COUNTRY KITCHEN FOCUS

How to sympathetically modernise a period space

A new Addition to A Medieval hall, this striking open-plan kitchen reflects the building's history while bringing it up to date for Modern family life

There’s

nothing like completing a lengthy renovation process and then sitting back to enjoy the fruits of your labour. But for Sharon Barton, that pleasure was short-lived – almost the moment the last lick of paint had dried, her husband, Peter, was itching to move. The renovation had taken such a long time that moving really wasn’t on Sharon’s radar. As a compromise, she agreed to consider a new home, but only if Peter found one that ticked every single box. Naturally, Sharon then stumbled across the perfect property. ‘It’s a really striking medieval house in a central village location, but tucked away so I’d never noticed it before. When I saw the For Sale sign, I couldn’t help telling Peter,’ she says. ‘He loved it too, so we took a deep breath and dived back into another major refurb.’

The property was in a fairly unloved state (to put it mildly), but the core timbers were in good order. ‘The only real downside was the miserable, poky kitchen, housed in a lean-to – you couldn’t even squeeze a table in,’ says Sharon. It took more than two years, and required the help of architects Kent Design Studio and Historic England, to get a new extension passed. The resulting oak-framed structure with casement windows and clay-tiled roof is sympathetic to the original property, yet its scale makes it feel modern.

It was this blend of traditional and contemporary that steered the design. From her work in interior design, Sharon knew where she wanted to get her kitchen from. ‘I’ve trekked around all the top London showrooms with my clients and, for me, Martin Moore has always been head and shoulders above the rest, on quality but also design difference. While others tread a safe path, Martin Moore is always doing something a little bit different and pushing design boundaries,’ she explains. So, together with designer David Sant, Sharon chose materials and finishes that would reference the classical materials in the house.

Now that the dust has settled once more, Sharon is finally able to sit back and enjoy the finished result, but is completion another cue to move? ‘As far as

I’m concerned this is our forever home, and our final kitchen – we’ve designed it to last,’ she says.

‘A timeless design with modern appliances felt like a smart move for the kitchen – it’s such a lovely space to be in, we’ll never grow tired of it’

From the bar stools to the light pendants and the A-frame beam above, this dramatic kitchen is an elegant study in symmetry.

A professional-style spray tap on the kitchen sink is ideal for hosing down dishes that are too big for the dishwasher.

Odeon marble pendants, £2,025 each, Timothy Oulton. The window-facing island features an induction hob with downdraft extractor, so the chef doesn’t miss out on the fabulous views.

Sharon’s pride and joy, the double larder cupboard is painted inside in Martin Moore’s pretty Soft Sage.

While the rest of the worktops are crisp white, the island’s surface is lightly marled to achieve a subtle design difference.