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Kitchen of the Week: Country Meets Shaker in a Converted Barn

Kitchen of the Week: Country Meets Shaker in a Converted Barn- Some barns sit in open country, surrounded by fields, but others were built next to the farmhouse, so that valuable livestock or goods were close to hand. Built in the 17th century, this beautiful barn adjoins the home of Arran and Anna Stevens, and once the couple had renovated the house, they turned their attentions to the unconverted barn.

Protected by Grade II listed status, the barn had to be sympathetically brought into the 21st century using traditional materials and painstaking like-for-like work. Then Sam Shaw, of Sustainable Kitchens, was commissioned to create a beautiful cooking space in this large, open and impressive structure. ‘It was just a shell when I first saw it in autumn 2013,’ explains Sam, ‘with gnarly, thick stone walls and a ceiling stretching up to just over 5m at its apex.’

Sam’s brief was to create a kitchen that perfectly suited this space. ‘It had to look as though it really belonged in this ancient building,’ says Sam. The owners liked Sam’s Shaker designs, but wanted a slightly more country cottage look. ‘So we added lots of details, mouldings and beautiful chamfered edges,’ says Sam, ‘while keeping the palette neutral and the walls clear.’

Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here Arran and Anna Stevens
Location Upton Cheyney, south Gloucestershire
Property A converted barn attached to a four-bedroom house
Size Part of a space measuring 6.5m x 4.5m
Designer Sam Shaw, managing director of Sustainable Kitchens

Sustainable Kitchens

‘It was important to keep this space feeling like a barn,’ says Sam Shaw. ‘There was no question of plastering the walls.’ Original oak lintels above the doors were repaired like for like and the owners had bespoke oak window and door frames made for the space.

Sustainable Kitchens

The kitchen sits on the house side of the barn, with space for dining and a lounging area at the other end, and access to the garden. ‘There is a separate living room, behind the larder wall, so the barn operates as a kitchen and relaxed family space,’ says Sam.

The far wall is home to a huge larder. ‘We often fit larders with double doors, but here we installed the fridge-freezer at the centre, with larder storage space on either side,’ says Sam.

Ovens, Neff. Fridge-freezer, Whirlpool.

Sustainable Kitchens

The 300-year-old stone walls are 70cm thick and extremely uneven, so fitting units and upstands against them was a challenge. ‘The solution was to create upstands that are actually boxes, that can be scribed back to the stone on the sides and at the top while fitting snugly to the worktop,’ says Sam.

An additional benefit to this design was that electrical sockets could be fitted here with cables hidden within, so that the lovely stone walls remain clear and unspoiled.

Browse ways to incorporate stone into your space

Sustainable Kitchens

Sam only works with sustainable timber and all the carcasses here are built from FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) birch plywood, while the frames and doors are made from PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) oak.

‘We never use tropical hardwoods,’ says Sam, ‘and we also use nice organic products to finish our designs, including oils and lacquers that are ecofriendly. Our aim is to make as small an impact on the environment as possible with our work.’

Sustainable Kitchens

The owners wanted to tweak classic Shaker design and take it in a more country cottage direction. ‘We added lots of embellishments and details, such as chamfers on cupboard frames and thicker worktops than we would typically use in a traditional Shaker kitchen,’ explains Sam. You can see these details here. The drawer fronts are slightly recessed, with the mouldings level with the frame.

Sustainable Kitchens

As well as fitting both physically and aesthetically into this barn, the kitchen was designed to reference freestanding style. ‘We gave the island and units the sense of being on legs, like a freestanding kitchen, by recessing the timber at the base,’ says Sam.

The limestone flooring, which runs throughout the house, has underfloor heating installed beneath. ‘It helps to preserve the authentic feel of the barn,’ says Sam, ‘with few modern additions tacked on.’

Sustainable Kitchens

Before it was converted, the barn was open to the roof, with the tiles visible. ‘The owners had to repair the roof joists,’ says Sam, ‘and plaster that area in to create a ceiling, using traditional lime render that is sympathetic to the age of the building.’

The tall larder and almost all the appliances fill the far wall, which marks the boundary between the barn and the house.

Sustainable Kitchens

The units are painted in Tallow by Farrow & Ball. ‘We use the exterior eggshell because it’s tough and gives a more durable finish than the interior version,’ says Sam. ‘It also has no oil content, so it’s quick drying.’

Sustainable Kitchens

The island wasn’t designed to work as a breakfast bar originally, but when it was being installed, the owners asked if the worktop could be extended a little. ‘It’s not a full breakfast bar,’ says Sam, ‘as there are drawers on that side, so it wouldn’t work, but it functions nicely as somewhere to perch and is more comfortable than sitting at a true island unit.’

Discover clever ways to expand your kitchen worktop

Sustainable Kitchens

To create a warm, country cottage feel, Sam built worktops that are pleasingly chunky. They are constructed from wide boards of oak that measure 40mm thick and have softly curved corners.

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Trends: 10 Reasons to Make Like Nigella and Pick a Pink Kitchen

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Trends: 10 Reasons to Make Like Nigella and Pick a Pink Kitchen- While we love domestic goddess Nigella Lawson for her diet-defying sticky toffee puddings and heart-warming hotpots, we’re about to love her for an altogether different reason – her new, shocking pink kitchen. Recent reports say that, following the celebrity chef’s divorce from art dealer Charles Saatchi and a move to a new house, Ms Lawson has picked out an eye-dazzling shade of hot pink for her kitchen cabinets and drawers.

If you’re stuck on the idea that this is a shade more at ease in a little girl’s bedroom, then it’s definitely time to rethink the pink palette for other living zones in the home – and that includes the kitchen. From pretty rose and Neapolitan blush to a vibrant shot of bubble-gum, these 10 pink kitchens might just inspire you…

The Myers Touch

Harness shocking pink
Followers of fashion who adore designer Elsa Schiaparelli’s shocking pink signature hue of the 1930s will fall in love with these bold accents.

In a predominantly white kitchen, there’s masses of scope to inject your own personality, be it with spirited colour or busy pattern. The hot pink stools, sofa and strip-like splashback here harmonise the space to striking effect. The rosy rug is a warming touch to the sleek white floor, too.

Harvey Jones Kitchens

Try ice-cream colours
If that’s just too strong for your sensibilities, a soft, ice-cream palette might be a more livable alternative, especially for a classic, Shaker-style kitchen like this. Highlight an island unit or bank of cupboards in pale pink and let the rest of the kitchen meld effortlessly into the background in a chalky white hue.

Pick out the pink on blinds and cupboard interiors, too, if you wish and let a warm, wooden worktop and floor enhance the feel-good factor, while further softening the effect.

Chronicle Books

Fall for flower power
Minimalists look away now, as this utterly flamboyant kitchen certainly won’t float your boat. But as a fan of florals, I love how the blowsy rose print has been used unexpectedly in this kitchen and saturates the room from top to toe. And what could better compete with such theatre than glossy crimson cupboards and a hot pink rug?

Enjoy more ways to use florals in the kitchen

MBD Interiors Ltd

Prettify one area
Cotton candy pink can’t help but add an inviting slant to your kitchen and instil heart-warming memories of childhood trips to the seaside.

Used in small doses, this particular pink is very cute, but to avoid anything too sickly sweet, paint it on just one wall. This also means it can easily be changed if you tire of the shade. For me, the full-length pink and white print curtains are the icing on the cake in this scheme.

Stiff and Trevillion

Light up
This neon statement light is fabulously fun and a playful way to push a little pink love to boot! Because if fuchsia kitchen cupboards or even a candyfloss wall stretches this colour trend a tad too far for your design palate, then simply accessorise with pink bits and bobs that can be swapped and changed as you fancy.

Try pink tea towels, storage jars or stools, or simply splash out on a bunch of pink roses every week and display them in the middle of your kitchen.

Explore more decorative lighting for the kitchen

Caroline Browne Interior Design

Pick out a hot pink
If you adore hot, fiery tones but don’t fancy a full-on pink fest, why not add splashes of this vibrant hue as an accent? An open-plan kitchen-diner in a muted mix of dark grey and white leaps to life with a hot pink glass splashback and matching low-slung sofa. The result is a welcoming, spirited space for cooking, eating and hanging out with friends.

Aaron Davies Design

Be bubble-gum bold
This bubble-gum pink kitchen is bang on the money for many reasons. The plain matt finish offers a pleasing, pared-back texture, while the steel and pale wood accents tone down the all-over boldness. It’s compact and contained, too, and would be the perfect kitchen for city apartment living. Young, fresh and dynamic…

Glenvale Kitchens

Dare to be different
OK, so this isn’t everyone’s cup of tea when it comes to kitchens, but the fizzy mix of bold magenta and teal blue will certainly wow guests. The fabulously feisty colour combo bucks the trend for subtle vintage tones and simply does its own thing… and does it well.

marco joe fazio photography

Weave in whispery tones
I adore barely there rose and washed-out blush and, for me, this peppering of pale pink is just as inspired as a brash, in-your-face fuchsia. It’s not often we see long curtains in a kitchen – particularly in a small space – but the voluminous fabric and sweet shade add a charming touch to the all-over white furniture and floor that would be lost with a simple blind.

Diane Berry Kitchens

Go for girlie glamour
While we’re more at home plumping for hot pink hues, floral wallpaper and twinkly glass lights in the boudoir, this glamorous combination can pack a serious statement in the kitchen, too. The candy pink worktop makes sure the island unit becomes the star feature, while the crystal pendant is actually a practical extractor fan for whisking away cooking fumes. This is fashion meets function at its very best.

TELL US…
Are you inspired by these pink kitchens? Would you brave a blush finish in your own – or have you already? We’d love to hear your thoughts and see your photos in the Comments below.

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

How to Give Your Kitchen Space a Dash of Vintage Flair

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How to Give Your Kitchen Space a Dash of Vintage Flair- By mixing a few vintage pieces with modern appliances and fittings, you can transform your kitchen into a characterful room in which it will be a pleasure to spend time, rather than just a functional space. Vintage items and antiques not only tend to be well made (if they’ve survived this long, they were built to last), they’re also guaranteed to add charm and integrity. So hunt out anything and everything from furniture and lighting to retro pots and quirky seating that will really add unique character.

Blakes London

Lighten up
Vintage lighting is a great way of retrofitting some character into a kitchen that’s already been built. And for a small change, it can add a lot of personality.

If frilly, decorative vintage isn’t your thing, stick to utilitarian designs and midcentury pieces. This Ercol sofa looks right at home in this airy, warehouse-style space, especially upholstered to match the wall cupboards opposite.

Shabby-chic Style Kitchen Shabby Chic Kitchen

Go Franglais
The French do vintage particularly well, and this Gallic take on rustic would work just as well in a British kitchen. (If your ceilings aren’t quite so lofty, the look will just be a little cosier.)

Simply swerve those country classics we’re more familiar with – gingham, homely wooden cupboards and buttery paint shades – and instead choose cooler neutrals and whites to keep your backdrop pale and elegant. Distressed paintwork will add to the antique effect and help to blend the new with the original. Vintage-style encaustic floor tiles will really up the continental vintage look, as will choosing freestanding units over a fitted kitchen.

Add elegant, second-hand seating, factory-style lighting, an ancient butcher’s block, antique copper pans and a good supply of well-worn chopping boards to complete the look.

Contemporary Kitchen Contemporary Kitchen

Upsize your kitchen table
Antique industrial workbenches or dairy tables can make wonderful kitchen furniture, especially in large, open-plan spaces or homes where mealtimes are busy. Find them through antiques dealers or auctions (on- or offline), or pick a sunny morning to poke around a trade market (look up the IACF online for a list).

Do check out the height: if it wasn’t built for sitting around, it may not be the correct height for dining chairs. Legs can be chopped down, or try teaming it with adjustable-height stools. You could also use a tall table as an additional work surface instead.

Sigmar

Reclaim and repurpose
If you enjoy wandering around flea markets and vintage shops, then you’ll love hunting out unique items that will add a strong feeling of individuality to your kitchen. Always think creatively and consider upcycling to give an old item a new lease of life.

Here, a reclaimed piece of wood has been turned into a wine rack and makes not just a useful piece of kitchen equipment, but a fantastic vintage design statement, too.

Discover how to add dramatic black without it overpowering your space

Compass and Rose

Celebrate the old-school
Give the industrial look a twist with vintage school pieces. These original school chairs boost the characterful look of this kitchen, especially paired with a well-loved wooden kitchen table – though they’d add warmth to a modern design, too. They’re also stackable, so can be stored on top of each other in a corner of the room when not in use.

Team them with industrial lighting as well as furniture and cupboards made from reclaimed vintage floorboards for a full-on, gritty interior that’s too cool for school.

Explore more ideas for industrial interiors

George Robinson Kitchens

Choose modern nostalgia
Retro fridges are ideal for adding a vintage vibe to clean, modern kitchens without having to do any arduous antiques hunting (it’s not for everyone, after all). Opt for a bright burst of tangerine orange or sunshine yellow for a bold, 1960s statement, and let your choice of colour dictate your nostalgic scheme. Accessorise with contemporary graphic print accessories by designers such as Orla Kiely to up the retro flavour.

Blakes London

Mix things up
Contrast old and new by adding a functional piece of vintage furniture – perhaps a cupboard, console, sideboard or dresser – to a sleek, contemporary kitchen. Modern fitted kitchens can often feel sterile and showroom-y without a bit of customisation and personality, and this is a stylish way to add character and warmth. Just make sure your piece serves a purpose, whether as storage or an extra worktop, to fit with the rest of your carefully planned kitchen.

And don’t banish antique table lamps to living spaces – just choose or adapt one to fit perfectly with your chosen kitchen palette. The cosy glow will add another layer of interest and warmth after dark.

deVOL Kitchens

Repurpose old equipment
Vintage kitchen equipment is often robust, well made and beautiful in design, and will lend a sense of authenticity to kitchens in period homes. Source items such as old-style weighing scales, vintage enamel flour buckets and classic Kilner storage jars to add a little yesteryear charm to your cook space.

Not everything will be practical – you won’t find kilograms on old-fashioned weighing implements, for instance – but get repurposing: what else could an item be used for? This weighing pan is crying out for a pile of apples.

Look out also for antique tiles and, even if you only find one or two of each design, they can be arranged in a patchwork to create a unique splashback.

Be inspired by more ideas for kitchen upcycling

Chauncey's Floor Fitting Services

Reproduce the look with style
Country-style kitchens seem to exude natural vintage charm, as the key components are so ingrained in the history of interior design: think dressers, traditional wooden dining tables and bare floorboards. Put the emphasis on quality craftsmanship and these are all simple details to reproduce without losing authenticity.

This is a good style direction if you want a subtle vintage flavour but an efficient modern kitchen. Make it work by sourcing furniture in old shades of white, neutrals and soft greys rather than bare, obviously new wood. Stylewise, choose details including Shaker-style units, tongue and groove panelling and understated neutral lampshades for a design recipe full of vintage charm.

Magnolia Homes

See the signs
A giant piece of original enamel signage will always make a stylish statement in a kitchen – it’s something to do with their utilitarian look in a functional space. And the more scuffed and battered the better, so do invest in an original rather than a reproduction if you can, as they tend to look better, especially at this sort of size.

The good ones, especially large signs, cost several hundred pounds at least, and rare designs are likely to be pricier still. But look at it as you would an investment into a piece of art, and choose something simply because you love it (and it goes with your kitchen palette, of course). You might find it appreciates in value, too.

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Which vintage details would you like to have in your kitchen? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.

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Kitchen of the Week: Colour and Creativity Combine in a Rural Cottage

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Kitchen of the Week: Colour and Creativity Combine in a Rural Cottage- It’s not often a bright yellow range cooker is the starting point for a kitchen design, but Jo, an artist, and her partner, Dave, were determined to include one in their Somerset cottage. ‘The kitchen grew from Jo’s choice of range and her ideas for storage, much of which now contains her art and crafting materials,’ says Sam Shaw of Sustainable Kitchens, who designed the space. Additional colour was added with blue painted cabinets and Sam brought Jo’s sketches for a unique cabinet of drawers and cupboards to life using a mix of interesting woods.

Finished in August 2014, the kitchen is now both brilliantly functional and uniquely personal. And despite sitting within a 19th century cottage, it’s about as far from typical country kitchen style as it’s possible to imagine. ‘It’s colourful, playful and just so much fun,’ says Sam.

Sustainable Kitchens

Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here Jo, Dave and their two children
Location Long Ashton, Somerset
Size 5.1m x 3.3m. The cottage has 3 bedrooms
Designer Sam Shaw of Sustainable Kitchens

The exposed stone walls of this cottage kitchen contribute heaps of character to the space, against which a mix of painted cabinets, a super-bright range and solid oak worktops stand out handsomely. All the cabinets have oak frontages and frames, with birch interiors.

‘The cabinets are sprayed first in our workshop to get a good base shade, then we install them and finish off by hand-painting them,’ says Sam. ‘The great thing about using oak is you can still see the grain through the paint.’

Cabinets painted in Stone Blue Estate Eggshell, Farrow & Ball.

Sustainable Kitchens

Owner Jo had this Bertazzoni range cooker in mind when she first chatted to Sam about the kitchen design. ‘She had it spray painted at the Ferrari factory in Italy,’ he says, ‘in bespoke Ferrari yellow!’ The pendant light over the island was also coloured in this way.

Jo’s partner, Dave, a metalworker, made the France-shaped splashback from stainless steel. ‘The couple love France and go there every year,’ says Sam. ‘It’s beautifully made, with the steel folded at the same height as the upstand so it fits perfectly.’

Range, Bertazzoni.

Read expert advice on choosing the perfect splashback

Sustainable Kitchens

The yellow range and pendant light create bright focal points in the space, complemented by the blue units. ‘It’s quite unusual for clients to suggest this much colour, but since we’ve had this kitchen on our website, it’s made a big impact,’ says Sam. ‘It’s just so much fun!’

To make use of vertical space, Sam created the pan rack over the range from metal bars with oak brackets, ‘rather like a clothes airer,’ he says.

Sustainable Kitchens

Fitting the solid oak worktops and upstands in against the uneven stone walls was a big challenge. ‘We scribed them in, which means cutting the wood by hand so it fits perfectly,’ says Sam. ‘It was a huge job for our installation team.’

Walls painted in All White Estate Emulsion, Farrow & Ball.

Sustainable Kitchens

Space was tight in this cottage kitchen, so Sam designed a small-scale island for the centre of the room. ‘There was a little table in the middle before, which Jo loved to work at, so she really wanted an island in the same spot, but it had to be small,’ says Sam. ‘Now she does a lot of food prep in this area.’

Sustainable Kitchens

The cabinet built into the alcove at the far end of the room was designed by Jo. ‘We all call it the bonkers cabinet!’ says Sam. ‘It’s a random mix of drawers and doors, and we built it exactly according to Jo’s sketch.’

It’s fitted with sliding doors at the base to make efficient use of space. ‘The dining table is right next to it and there wasn’t enough room to open doors outwards,’ explains Sam. ‘We wanted to cram as much storage into this small room as we could!’

Sustainable Kitchens

The drawers in the ‘bonkers cabinet’ are all made from different British hardwoods. ‘We have an agreement with a sawmill in Somerset called Interesting Timbers,’ says Sam. ‘They take down trees that are overhanging people’s homes and we buy the offcuts and make them into drawers.’

These drawers are made of, from left to right: ash, walnut, beech and yew. ‘This arrangement gives us access to all kinds of interesting hardwoods and it fits with our sustainable ethic, too,’ he adds.

Sustainable Kitchens

Jo found the mixer tap on a Swedish website and imported it. ‘It’s self-colour brass, so it looks quite muted,’ says Sam. ‘It can be hard to find brass that hasn’t been polished and made to look bling.’

The cupboard knobs are made from turned mild steel. ‘It has a nice dull colour,’ says Sam.

Explore how to pick the best metals for your taps and handles

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Kitchen of the Week: A Softly Industrial Look for a Family Kitchen

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Kitchen of the Week: A Softly Industrial Look for a Family Kitchen- Designing this open, family-friendly kitchen in a south London home was a happy experience. ‘The owner was the nicest person you could wish to meet,’ says Amy Chan of Kitchen Architecture, who created the space using bulthaup cabinets. ‘She was brilliant at making decisions, too.’

Amy’s brief was to create an open-plan kitchen that would suit family life. ‘The owner was interested in materials and symmetry in particular,’ says Amy. Stainless steel features on the worktops, splashback and appliances, and the colour grey runs through the kitchen, too, thanks to all the steel, but also the aluminium island. A neat wall of units with handleless doors provides the requested symmetry and an oak floor warms up the space. ‘The overall look is almost industrial,’ says Amy, ‘but more elegant and refined than that, with the owner’s eclectic pieces personalising the space.’