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Kitchen of the Week: Sunlit Garden Views in Bristol

Kitchen of the Week: Sunlit Garden Views in Bristol- Knocking out the wall of an attached storage unit transformed a dark and cramped kitchen into a clean and light-filled space complete with a dining room and garden view. Homeowners Alex Larkin and Jane Wallenstein wanted a dining area in their Victorian home in Bristol, so Architect Federica Vasetti took out their storeroom wall to clear out the needed space. A corner window and access to the south-facing garden now fill the combined rooms with plenty of sunshine.

DHV Architects

A galley layout makes efficient use of the small kitchen and allows for plenty of worktop space. The kitchen walkway leads the eye to the dining room - which has the same width as the kitchen - and the garden end of the space.

Wall paint: Cornforth White, Farrow & Ball; fan hood: Baumatic

Browse more galley layouts

DHV Architects

The previous kitchen stopped short at a storage room that could be accessed only from the outdoors. Knocking out the wall allowed Vasetti to build an attached dining area in the old storage room without changing the home's footprint. Eames chairs add playful color.

Chairs: Eames Eiffel; table, bench: New Heights

DHV Architects

A new frameless corner window draws the eye to the beautiful garden. Vasetti had an acrylic mirror added to this exterior wall. The reflective surface makes the space feel bigger and reflects light around the garden and into the dining room.

DHV Architects

Now the large corner window provides a clear view to the outdoors. While the frame of the corner window is recessed into the wall for aesthetic purposes, a glass patio door at the other end of the dining space opens up into the garden.

To cut costs, Larkin did a lot of the work himself - including staining the exterior plywood cladding. He sourced his own materials and hired a carpenter on a day rate instead of a main contractor.

DHV Architects

The turquoise glass painted splashback provides the only significant colour. “It’s a small space, so the main priority was to keep it simple,” says Vasetti. Larkin was particularly involved in choosing the finishes - he found the splashback at a local glazing company and installed it himself.

Glass backsplash: West Street Glazing, Bristol

Check out some more unique and colourful splashbacks

DHV Architects

Simple oiled oak worktops tie in with the wide-plank oak flooring and the oak table and bench in the dining room.

Counters: Clarks Wood; flooring: Wood and Stone

DHV Architects

The new galley layout makes for an efficient cooking space. Handleless white Ikea units reflect sunlight from the dining room into the narrow kitchen and keep with the space’s streamlined feel. Sticking with Ikea cabinetry helped keep the couple on budget, too.

Oven, range, fridge, stove, freezer: Bosch; sink, tap: Franke

What do you think of this kitchen's colourful new style? Let us know in the comments.

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

Rented Homes: How to Add Character to Your Kitchen

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Rented Homes: How to Add Character to Your Kitchen- The kitchen is not the most obvious room in the house to dress with accessories, and we often focus our styling ideas on the living room or bedroom instead. But in the kitchen of a rented property, where there are limitations around what else you can change, a touch of clever styling can be the perfect way to customise your room and take it from impersonal to bursting with character. Try some of these easy, clever tricks to make your cooking space feel more like your own.

Joanna Thornhill Interiors

Hide in plain sight
Rethink any elements of the space you simply don’t like the look of and try to devise a work-around option. You can’t really do anything about an unfortunately positioned boiler, for instance, but by turning it into a feature you can make a vast improvement to its appearance and the overall look of the space. Here, an offcut from a Cole & Son wallpaper has been stuck to the boiler’s front with washi tape, for a quick fix makeover.

Magnolia Homes

Spell it out
Old enamel signs instantly add character to any space and are particularly practical in a kitchen, as they can be easily wiped clean if they get greasy. Scour flea markets and eBay for something similar. If you don’t want to make hanging holes in your wall — or are forbidden from doing so by your rental contract — a long, skinny sign can be simply propped on top of wall units or a high shelf, keeping it out of the way of functional areas.

Discover more ways to incorporate typography into your home

Midcentury Kitchen Shabby Chic-inspirerad Kök

Style your storage
One easy and portable way to add instant personality to a rental kitchen is by building a collection of vintage tins. This kind of storage looks too good to be hidden inside a cupboard and creates a homely feel that is as practical as it is pretty. Use on open shelves or on worktops and if the vintage look is not your thing, opt for minimal glass Kilner jars instead, and decant dry foods into them.

Check out some smart ways to keep your kitchen clutter-free

Chris Snook

Introduce window treatments
Soft furnishings can warm up the look of a kitchen space and are another way to add a touch of your own personality. If you love retro motifs, for example, adding a patterned blind can help make the room feel like your own. Take down your landlord’s linens and reuse his fixtures, then simply replace when the time comes to move on.

SchappacherWhite Architecture D.P.C.

Consider a chalkboard
If your rental contract allows you to paint the rooms, a chalkboard wall within a kitchen is both stylish and practical. It creates a space for handy notes and personal illustrations, creating a cool focal point and distracting from any less than desirable cabinetry. As an added bonus, a wall covered with blackboard paint is easy to wipe clean of cooking spills, too. If you are not permitted to paint, look out for large format removable chalkboard wall stickers instead.

Clark Collins - Collins Design & Development

Pick practical pieces
If your rental kitchen has awkward high cupboards and you need help to access them, choose carefully. A stepladder is great for reaching the highest units, but if there is nowhere to store it, go for something that is easier on the eye and can remain out on show, like this stool. As in other rooms, a rug can really help finish off a kitchen and tie it together, but go for a plastic design (usually intended for outdoor use) which is more practical and can be wiped down when hit with spills.

Renewal Design-Build

Decorate with crockery
In a similar vein to the storage tins seen previously, try to build up a collection of statement crockery and glassware to act as decoration in its own right. Glass fronted cabinets or open shelving in particular can be brought alive by a well curated collection of pieces.

Hilda Grahnat

Bring in some green
House plants and succulents quite literally add life to any room, and in a kitchen, which can sometimes feel rather functional, they help to soften the edges of the space. If you have wide windowsills, use these for pots of herbs, too, or if surface space is limited, consider investing in a few hanging planters to add interest at the corners.

Andrew Snow Photography

Work in texture
Add character to a bland room with some textural vintage pieces. Fitting your own cupboard doors, as here, might not be an option, but keep an eye out for an old door in a skips or at salvage yard (they are not hard to come by) and simply lean one up against your wall. You can then use it as a makeshift noticeboard, or screw a few cup hooks into it and hang your pots and pans on it.

What are some ways you personalise your kitchen? Tell us your styling tips in the comments.

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

Kitchen of the Week: A Slick, Modern Design in a Beautiful Period Space

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Kitchen of the Week: A Slick, Modern Design in a Beautiful Period Space- When Richard and Barbara Anderson moved into this 17th century vicarage with a Victorian extension in Oxford, they gave kitchen designer Marcus Watkins free rein to reconfigure the downstairs space.

‘The kitchen was originally in the old part of the house, which had low ceilings and was heavily beamed,’ recalls Marcus. ‘We decided the best solution would be to move it into the newer, Victorian addition. The space had been unused for a number of years, but it was beautifully laid out with gorgeous features, such as the decorative windows and original stone fireplace.’

The old kitchen space was duly transformed into a cosy snug, while Richard worked his magic transforming this architecturally rich room into a contemporary kitchen that works in harmony with its period surroundings.

Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here Richard and Barbara Anderson
Location Oxford
Architect Marcus Watkins of bulthaup by Kitchen Architecture

bulthaup by Kitchen Architecture

Richard and Barbara were happy to consider reconfiguring their downstairs space when they moved into this 17th century vicarage. A Victorian addition to the house had caused the layout to become confused over the years. They called in Marcus as he had worked with them before, so was already familiar with their tastes.

bulthaup by Kitchen Architecture

‘It can be very beautiful when contemporary design and traditional features are juxtaposed,’ says Marcus, who was mindful of respecting the original architectural details during the renovation. ‘We’ve adopted a very honest approach – it’s not trying to be a reproduction of a style, it’s unashamedly contemporary,’ he explains. A natural stone fireplace takes centre stage in the room and is flanked by two freestanding grey aluminium cabinets with walnut edges, designed to complement the walnut herringbone floor.

Love flat panel cabinets? Browse thousands of kitchen photos with flat panel cabinets to see more.

bulthaup by Kitchen Architecture

The aluminium cabinets seamlessly integrate the kitchen’s appliances while also keeping smaller items, such as the coffee maker and toaster, out of sight. Drawers in the unit on the left house crockery and mugs, and are directly opposite the sink, which has a boiling water tap. ‘It’s all very aesthetically pleasing, but part of the beauty comes from the functionality,’ explains Marcus. ‘For instance, the dishwasher is close to where crockery is stored, so it’s easy to unload,’ he says.

bulthaup by Kitchen Architecture

Two sinks have been integrated into the sleek island, which also houses concealed waste disposal. The induction hob sits flush to the worktop, which allows it to be a multifunctional area. ‘It can be covered with a chopping board when it’s not in use to maximise the worktop space,’ explains Marcus. ‘The cabinets and the island provide all the storage for the kitchen. We didn’t want to interfere with the features, so we decided against wall-hung units.’

Check out more fabulous kitchen islands here

bulthaup by Kitchen Architecture

A cantilevered walnut breakfast bar visually links with the flooring and dressers, while providing a practical space where the couple can enjoy informal meals. ‘Architecturally, this room is very exciting and, by introducing contemporary cabinetry, I feel we’ve done something a little different,’ says Marcus.

Find out how to incorporate a dining area into a small space

bulthaup by Kitchen Architecture

The double-depth kaolin (off-white) laminate island incorporates storage and drawers on both sides, so is practical as well as beautiful. ‘We also spent a lot of time considering the layout of this room,’ says Marcus. ‘We’ve been careful to ensure the island is centred with the windows, so the space benefits from lots of symmetry. It’s quite a sculptural look,’ he adds.

bulthaup by Kitchen Architecture

The handleless drawers in the island have touch latches and elegant recessed grips at the top, all helping to create the seamless look the couple wanted. ‘It’s a very discreet, simple scheme that complements rather than mimics its surroundings,’ says Marcus.

Liked this? Share your thoughts in the Comments section below.

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

9 of the Best Ways to Stash Bulky Culinary Kit in Your Kitchen

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9 of the Best Ways to Stash Bulky Culinary Kit in Your Kitchen- Whether you prefer to have all your kitchen kit on display or take a more streamlined approach to your storage, it’s the cumbersome items that are the most challenging to squeeze in neatly. We all need wide baking trays and stretched-out serving platters, even if it’s only once in a while, but finding them a home is the tricky part. Take a look at these 10 different ways to impose store and order and make your kitchen a calm culinary zone.

rigby & mac

Create an interesting display
I adore this colourful and eclectic storage area, which is filled with a delightful mishmash of equally colourful and eclectic bowls, jugs and kitchen kit. When everyday cooking equipment looks this eye-catching, it definitely needs to be on show for all to see.

Russell Taylor Architects

Hang up in a row
A classic metal ceiling rack for hanging up shiny pots and pans is the perfect partner to a traditional range cooker. Pair with a dresser-style unit comprising a mix of deep drawers and display shelves for taking care of toasters, blenders and the rest.

Roundhouse

Utilise big pull-outs
Sometimes capacious drawers are the best answer, hiding away all of our pans, baking trays and other awkwardly shaped equipment that doesn’t have an obvious home elsewhere. The good news is kitchens are now designed with huge drawer options that make accessing everything super-easy.

Tipfords

Build in bespoke shelving
A quick glance at this chic, pared-back kitchen and you might just think it’s someone’s living room. The clean colour palette and retro table help for certain, but perhaps it’s the simple, cubbyhole shelving that really nails the look. The pots, appliances and platters are stored in such an orderly fashion, they look more like ornaments than hardworking kitchen kit.

Glenvale Kitchens

Don’t forget corners
Kitchen storage is so canny these days that you can be sure there’s a solution to meet every conceivable obstacle. Clever, V-shaped drawers transform a dead corner space into something super practical – the ideal spot for stashing fiddly gadgets and clumsy cookware.

Robert Paige Cabinetry LLC

Work in a pantry
Pantries are incredibly useful for hiding away all your pitchers, mixing bowls, tureens and teapots. This design successfully maximises every last inch in a redundant alcove, and has a space-saving sliding door to hide it all away.

See more stylish pantries

MOSAIC Group [Architects and Remodelers]

Exploit interiors
Piles of Pyrex and tangles of tools are a thing of the past if you embrace some of the many interior drawer solutions. With designs ranging from flexible pegs to removable dividers, it’s possible to stash all of your bulky items in perfect order.

Marcia Prentice Photography

Bask in a coppery glow
Make the most of the trend for warm metallics by hanging any copper pans from a shelf. Use the shelf to hold your most cumbersome pans and dishes as the rosy gleam of the copper will take everyone’s attention.

DHV Architects

Organise your reading matter
When we think of bulky kitchen kit, we automatically think of clunky pots and oversized platters. But how about all of those cherished cookery books, which are just as much a part of your batterie de cuisine as the rest of the gadgets and gizmos? These owners have found a great solution, with one side of the island transformed into a cookery book library, so favourite recipes and menus are both tucked away and to hand.

Discover more great ways to get the most from your kitchen storage

How have you tackled and tamed your kitchen kit? Share your ideas and photos in the Comment below.

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

10 Ways to Work an Open-plan Kitchen and Living Space

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10 Ways to Work an Open-plan Kitchen and Living Space- Open-plan living has become the go-to style choice in our homes today. Offering a one-stop shop where families can gather, cook, eat, relax and play, these versatile spaces truly are the hub of the home. In such high-traffic areas, looking good isn’t the only requirement – they must be functional and well designed, too. Here are some inspiring ways to make this multi-purpose space work well for you.

Rebecca Hayes Interiors

Keep the living area streamlined
In a smaller living area, consider opting for a smaller sofa, or even simply a pair of armchairs. This image features a classic Ercol studio couch, which is stylish and comfy, but has a much smaller footprint than many upholstered designs, and spindly legs that keep more of the floor in sight, ensuring the open-plan area feels spacious and uncluttered.

See some inventive ways to big up a small living room

Rendall & Wright

Consider heating and ventilation
When planning an open-plan kitchen and living area, a good extractor fan is essential. This will ensure those relaxing on the sofa aren’t hit with strong cooking smells from the kitchen.

Also think about heating the room evenly. In this scheme, a wood-burning stove heats the whole space. Its position in the centre of the room also draws a subtle line between the living area and kitchen-diner.

Francesco Pierazzi Architects

Integrate your appliances
Ditching clutter is one of the keys to a successful open-plan area, but in kitchens and living spaces, this can prove tricky. Consider hiding everything from appliances to white goods away behind a long bank of sleek cupboard doors to keep things looking calm and ordered. Furniture in the same colour as the cupboards – in this case white – helps keep the look fuss-free.

Northwick Design

Work from end to end
In a long, narrow room, consider placing the kitchen at one end and the living area at the other. This transitional layout will maximise the space, creating a natural flow from one area to the next.

It might be tempting to position the sofa across the room, breaking the space into two separate zones. However, placing the sofa vertically, as in this image, gives a clear sightline from one end of the room to the other and out into the garden beyond.

Design-OD

Harmonise with colour
When combining a kitchen and living room, try to include at least one colour that links the spaces, so they are subtly united. Here, purple plays the harmonising role, from the soft heather of the kitchen cupboards to the deep purple sofa, with accessories such as the tea towels and glassware reinforcing the link.

Read 9 inventive ways to light up your living room

Contemporary Living Room Contemporary Living Room

Zone off sections
While many activities can take place in an open-plan room, zoning off sections can help each space to feel more intimate. These breaks can be made at low level, by using rugs or a change of flooring, or higher up, by using kitchen worktops and sofas to divide the space. In this room, the homeowners have cleverly used the U-shape of the kitchen worktop to differentiate between the dining area at the back and the living area at the front.

Stiff and Trevillion

Adopt a consistent style
For the same reason you might want to pick one or two colours to carry through an open-plan room, picking a consistent furniture style is a good idea, too. This room is a beautiful blend of midcentury pieces, and they all complement each other very well. If you’re a fan of a particular style, then try to reflect this in both the living and kitchen areas, and this will give your room a sense of cohesion.

Be inspired by this open-plan living area

Contemporary Dining Room Putney, Loft Conversion

Use different types of seating
With its many seating options, this room looks like the perfect spot to host a party. Consider combining armchairs, smaller dining chairs, benches and sofas to make sure there is a seat for everyone. These can then be scattered in different parts of the room, creating a sociable and cosy space.

In this image, the aesthetic of the dining chairs is echoed by the armchair at the other end of the room.

Mary Barber Fray interior design

Tuck a sofa into an alcove
Depending on the shape of your room, it’s good to consider picking a sofa that fits neatly into an alcove or corner. This will ensure it can be tucked out of the way, while still allowing those sitting on it to be part of the kitchen conversation. Before picking a sofa for a tight spot, remember to measure up where it will go to avoid any unwelcome surprises on delivery day.

Nash Baker Architects

Face the sofa away from the kitchen
On those days when skipping the washing-up is the only thing to do, having a sofa that faces away from the kitchen will be a welcome bonus. Whether it’s pointing at the TV or a beautiful view, looking away from any mess in the kitchen will make for a calmer and more relaxing living area.

TELL US…
Do you have an open-plan kitchen and living area? How have you styled it? Share your tips and photos in the Comments below.

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

Kitchen of the Week: A White, Bright and Lofty Kitchen in Oxfordshire

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Kitchen of the Week: A White, Bright and Lofty Kitchen in Oxfordshire- Having bought and renovated a property south of Oxford, the couple who own this beautiful, lofty kitchen spied a further opportunity. There was space in the house’s grounds for a brand-new home, which they could design and build to exactly suit their needs. ‘They wanted the luxury of space,’ explains Marcus Watkins of Kitchen Architecture, who was asked to design the kitchen. ‘So they created an open-plan home, with a vaulted ceiling, to give that feeling of light and airiness.’ The style would be pared-back, so treasured artworks and design classic furniture could shine. ‘They wanted to take a really restrained and minimal approach to the architecture and the interior,’ says Marcus, ‘for a very clean, simple look.’

The couple had fallen in love with the wide, soaped floorboards made by Danish company Dinesen, and from there imagined a fresh, white interior with a kitchen to match. ‘Bulthaup’s b1 kitchen was an obvious fit,’ says Marcus. Elegant, sleek and deceptively simple, the kitchen contains a wealth of inspired features and carefully considered details, all working together to keep the space uncluttered, clean and highly functional.

Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here A semi-retired couple with an interest in property, whose grown-up children have left home
Location South of Oxford
Designer Marcus Watkins, design manager at Kitchen Architecture
Property A home built around two years ago, with a vaulted living area containing the kitchen, connected to a two-storey building that holds the bedrooms, bathrooms, study and utility
That’s interesting The ceiling apex is approximately 5m high

bulthaup by Kitchen Architecture

The kitchen fits seamlessly into the open-plan living area, which contains a dining and living space, too. The all-white scheme creates a crisp backdrop for the owners’ beautiful furniture and is continued on the snowy units and splashback.

‘If you keep things quite simple, each individual element sings out and is highlighted,’ says Marcus Watkins. ‘There is no sense of clutter or distraction here.’

Eames DSR chairs, available from The Conran Shop.

Read more ideas for making an open-plan kitchen and living space work

bulthaup by Kitchen Architecture

The vaulted ceiling is around 5m high, so the extractor hood and chimney had to be made bespoke. ‘This was still the best place for the hob, though,’ explains Marcus. ‘We like to put hobs on an island because it’s more sociable. Everyone now tends to spend more time at the hob than the sink, so it’s nice to not face a wall and to be connected with the room and other people.’

From here, you can look out of the window or see the dining table. ‘We installed the ovens on the wall opposite, so you can keep an eye on them, too,’ says Marcus.

Hob, Miele from Kitchen Architecture.

bulthaup by Kitchen Architecture

The units are all from Bulthaup’s b1 range, with Alpine white laminate. ‘Laminate often carries with it bad connotations,’ says Marcus, ‘but it’s actually a very practical, solid surface. It doesn’t chip, like a painted finish can, and it wipes down very easily.’

The units have an anodized aluminium trim around the edges and side panels to create subtle contrast. ‘The aluminium is also practical and hard-wearing,’ adds Marcus.

Bulthaup b1 kitchen, Kitchen Architecture.

bulthaup by Kitchen Architecture

Marcus slotted a small appliance recess within the wall that contains tall units, so the kitchen has two functional sides. ‘If somebody is using the sink or cooking at the hob, someone else can still come in and make a cup of tea or access the fridge without getting in their way,’ explains Marcus. ‘There are cutlery drawers here, too, and space for small appliances, such as a kettle or coffee maker.’

Wooden flooring, Dinesen.

bulthaup by Kitchen Architecture

The splashback is made from the same white laminate as the units. ‘It has very few joints, unlike a tiled splashback where you see a lot of grout,’ says Marcus. ‘This means it’s far easier to maintain and clean, because it’s a largely unbroken surface.’

Browse a range of stylish splashbacks

bulthaup by Kitchen Architecture

The kitchen island is generously wide, and offers plenty of work space for preparing food. The worktop is 10mm stainless steel from Bulthaup’s b3 range.

bulthaup by Kitchen Architecture

There are no handles on the drawers and doors in the kitchen to preserve the sleek look. Instead, recessed grips with angled edges give access. The aluminium used to trim the units peeps out from behind, creating a soft contrast.

bulthaup by Kitchen Architecture

The induction hob fits flush into the island worktop, making it extremely easy to clean. ‘As it’s flush, it becomes an extension of the work surface, too,’ says Marcus. ‘If the worktop is crowded, you can rest a chopping board on it to create additional space.’

Beyond the dining area, huge glass windows pull in lots of light. ‘There’s a whole wall of glass on this side overlooking the garden,’ explains Marcus, ‘so you get a lot of light and green from outside, which offsets all the white inside.’

bulthaup by Kitchen Architecture

Art and books punctuate the snowy scheme and draw the eye, while the simple white kitchen melts unobtrusively into the background.

TELL US…
Does this super-sleek kitchen set your pulse racing? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.

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