Colorful Cabinetry in an English Farmhouse Kitchen
Knocking rooms together opens up a family’s living space and makes way for this inviting handmade kitchen in blue and gray
“Kitchen design isn’t just about cupboards and cooking,” says John Kirby of Dovetail Workers in Wood, who designed this room. “It’s about creating a living space.” Which is why Kirby was delighted that the owners of this English farmhouse involved him and his team from the very beginning. “Often we have to work with rooms that are a fait accompli, and you know that if you could have moved the door 6 inches to the right, it would have worked better,” he says. “But not here.”
“An enormous number” of steel supports went into creating the single open space, says Kirby, who relished the opportunity to create such a big kitchen. “As much work goes into designing a tiny kitchen as a big one,” he says. “With a large space, though, you have the chance to incorporate everything you want. Here, the idea is that everything is one step away: The pantry is a step from the island and the ovens are just behind. It’s all close by, so you’re not running around the space.”
Kirby and his team had worked with the owners before. “We designed the circular dining table for them about eight years ago,” he says. It’s made of European oak, bur oak, bur walnut and ebony veneer. “It was inspired by the Wishbone chairs by Hans Wegner positioned around it,” he adds.
CH24 Wishbone chairs by Hans J. Wegner for Carl Hansen: Ferrious
Kirby and his team had worked with the owners before. “We designed the circular dining table for them about eight years ago,” he says. It’s made of European oak, bur oak, bur walnut and ebony veneer. “It was inspired by the Wishbone chairs by Hans Wegner positioned around it,” he adds.
CH24 Wishbone chairs by Hans J. Wegner for Carl Hansen: Ferrious
The rich woods used to make the table are complemented by the rich blue cabinets behind. These are fitted right up to the ceiling to make maximum use of the space, and feature elegant curved corner posts, with the cornices flowing around them.
“The curves create a fluidity, so the cabinets don’t feel clunky,” Kirby says. “The curves are all made as part of the cabinet; they’re not a panel slapped on the end. It’s technically difficult and time-consuming to do this, but it’s worth it.”
Cabinet paint: Tempest, Fired Earth
“The curves create a fluidity, so the cabinets don’t feel clunky,” Kirby says. “The curves are all made as part of the cabinet; they’re not a panel slapped on the end. It’s technically difficult and time-consuming to do this, but it’s worth it.”
Cabinet paint: Tempest, Fired Earth
The kitchen has lots of drawers. “More and more people are requesting drawers for their kitchens,” Kirby says. “They make accessing everything so easy. The runner technology is so good now and they are really strong.”
The flooring is ceramic tile that looks like oak boards. “Using this was the owners’ idea, and we were unsure about it at first,” Kirby says, “but it’s brilliant!”
Rye Harbour flooring in Old Oak: Fired Earth
The flooring is ceramic tile that looks like oak boards. “Using this was the owners’ idea, and we were unsure about it at first,” Kirby says, “but it’s brilliant!”
Rye Harbour flooring in Old Oak: Fired Earth
The cabinet doors are painted MDF, which is moisture-resistant and very stable. “Some people have seen MDF used badly and are allergic to the idea of it,” Kirby says, “but if Chippendale were alive today, I think he’d use MDF. It’s an excellent material.”
The end wall of cabinets is painted a soft gray. “All one color on the units would have been too much,” Kirby says. Two different granites were used for the countertops. “The perimeter units are pale with a dark granite worktop, while the island units are dark with a pale granite worktop,” he says.
The induction stove was fitted into the island so that anyone cooking can still face the room.
Lighter cabinet paint: Skylon Grey, Fired Earth; island countertop: Duke White Satinato granite, sourced in Switzerland by Gerald Culliford and cut to size by Granitewoods
The induction stove was fitted into the island so that anyone cooking can still face the room.
Lighter cabinet paint: Skylon Grey, Fired Earth; island countertop: Duke White Satinato granite, sourced in Switzerland by Gerald Culliford and cut to size by Granitewoods
The height of the windows was adjusted so the counters could run smoothly all the way around the bay. “There was quite a lot of work involved in getting that right,” Kirby says. “If we’d run the worktop straight across, that would have looked a bit boring. Instead, it steps in, creating a smooth flow.”
The symmetrical design of this area makes it look particularly appealing and balanced. “It all looks great, but the reason it does is that we made a tremendous effort to get the symmetry right,” Kirby says.
The symmetrical design of this area makes it look particularly appealing and balanced. “It all looks great, but the reason it does is that we made a tremendous effort to get the symmetry right,” Kirby says.
The generous pantry cupboard, set conveniently close to the island, has LED lighting inside, with proximity sensors so the lights come on when the doors are opened. The interiors of all the cupboards are made from oak veneer with a durable lacquered finish.
The drawers are solid ash with traditional dovetail joints.
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On the food prep side of the island, drawers keep ingredients close at hand. They’re designed to perfectly fit bottles of vinegar, oil and sauces.
“We designed and made the handles in wenge wood,” Kirby says. “They’re unique and very individual.”
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One end of the island features a curved chopping block formed from bamboo that’s been sliced and joined together, so the end grain points upward. “It grips the edge of the knife as you cut, which is useful,” Kirby says. Its dark finish goes beautifully with the wenge knobs.
The cast iron sink has a white enamel finish and sits below the granite countertop. “We chose a slightly textured granite, which has a sensual feel,” Kirby says. “It’s just more interesting than normal shiny black granite.”
Countertop: Steel Grey Politanato granite, sourced in India by Gerald Culliford and cut to size by Granitewoods
Countertop: Steel Grey Politanato granite, sourced in India by Gerald Culliford and cut to size by Granitewoods
An electrical outlet below the counter overhang on the island provides a spot for charging phones or laptops. Bright red Tolix stools add contrast as well as seating.
Tolix stools: John Lewis
Tolix stools: John Lewis
Clever pullout shelving that folds back into the deepest recesses of this corner cabinet helps to make use of every scrap of space.
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Who lives here: A husband and wife, plus their two daughters when they’re home from college
Location: Near Chichester, West Sussex County, England
Property: A detached farmhouse with five bedrooms, built in the 1930s
Size: The kitchen, dining and living space is about 37 by 19 feet (11.2 by 5.8 meters); the working end of the kitchen is about 19 by 11 feet (5.8 by 3.4 meters)
Designer: John Kirby of Dovetail Workers in Wood
The homeowners asked designer John Kirby to come up with a plan for creating a single living, dining and kitchen space out of four existing rooms. “We sat down with them to brainstorm what they wanted, submitted the planning and employed the builders too,” he says.
Now the space is the heart of the home. “The owners recognized that they were going to live mainly in this area, and it was designed with that in mind,” Kirby says. “The room is flooded with light and has views over the South Downs. It’s a lovely place to relax.”