Room Tour: A Plywood Kitchen with a Garden Room Extension
A flexible new room expanded the cooking and dining space of a period home, with timber creating a warm finish for both
When the couple who own this home called in Barney Meller of Eckford Chong Design, their home was more than ready for some attention. The back of the house had a leaking uPVC conservatory, which needed replacing, while the kitchen-diner was overdue modernisation.
“We decided we would replace the conservatory with a new one. It’s a sort of utility space and garden room,” Barney says. A new kitchen-diner was on the agenda for the rear part of the house, too.
“We decided we would replace the conservatory with a new one. It’s a sort of utility space and garden room,” Barney says. A new kitchen-diner was on the agenda for the rear part of the house, too.
The homeowners’ washing machine and dryer were in the old conservatory. “So we ended up making the extension a utility room and orangery,” Barney says.
The room functions as the potting shed the owners wanted, too, with storage for plants built in on the left of the room.
The room functions as the potting shed the owners wanted, too, with storage for plants built in on the left of the room.
On the right, the washing machine and tumble dryer are hidden within bespoke cabinetry. Beyond is a laundry cupboard in the form of a low bench seat, with a pull-out in which laundry baskets can be stored.
Barney has used timber extensively, both in here and in the kitchen. The garden room walls and cabinetry are made from ash-veneered plywood; the doors, windows and structure are Douglas fir, and the floor is engineered oak.
The stools/side tables were made bespoke by Eckford Chong.
Barney has used timber extensively, both in here and in the kitchen. The garden room walls and cabinetry are made from ash-veneered plywood; the doors, windows and structure are Douglas fir, and the floor is engineered oak.
The stools/side tables were made bespoke by Eckford Chong.
The couple wanted to keep the low sill height of their back bedroom window, as they like to lie in bed and look out at the garden, so the extension design had to take this into account. “They didn’t want a flat roof, so we ended up going for a butterfly roof form,” Barney says.
The butterfly roof seen from above.
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Find the perfect architect to transform your home in the Houzz Professionals Directory.
The garden room faces north, but the glazed roof allows it to get as much sun as possible, while clerestory windows – above eye level – on either side catch the morning and evening sunlight.
The garden landscaping had been completed before the extension was built and the two are separated by a gravel perimeter.
The garden landscaping had been completed before the extension was built and the two are separated by a gravel perimeter.
The extension shelving creates room for plants.
The garden room has larch cladding. “It’s traditionally used for fences,” Barney says. “It’s a hardy softwood that performs like a hardwood and is very durable.”
The larch was treated with an accelerated weathering finish for quicker silvering. The photos show the cladding as it was, but if it were photographed now, the change would be evident. “It would be evenly grey,” Barney says.
The external metalwork of the new space is powder-coated aluminium in light grey to match the silvered larch.
The larch was treated with an accelerated weathering finish for quicker silvering. The photos show the cladding as it was, but if it were photographed now, the change would be evident. “It would be evenly grey,” Barney says.
The external metalwork of the new space is powder-coated aluminium in light grey to match the silvered larch.
Looking back from the extension towards the kitchen, the pocket doors that separate the spaces when required can just be seen. The double-glazed doors are made from Douglas fir.
Barney used plaster-cast lights in the extension. “They can be painted, but we kept them natural,” he says.
The angles of the ceiling give it visual interest. The rafters are made from Douglas fir with an ash veneer, which was mitred in situ to give a seamless finish.
The homeowners were fans of the traditional pine floor that was in the kitchen, but the back of the house was cold, so the existing floor was taken up, insulation added, and an engineered timber floor laid throughout the kitchen-diner and garden room extension.
The kitchen cabinets were made bespoke in the architects’ in-house workshop. The carcasses are made from birch ply, with doors and drawer fronts in ash-veneered plywood. It was given a clear matt lacquer. “You get the natural quality of the wood and it’s wipe-clean,” Barney says.
The homeowners visited the workshop to try out the integrated cupboard handles, which needed to be sizeable enough for the weight of larger-than-usual drawers, and comfortable to use throughout the space.
The boiler was concealed in a cabinet to the left of the sink, and open shelving was located on the other side to break up the cabinetry fronts a little. “We used trims top and bottom and around the window, so it reads as one to tie it together,” Barney explains.
The kitchen worksurface is Corian. “We like the elegant look of a thin worktop,” Barney says. The windowsill is Corian as well, and the window is lined with ash-veneered ply.
The homeowners chose the tiles. “It’s an opportunity to put in a personal touch,” Barney says.
Worktop in Silver Birch, Corian. Tiles, Walls and Floors. Sink; tap, both Franke.
The homeowners chose the tiles. “It’s an opportunity to put in a personal touch,” Barney says.
Worktop in Silver Birch, Corian. Tiles, Walls and Floors. Sink; tap, both Franke.
The homeowners had a dresser they wanted to keep in the dining area, so space was made for it in the layout. Nearby is storage for beer.
The range cooker was a must-have for the couple. “We worked hard to make it as integrated as possible,” Barney says. The fridge-freezer beyond was also integrated.
Range cooker, Rangemaster at John Lewis & Partners. Brooklyn Dome pendant lights, Industville.
The range cooker was a must-have for the couple. “We worked hard to make it as integrated as possible,” Barney says. The fridge-freezer beyond was also integrated.
Range cooker, Rangemaster at John Lewis & Partners. Brooklyn Dome pendant lights, Industville.
The dining table – which was made by Eckford Chong – has birch ply legs, continuing the timber materials palette of the design, and a grey melamine top. It’s teamed with Danish-designed chairs.
The fitted storage in the dining area links with that of the kitchen, as it’s made from ash-veneered ply – but with an extra detail. “The couple liked the existing cabinetry, so we kept white frames to tie it back to what was there before,” Barney says. The surround is painted MDF.
The fireplace was already part of the space, but a new stove was fitted. “We tiled the alcove and raised the mantelpiece to tie in with the underside of the kitchen wall cabinets,” Barney says. “The higher level of the mantel looks elegant.”
Tell us…
What do you like best about this kitchen and garden room? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
Tell us…
What do you like best about this kitchen and garden room? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
Who lives here? A professional couple
Location North London
Property An Edwardian mid-terrace house
Kitchen and extension dimensions 44 sq m
Architects Barney Meller and Doug Eckford of Eckford Chong Design
Photos by Chris Snook
The new room is a threshold between the kitchen and the garden. Double-glazed sliding pocket doors divide the two areas. “They can be sealed if it gets too hot or too cold,” Barney says.