Personal TOUCH
INDIVIDUAL ACCENTS AND THOUGHTFUL COLOURS COMBINE TO CREATE A CLASSIC KITCHEN WITH PLENTY OF PERSONALITY AND MODERN CHARM
After living in London for 22 years, Tony Gordon-james and partner Doreen Mitchell decided it was time for a change. ‘We settled on Winchester, where I’d lived and farmed close by about twenty years earlier in my life. I have a great fondness for this city with its historic cathedral and fascinating history, surrounded by Hampshire’s most beautiful countryside,’ explains Tony.
Garden designer Doreen and chartered surveyor Tony bought a three-bedroom house, in a surprisingly quiet location close to the centre of the city, with wonderful views of the cathedral, St. Catherine’s Hill and beyond to the South Downs. The house interior, however, was rather less wonderful. ‘It was dated and really needed a complete makeover,’ says Tony, who masterminded the project including a new kitchen. ‘We enjoy cooking and entertaining, so we particularly wanted a room suited to our style and the way we like to live,’ he adds.
Following up recommendations, Tony met Darren Taylor, managing director of local bespoke kitchen company Searle & Taylor. ‘I could tell immediately that the furniture was top quality, that Darren was open to my ideas and skilled in converting them into reality,’ says Tony.
The key to the success of the design is the French-style canopy, which was inspired by the couple’s holidays in France. It both conceals the extractor above the hob and creates an elegant focal point in the room. A large island, carefully designed to suit the proportions of the space, replaces an awkward peninsula arrangement, and a run of tall cabinetry houses an integrated fridge, breakfast station and built-in ovens. ‘The layout is so much more practical for us, with distinct zones for each task,’ says Tony.
It was Doreen who specified the colours for the cabinetry, a combination of soft grey with a deep blue island to add definition to the space. Looking out over an antique dining table, the room, says Tony, blends the best of old and new. ‘We love the timeless feel and gentle colours,’ he explains. ‘It feels so much more inviting than before.’
THE LAYOUT
The hob is built below a statement canopy, adjacent to wall cupboards and above storage and an integrated dishwasher. A turn away is the sink on a generouslysized island, complete with built-in bin, storage, plenty of prep surface and overhang for two bar stools. The tall run features a breakfast station flanked by built-in ovens and an integrated fridge.