Kitchen
Clever zoning with colour and materials unifies this combined cooking, dining and living space
Clever design choices create distinct cooking, dining and living zones.
Can you describe the space?
This is the result of a complete overhaul of a Victorian end-of-terrace in west London. The owners wanted a flexible room that could accommodate a kitchen-diner and informal living space suitable for their growing family. The kitchen sits at the rear of the house, leading onto the garden. The original snug was incorporated into the room and turned into the dining area, which includes a bar and desk space. The side return was built into, facilitating a large living area with plenty of storage.
What was your starting point for the scheme?
The family are big food and wine lovers. They enjoy cooking and entertaining, so they wanted a large island with lots of work space for prep. They also have an extensive art collection, which we needed to allocate to the room at the beginning of the design process.
How did you decide on the layout?
We worked with Brian Macentee Architecture and Design (bmadltd.co.uk), who came up with a few sketches to kick-start the process. The owners wanted to include a utility area off the kitchen and a cloakroom. With that in mind, three specific zones evolved naturally. The dining area, kitchen and living space are clearly delineated, but the colour scheme and materials bind them together. The space is also flexible because the sofas can be moved to allow for large gatherings. How did you balance functionality with family life? Joinery that is both well planned and beautifully executed really helps in a large, open-plan room like this. There is plenty of storage so this family space can easily be tidied and transformed into a grown-up entertaining area. There is a pleasing sense of symbiosis, too – the length of the sofa is mirrored by the large island and these robust pieces help to naturally zone the space.
What challenges did you face?
Incorporating multiple functions into one seamless area is always tricky. In this case, we wanted to accommodate zones for eating, cooking, working, playing, mixing drinks and watching TV. Extensive layout reviewing throughout the process enabled us to work all of these components into the one room in a cohesive way.
What type of aesthetic were you aiming for?
The family was up for a bold colour scheme so we picked a dramatic blue-black painted cabinetry, which works well with the warm wood elements throughout. We also chose a Shaker-style finish for a traditional note, with brass and copper accents and an aged-effect mirror in the bar area to loosen up the look. Leather stools and a weathered oak dining table complete the lived-in feel.