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

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.’

bulthaup by Kitchen Architecture

Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here A family
Location Putney, south London
Size The kitchen area is approximately 5m x 5m, within a larger open-plan living and dining space
Designer Amy Chan of Kitchen Architecture

The kitchen is located at the back of the house, in a newly renovated space with large doors that open onto a raised terrace area. Folding doors connect the new kitchen with the sociable terrace for relaxed outdoor entertaining.

bulthaup by Kitchen Architecture

‘The owner wanted a symmetrical feel for the space,’ says Amy, who designed a wall of boxy cabinets along one side. Ovens and cupboards frame the central sink, with a stainless steel splashback behind. With the addition of an island, these two areas offer ample storage and work space.

b3 wall cabinets in kaolin laminate finish; b3 grey aluminium island, all bulthaup by Kitchen Architecture.

Check out how to choose the perfect splashback

A large fridge-freezer stands against one wall. ‘It has three modules, but instead of leaving them freestanding, the builder created a stud wall around them, which was then painted in a grey that complements the kitchen,’ says Amy. ‘It frames the appliances nicely.’

Fridge-freezer, Gaggenau.

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Amy designed the sink to fit in the centre of the wall of units. ‘It was better to put it here than on the island,’ she explains. ‘Now any messy plates or pans that are waiting to be cleaned are tucked out of the way.’

bulthaup by Kitchen Architecture

The sleek hob in the island unit is a full-surface induction hob. ‘You can put the pan down on it anywhere and it will heat up beneath it,’ says Amy.

The owner was going to install an extractor fan here, but as she doesn’t use the hob much and has huge external doors alongside, she decided to fit pendant lights instead.

Hob, Gaggenau. Phane prismatic pendant lights, Original BTC.

bulthaup by Kitchen Architecture

The main wall of units doesn’t extend to the ceiling. ‘The difficulty of building up to the ceiling is that you can’t guarantee space there, if the floor isn’t level for example,’ says Amy. ‘Leaving space at the top is a bit more flexible and the cabinets look more like a piece of furniture.’ This design also preserved the beautiful symmetrical lines the owner was keen on.

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The kitchen is fitted with state-of-the-art appliances. On the left of the sink is a combi steam oven and a standard oven. On the right is a microwave combi oven and a coffee machine. ‘You don’t need to use the hob as much when you have a steam oven,’ says Amy. ‘If you were making a roast, you could steam all your veg in it. It’s a healthier way of cooking that’s becoming increasingly popular.’

All appliances, Gaggenau.

bulthaup by Kitchen Architecture

The spacious island has room for cooking equipment in the drawers that face the sink, while more secondary kit, such as vases and wine glasses, are stored on the side that faces the rest of the room. ‘We often build a designated seating spot flowing off the island,’ says Amy, ‘but here we simply extended the worktop a little so there is a place to perch with a coffee or to write an email. You can also sit here and keep the cook company!’

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bulthaup by Kitchen Architecture

The kitchen is part of a large, open-plan space. ‘The pale units and stainless steel are warmed up by the oak flooring, which has been laid in chevrons for a parquet effect,’ says Amy. Lots of natural light floods into the space, reflecting off the stainless steel and helping it look softer. ‘It seems to change in tone as the day goes on and with the different light levels,’ Amy adds.

Discover how to maximise light in a kitchen

Outside, the black-framed extension that is home to the dining area drops down to the lower-ground floor, where big doors lead out onto a little courtyard off the family snug.

TELL US…
What do you love about this softly industrial kitchen? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.

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

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