The brief:

The clients have a large detached farmhouse in a small village in Wiltshire. They were in the middle of a large refurbishment, developing the roof space and putting in a new oak framed living room extension and a large square, lantern topped extension for a new kitchen. They wanted an impressive kitchen of a quality to fit in with the rest of the house and because they do a lot of entertaining, they wanted it to be modern but also warm and inviting. It needed to have room for a large number of appliances, a dining table for at least eight and a more informal seating space for the family. They were finding the layout difficult because of the number of doorways in the room.

The solution

“The room is very light because of the French doors and also because of the lantern in the roof. I wanted to create something strong in colour to add warmth and with curves to add interesting shapes to the square room. It is very large but has a lot of doors, so it was a challenge to create an ergonomic workspace that was largely separate to the walkways through the room whilst keeping the feeling of space. By making the island curved, it wraps around a corner that can be isolated for the working area. I chose the Walnut Strata units from Stoneham with bold stainless steel handles, maple drawer interiors and accessories. Bespoke units were made for the oven housings to ensure that the appliances were at the correct height for the clients. The two tall curved units each side of the coffee machine were also bespoke and I used curved end panels to echo the curved cabinetry throughout the design. The whole house has been transformed inside and out to a very high standard. It has a wonderful welcoming feel and a lovely flow, though I’m glad to say that people naturally gravitate towards the kitchen!"

What the client thinks:

“We are delighted with our kitchen. Julia was absolutely fantastic and she did everything that I asked for, and more. Winchmore went the extra mile with everything and the kitchen is so soft looking with all the curves. I’ve probably trebled my cooking since it’s been installed and we spend lots of time in there now.”

Winchmore Kitchens is a Stoneham appointed kitchen centre based in Cirencester: 6 Blackjack Street, Cirencester, Gloucestershire GL7 2AA. Tel: 01285 651341. Fax: 01285 643690.
Email: juliaboothroyd@winchmore-kitchens.co.uk.
www.winchmore-kitchens.co.uk

The brief:

The clients wanted to create a luxurious kitchen and breakfast area for their detached six-bedroom home. The family had moved into the property some years ago and fell in love with the breathtaking views, so when it came to revamping the interior they decided to knock down part of the original house and start again from scratch rather than moving somewhere new. The brief for Sketch was to design a kitchen that offered plenty of space for preparation, cooking, dining, relaxing and entertaining. It also had to be unique with serious wow factor, making the most of the unusual split-level scheme.

The solution:

“My clients chose American Black Walnut from the Strata range by Stoneham Kitchens, as they loved the look of its heart-warming hues. The dark wood cabinetry works especially well with the bespoke red glass splashbacks and Star Galaxy black granite worksurfaces, as well as providing a striking contrast against the pale travertine floor. The semi-circular island unit was designed to form a centrepiece to the scheme and incorporates a raised breakfast bar for casual dining on one side with two sinks, a tap and plenty of storage on the other. The kitchen also includes a tall dresser-style unit, a black Aga and a bank of Sub-Zero stainless steel appliances. We used curved cabinetry, as the clients were keen to make the most of every inch of space, and these were specially made to order. We also broke up the walnut wood with frosted glass panel doors in some of the units, which enhance the luxury look. The result is a stunning scheme that still allows the family to enjoy the beauty of the hillside views outside.”

Sketch is a Stoneham appointed kitchen centre based in Scotland: Moss Road, Tillicoultry FK13 6NS. Tel: 01259 752856.

Also at Unit 12-13, Block 5 Munro Road, Springkerse Industrial Estate, Stirling FK7 7UU. Tel: 01786 470974.

hell

Marlborough Light Oak

The brief:

The clients existing kitchen was soulless, uninspiring and handless which constantly gave them frustration on which side of the door to apply pressure for opening.

They required a new kitchen to provide a contemporary yet classical feel. They particularly wanted a stunning social island feature to accommodate a Tepan Yaki, induction hob and small island sink. This was to accommodate up to 4 persons and importantly be close to a TV screen for the clients beloved cricket. A feature to the rear of the sink was requested as this was previously a window overlooking a side passageway.

The solution:

The kitchen design was developed with Stoneham’s Strata Light Oak – a modern, classic design. Oak’s enduring and timeless appeal was well received. The island was quite complex as three work surfaces had to blend including 60mm granite solid oak and an end grain chopping block. The strong colour choice for the shaped island panels adds impact and blend perfectly with other wall décor in the room.

The extra wide Gaggenau oven and steam oven provided the working capacity required and has rekindled the clients passion for cooking.

The innovative curved and shaped sink area and H-frame oak/glass shelving created the wall feature perfectly. The client is delighted with the outcome.

Click here for pdf of project

The brief:

Helene’s clients had recently added a small extension to create a more open plan space that would function as a kitchen, living room and dining area. One of the main criteria was for the family to have a breakfast bar, which would enable them to sit down together and catch up over breakfast or dinner without the formality of the dining table. The clients also had strong ideas on colour, as they had chosen some red bar stools and wanted to continue the theme throughout the rest of the room. Plenty of concealed storage was also a must, as the kitchen was going to be on show the whole time.

The solution:

“My first suggestion was to take down a wall that was supposed to stay in the new scheme, to open the room up even more. This gave us the space to include a large island in the centre, which is the main focus of the kitchen. The clients chose Stoneham’s Elan walnut very early on so, to contrast with the cabinets, I added granite worktops in a creamy Panna Fragola colour and designed a stepped upstand to break up the look. I answered the client’s need for discreet storage with a corner carousel, tambour shutter unit, pan drawers, pull out larder unit and integrated appliances.”

What the client thinks:

“This room is very much the centre of the house as anything and everything can be done in here now. The walnut looks really spectacular and we love the glass-fronted cabinets and the roller shutter. Kitchensmiths were very professional and they left no stone unturned. They were really patient with us and did a great job.”

Kitchensmiths Limited are a Stoneham appointed kitchen centre, based in Cambridge:

4 Station Road, Histon, Cambridge CB24 9LQ. Tel: 01223 236456. Fax: 01223 232564.
E-mail: info@kitchensmiths.co.uk  www.kitchensmiths.co.uk

Click here for pdf of project