Jamie oversaw the building of an L-shaped extension at the rear of the house, configured with a dining space at the back overlooking the garden, and a kitchen further in towards the original house. ‘We went out four metres at the rear and two and a half at the sides,’ he explains.
An antique table with drawers, bought at auction from a mews house in London, was the starting point for the kitchen design. ‘The owners showed me a picture of it and said, “What can we do with this?"’ says Jamie. It now sits along one wall, next to simple, sleek units, a reconditioned Aga and some dramatic, dark paintwork, setting the vintage meets modern tone beautifully in this elegant, original space.
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here A family of four
Location Colchester, Essex
Size 4.5m wide and around 14m from kitchen entrance to garden wall; the rear part of the extension is 6.5m wide.
Blakes London
A dark-painted wall anchors the different materials and moods in this room. The colour is Brinjal by Farrow & Ball. ‘Black is very on trend,’ says Jamie, ‘but this is more like a cross between aubergine and deep grey.’ It means the black Aga chimney and table lamps subtly stand out, rather than disappearing into the background.
Using sheet copper for the hob splashback is another elegant touch. It matches the copper fitted onto each end of the island unit, adding a wonderfully warm, slightly traditional feel – kitchenware and pans were often made of copper in the past.
Using sheet copper for the hob splashback is another elegant touch. It matches the copper fitted onto each end of the island unit, adding a wonderfully warm, slightly traditional feel – kitchenware and pans were often made of copper in the past.
Blakes London
The kitchen is part of an L-shaped extension, with a dining space at the rear. Mid-century chairs picked up on eBay flank a long table, perfect for sociable dining, and there are two sets of glass doors (one not seen), which pull in light.
Blakes London
Skylights bring light into the back of the kitchen and the rooms beyond. ‘That whole kitchen space is about 14m long,’ says Jamie, ‘and the back was quite dark before we fitted the roof lights.’
Blakes London
Both ends of the kitchen island are clad in copper from a sheet metal supplier. ‘We originally just fitted sprayed panels,’ says Jamie, ‘but once they were done, we decided the island needed something more.’ The copper is both original and practical, warming up the sleek units and, at this end, softly reflecting the dining area beyond.
See how copper tones warm an Amsterdam apartment
See how copper tones warm an Amsterdam apartment
Blakes London
With its pale marble floor and modern units, the space easily accommodates objects and finds from across the eras, such as this mid-century Ercol armchair, for a traditional meets contemporary mash-up.
Blakes London
The flooring is raw travertine. ‘It’s a tough and traditional material,’ says Jamie. It looks great against both the vintage pieces in the room and the new units, and is durable, so it can handle the heavy traffic a kitchen gets. The Aga was part of the original kitchen, but Jamie had it refurbished. ‘There’s also a conventional oven fitted into the island unit, although the owner is very confident at cooking with an Aga,’ says Jamie. ‘She’s done so since she was a kid.’
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The owners bought this antique table at auction. It was originally used in the kitchen of a London mews house and is around 180 years old. Due to its age, it was in a poor state, with a damaged frame. ‘The structure was quite flimsy at the back,’ says Jamie, ‘so we had to fix that and then actually bolt the whole thing to the wall to make it steady.’ Two table lamps add soft, ambient light at night and nicely flank a painting and cluster of hurricane lamps, creating a symmetrical display.
Blakes London
The owner sourced the copper lights from the US. ‘They are accent lighting rather than task,’ says Jamie, ‘and create big pools of soft light on the island work surface.’ They are fitted with warm white bulbs for an extra glow. ‘It helps to bring the walls in and warm up the worktop, which could look cold,’ he says. The work surface is made from Caesarstone, an engineered quartz material.
Browse a selection of pendant lights
Browse a selection of pendant lights
Blakes London
The kitchen units were made bespoke using 22mm MDF with an oak veneer, sprayed with matt paint. ‘The owner didn’t want a stark matt finish,’ explains Jamie. ‘With this, you can see the wood grain, which adds subtle character.’
Blakes London
Small shelves either side of the Aga are more decorative than practical, and provide space for the owner to display a collection of vintage china. Small details play their part in the success of this entire space. For example, the plug sockets are copper coloured to match the lighting, splashback and island.
What do you think of this kitchen? What elements of it would you like to incorporate into your own kitchen?
What do you think of this kitchen? What elements of it would you like to incorporate into your own kitchen?
http://www.houzz.co.uk/photos/kitchen
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