Kitchen
Which is exactly what Sybille did. The owners’ brief was for a functional room with plenty of storage that was also bright and cheerful with a relaxed atmosphere. Decoratively, the garden was a big inspiration, leading to the choice of green cabinets and a new window to better frame the view. Perhaps the most significant change layout-wise was the island. “Having an island was an absolute requirement for my client and she wanted it to have a small breakfast bar area,” Sybille says. “It was a bit tricky, as it couldn’t be large, but we made it work. “Storage space was highly maximised,” she continues. The washing machine and tumble dryer are now stacked in a tall unit just out of shot. Sybille also incorporated a tall larder unit and integrated fridge-freezer, and added shelving and a microwave to a cabinet that hides the boiler, which couldn’t be moved. Open shelving ensures that, while the storage is efficient, it doesn’t take over. This display space allows the room to ‘breathe’, and the owners have filled it with plants, cookbooks and pretty crockery.
Add a feeling of flow Another key element in the design of this Span house was the creation of an open feel. The designers took advantage of the lack of building restrictions to make some structural changes, including swapping full-height walls for half-height ones and squaring off archways. The opening here was squared off and framed with plywood to create a clean, modern look.
For the kitchen cabinets, Claudia chose a mix of oak and deep forest green. She’s maximised every inch of space. Because it’s a sloping roof, the top cupboards are small inside, but Claudia had them made bespoke to ensure they still offered some useful storage. Similarly, there’s an extractor fan in the two cupboards above the hob, but Claudia utilised the space that was left. “When you open the doors, there are four very slim shelves in front of the extractor that hold herbs and spices,” she says.
The kitchen was previously packed entirely into this flat’s entrance. “The small size of the entrance made it impossible to include all of the kitchen features and integrate both a fridge and a washing machine. We therefore extended the kitchen right up to the living room, with the two sections separated by a load-bearing wall. This made it possible to include a large worktop and maximum storage,” interior designer Marie-Sophie Donnedieu says.
To increase space in this small worker’s cottage, the kitchen was extended to the side. “The couple were keen to have an island for sociable eating,” Phil says. He positioned it to face out to the garden, so diners have a view, and away from the side wall, so it didn’t block the passage to the back door.
Tucked away in a niche close to the kitchen is a solid wood dining table, made by The Design Collaborative. As in the kitchen, patterned floor tiles brighten the floor.
The L-shaped open kitchen has a split-level island that doubles as a breakfast bar. “The pastel-coloured PU [polyurethane] lacquered cabinets provide a change from the neutral finishes in the rest of the house. The pendant lights above the island and the solid wood and metal bar stools further enhance the charm of this kitchen,” Ramitha says. Transom windows keep the area bright and airy.
Natural stone You might not immediately think of stone as sustainable, but it’s a natural resource that has a lower carbon footprint than you might imagine. It also won’t emit any harmful VOCs internally. “As a rule of thumb, the less intense the effort required to extract a material, the more sustainable it is,” Kieran says. “Stone quarried from deep in the earth, such as marble, often has a high carbon footprint. Softer stone from nearer the surface, such as limestone or slate, usually has less embodied carbon. All stone should be quarried responsibly and, wherever possible, I’d try to use stone from the UK to reduce the travel emissions.” Stone is also good-looking, practical and hard-wearing – though it can be cold underfoot and harsh on dropped crockery.
Linoleum Genuine lino, as opposed to plastic imitations, is a natural product that’s made from ingredients including linseed oil, wood sawdust, ground limestone, pigments and cork. It can be used anywhere from kitchens to bathrooms or living spaces, and it’s extremely durable and resistant to wear and tear. The smooth surface also makes it easy to clean and mop up any spills. “Marmoleum [a trade name for linoleum] is a sustainable flooring product made primarily from renewable raw natural resources,” Nimi says. “The top layer is linoleum, a bio-based, ecologically produced material made from 97% natural raw materials. Marmoleum is CO2-neutral, without offset, and PVC-free, with low embodied energy – and it’s allergy approved.” Not only is it another option that’s soft and cosy to walk on, it’s also cost-effective, Nimi adds. And it’s versatile design-wise, with a wide range of patterns and colours to choose from. However, there are a few practical things to consider. “Because of its flat nature, lino can show up dirt and dust if not properly maintained,” Nimi says. “It needs to be bonded to a good substrate and, for best results, you may need to use an approved supplier or insta...
The play of shapes and patterns continues with a dialogue between strict parallel lines softened by the rounded edges of the sconces, the curved storage unit in the hallway and the gossamer curtains
The trapezoidal zellige tiles on the splashback contribute to the effect and add a touch of shine to the otherwise matt décor. The absence of wall cabinets precluded the use of a classic extractor hood, so the designer went for a Bora induction hob with an integrated extractor.
splashback window brings more natural light into the kitchen and dining space and provides a view of the trees outside. “The house has been designed to maximise the use of daylight and therefore reduce the reliance on electric lighting during the day. All the lights installed in the house use low energy-consumption LED lamps,” Kitty says.
The island isn’t huge, but it still offers both storage and a seating area. “Because of the width of the room, we could only have cabinets on one side,” Ruth says, “but there’s still good storage, including cutlery and spice drawers.” The birch bar stools tie in nicely with the units. So Ruth could avoid fitting an overhead extractor, which would have blocked sightlines, she chose an induction hob with an integrated downdraft extractor, which has been vented through the floor.
The worktop on the long run is Formica on ply rather than quartz. “It’s a softer option than the Silestone to give this area less of a kitchen feel,” Ruth says
Key to the balance of having an airy, uncrowded space but with lots of storage is this run of cabinets. “It wouldn’t have worked unless we’d banked out that wall with storage,” Ruth says. “The family even use the space under the bench for kitchen things; they like to be quite neat.” When the plans were first drawn up, there was a bigger nib here (between the old and new sections). Ruth worked with the architect to make that as small as possible, so she could fit in a long run of cupboards. These are wall rather than base cabinets, so they’re slimmer. “We had to push the nib back as far as we could, so we could sail across it with shallow storage,” she says. “It wouldn’t have worked with 600mm base units – there wouldn’t have been enough space around the island.”
The shelves are also made from birch ply. A routed-out channel under each one contains an LED strip for a soft glow at night.
The owners had a limited budget, so the kitchen carcasses are Ikea with standard Plykea fronts. The worktops and splashback are crisp white quartz.
Birch ply wood
Not so now… The room was extended sideways at this far end by architect Rosie Craggs of SS4 Architects, with whom Gemma often works. The extra 1.3m has transformed the space into an airy, practical and family-friendly room. Rather than a straight-across opening at the back, the extension creates staggered openings to the garden: a door on the left and an oriel window on the right. The latter cleverly creates space for bench seating with storage, and play space for the children. “We specified a pivot and slice window, so it could be completely open, but you can also open just one half,” Gemma says. Floor-to-ceiling storage to the right of this packs in a laundry, larder and fridge-freezer. Exposed brick along the left-hand wall adds warmth. “It’s also great for acoustics and muting sharp sounds – as is the wooden floor,” Gemma says.
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