all the cabinetry to bring warmth to the dark grey and steel scheme,’ says Jane.

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Roundhouse

‘We chose robust stainless steel for the island worktop, which brings with it a utilitarian feel,’ says Jane. ‘It had to be tough enough to stand up to family life, but also foolproof in terms of heat resistance and day-to-day wear and tear. Phoebe also likes the patina that develops with continual use.’

Roundhouse

‘We included lots of storage in the kitchen,’ says Jane, ‘to cater for food, equipment and everything else!’ There are two sets of drawers alongside the hob for pots, utensils and cutlery, a pantry beside the ovens for food, and open shelves above the sink that house china, small appliances and books.

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Roundhouse

‘On the sink run we used Corian in Glacier White for the worktop, to differentiate the area from the island while keeping it neutral and easy to clean,’ explains Jane. The Fuji tap in stainless steel with a pull-out nozzle is by Franke. The boiling water tap alongside is by Quooker. The gas hob that sits flush to the work surface is by Barazza.

Roundhouse

Masses of natural light floods in via the glass roof and doors on the dining area, so that the kitchen, positioned right in the centre of the house, still feels bright and can carry off a grey scheme beautifully.

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