‘THE ROOM NOW OPENS ONTO THE GARDEN’ Increased space and a new layout make a dated kitchen a masterpiece
Increased space and a more practical layout has turned a dated kitchen into a modern masterpiece
What was the starting point for the new design?
It all began when we decided to change some concrete flooring tiles outside that we really disliked. Also, the boiler and hot water tank were in a separate outbuilding and we wanted to bring them into the house. The overarching idea was to have a proper functional kitchen and a dining area.
Tell us what the kitchen was like before
It was smaller and bright red, and had a low ceiling. It also had a very noisy extractor fan, which sounded like a plane taking off – and, strangely, an indoor barbecue! The kitchen island and dining table faced each other into the room rather than out to the garden.
How did you begin the process?
As the house is in a green belt conservation area and comes under Article 4 direction, we can’t change its footprint, so we knew we wouldn’t be allowed to extend out into the garden. As there was a fairly large utility room behind the kitchen, we decided to put a new boiler and water tank in there, make the room smaller and extend the kitchen back into the house.
What happened next?
Our architect explored the idea of opening up the roof void at the garden end of the room to create an airy feel, and use this space as the dining area. Previously, the dining table ran front to back with a kitchen island opposite – we simply moved it 90 degrees. Ben and I also wanted glass doors on two sides without a threshold so we could open the kitchen up to the garden, so chose similar porcelain floor tiles inside and out to create a seamless transition.
You chose units from Tomas Kitchen Living…
Yes, the brand has a strong style aesthetic and likes things to be ergonomic, which dovetailed with our own design philosophy. The team was on hand every step of the way and we worked closely with them. We wanted the island unit to be a feature, and saw the stainless -steel one we wanted from Barazza in Italy, so Tomas Kitchen Living did the specification to fit with this section of the worktop.
Did you have any other requirements?
We wanted to have a generous fridge-freezer, but found the American-style side-by-side ones weren’t as big as we had expected inside. We specified a separate fridge and freezer to sit next to one another with a joining strip between, which works brilliantly. We were also keen to have a large ceiling-mounted extractor fan that was powerful but quiet. This Falmec one is ideal – it retracts when not in use and has bright lights built in.
Was it a smooth process?
There was a huge issue with the flooring. The existing floor was granite tile, but it hadn’t been laid properly and was moving about, so we had to get a digger and dumper truck inside the house to dig it up and then stabilise it! We had a false door installed to seal off the rest of the house while this was done.
How has the way you use the kitchen changed?
The room works more efficiently with better access to the garden. And the Quooker hot water tap has been fantastic; we have no kettle to clutter up the worksurface and instant boiling water for cooking.