Open views

When Lucy and James Greenwood moved into this property with their two daughters 16 years ago, it was tired and dated. Aside from refreshing the walls with a lick of paint, the kitchen had remained unchanged until the family decided to extend and open things up.

‘I wanted a relaxed blend of old and new in our kitchen-diner, and a more streamlined space, with better storage,’ explains Lucy. ‘I discovered Pluck Kitchens via Instagram and liked that they were local, and their muted colours and pared-back style were a great fit for our 1930s house. The cabinetry has a bit of a retro feel, so even though my Aga is decades old, it fits in nicely. I wanted to keep the Aga as I had grown up with one. When I saw Pluck Kitchens’ signature larder I knew I’d found a great solution for organising and storing food.

‘I suggested the yellow interior to add a bit more character, and I painted my kitchen stool so it all ties together. I was very keen to connect the kitchen to the garden – hence the workspace looks out towards the garden, and the choice of Pluck’s Brockwell Moss kitchen cupboard colour. The building work took six months and the kitchen fit took four days. We stayed here the whole time, so it was quite tough, as we had no functioning kitchen or access to the garden.

‘I found the input from designers to be invaluable; tips about details like the depth of drawers that I would never have thought of have really made a difference. We kept the room’s existing footprint, but updated it all with a new, contemporary glass roof and fabulous glazed steel doors, so the room feels more modern and light.

‘The dining table sits in front of the Crittall doors and this part of the kitchendining area stretches the width of the house, giving us a great sense of space. We also introduced a brick wall into the dining area for interest and texture. The whole space will stand the test of time, and thanks to the extra storage everything is much tidier now, too.’