KITCHEN PROJECT
AN EMPTY BARN GAVE JEMIMA AND DAN MATHESON THE OPPORTUNITY TO CUSTOMISE EVERY INCH OF THEIR GLORIOUS NEW KITCHEN
Clever storage was key here >
PROJECT PROFILE
Owners Jemima and Dan Matheson live here with their daughters, Penny, nine, and Kara, seven, and their golden labrador Orson. House A four-bedroom barn conversion in West Sussex. Project A new kitchen in a former stable block. Kitchen size 7.5x5m. Designer Jasper Middleton, founder and design director of Middleton. Cabinetry The Heritage kitchen by Middleton, in Chalky Black, Middleton Yellow, and Mylands’ Huguenot.
Meticulous organisation led the design of Jemima and Dan Matheson’s kitchen, which they commissioned when converting a home from long-disused (and kitchen-less) stable blocks, bought in late 2018. ‘The promise of being able to plan the size, use and position of every cupboard and drawer was a huge part of the property’s appeal,’ says Jemima. ‘We love to cook and entertain, but the experience is so much more enjoyable when everything is exactly where you need it.’
Realising bespoke was their best option for tailored storage, the couple turned to Jasper Middleton. ‘We could tell he would provide the quality we were after, but we also loved that Jasper shared our obsession with well-honed storage,’ says Jemima. Working together, they established the purpose of every unit – from base-lined drawers for precious items to vegetable drawers, knife blocks, wine storage and Aga tray racks.
Jemima was seeking a modern twist on the freestanding ‘downstairs’ kitchen you might find in a grand manor house. ‘I had a long baker’s table and pantry cupboard in my head, and I wanted a relaxed, almost utilitarian, feel,’ she says. ‘Jasper helped pull my ideas together, adding in some smart ones of his own.’ One idea was to create an outsized housekeeper’s cupboard holding a glass dresser, wine racks and two built-in fridges. Jasper suggested building a false wall out around the cabinet so that it didn’t dominate the space. ‘It removed any clunky junctions between the cabinetry and walls and bedded it within the room,’ says Jemima. The deep red of the housekeeper’s cupboard was chosen for its heritage feel, while the complementary colour scheme for the rest of the units provided the modern twist Jemima wanted.
There’s nothing like festive entertaining to put a kitchen to the test. ‘There were 18 of us for dinner last New Year’s Eve and all the planning and organising really paid off,’ says Jemima. ‘It might be more subdued this year, but it’s great to know that, regardless of guest numbers, cooking is such a breeze in this space.’
Designed for pastry making, food prep and laying out buffets when entertaining, the free-standing oak baker’s table plays a pivotal role in kitchen life
❝WITH A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING, FESTIVE ENTERTAINING IS NOW A TOTAL PLEASURE❞