This couple’s kitchen is in dire need of a reconfiguration and, due to its tricky layout, they’re seeking expert advice.

Dee Richardson, who is an HR manager, lives with her husband Tom, a software developer, both in their thirties, with daughters Leah and Mila, both under five, in a detached five-bedroom house in Berkshire. One of the attractions of the property was the potential to turn the downstairs rooms into an open-plan kitchen-diner, which they’d now like to reconfigure while replacing an unused conservatory with an extension.

So, they decided to take part in our Drawing Board feature where interiors experts come up with creative and transformative ideas for our readers’ renovations and design dilemmas. This time, KBB journo Rachel Ogden asked Shruti Ahuja, dual showroom manager at Nolte, and RFK Kitchens’ CAD designer Cameron Spence, to help Dee and Tom plan their awkwardly shaped open-plan kitchen-diner.

Read on to see the plans come to life…

The open-plan kitchen-diner

Removing the wall between the kitchen and dining area will create a room around 10.4m x 3.6m, with a ceiling height of 2.4 metres. If the new extension is included, this extends to just over 14 metres long. However, there are four existing windows to work around, and multiple doorways. The budget is £50,000, excluding installation.

The wishlist and moodboard

• Dee and Tom like modern, handleless kitchen designs in greys, whites and wood. German kitchen brands tick several of their boxes in terms of look and feel. Designers should avoid anything too dark, and traditional designs.
• While the room is narrow, they would prefer an island over a peninsula.
• The couple would like the new space to include a dining area and space for relaxed seating. They have an existing white dining table that they may retain. Also on the wishlist is a coffee station with doors.
• If necessary, Dee and Tom are open to moving the location of windows along the exterior kitchen-dining room wall.

Designer one

Shruti Ahuja is the dual showroom manager at Nolte’s Teddington and Weybridge branches. She studied 3D Design, achieving a BA Hons in Decorative Arts at Nottingham Trent University, and exhibited at the New Designers event in London as a graduate. Her plans include food preparation space, built-in bins, and an entertaining area.

The solution

“After reading the brief and looking at Dee and Tom’s floor plan, I was conscious of different entry points into the room, light travelling through the long space, and the narrow width. To prevent it feeling like a corridor, I have suggested that the doors leading to the snug, reception and hallway should all be sliding doors. This ensures an open feel, as well as a generous, decluttered space among the furniture,” says Shruti.

“To create lasting impact without overpowering the room, I have used streamlined cabinetry by Nolte in complementary colours. Soft Lack in White matt lacquer sits beautifully alongside NeoLeaf in Sand Ash, a combination that is modern and elegant with a clean line. The furniture is topped with two-centimetre Dekton worktops in pale Entzo.

“The couple were keen to have an island over a peninsula, so I have placed one at the far end of the space. It is purposely on the right of the island to keep it away from the seating area at the other end, as well as just steps away from the sink and dishwasher. The island is also an ideal storage space for cutlery, utensils, plates and pans,” she says.

“At the front, I have added shallow cupboards for extra storage, as well as open shelves, creating a balance between functionality and aesthetics. Behind, I’ve suggested a built-in single oven and combination oven with an integrated 60/40 fridge-freezer next to them. In the corner, I’ve designed larder storage with four pull-out drawers for dry goods, concealed behind a single door,” explains Shruti.

“On the left, I’ve suggested a set of pocket doors that hide a coffee and breakfast station, which is conveniently located between the dining area and breakfast bar on the island. Next to this is a cupboard, which helps to achieve symmetry from the front and has open shelves around the corner. This helps to connect the open-plan space, creating a beautiful flow between two spaces rather than an abrupt end between the kitchen and dining areas.”

“I have been careful to introduce integrated lighting where possible. There is vertical lighting in the profiles between the larder, fridge-freezer and ovens, integrated lights under the shelves above the sink, lighting within interior and display shelving, a linear pendant above the worktop, and spotlights overhead. This ensures that the long space will not look dark, keeping it feeling light and fresh all year round,” she adds.

Dee’s verdict

“We love how this layout opens up the space. It feels light and fresh, and the extra-wide window by the sink with shelving above is a great idea. It’s nice to see an island with seating, as that is a feature we miss the most from our old kitchen. The lighting above the island is a smart addition, plus we like the coffee station with the pocket doors and shelving, as it looks good with both open and closed doors.

“While we like the feel of this design, the colour scheme is perhaps a little too light. It would be good to add some warmth while ensuring the room doesn’t look too dark. We also think that the dining area feels slightly detached from the kitchen space. It would be nice to see a way to bring the two areas of space together more. Although this look isn’t for us, the lighting, island and sink area really work and we would consider them in our next kitchen.”

Designer two

Cameron Spence has worked as a CAD designer at RFK Kitchens for almost three years. He holds an HNC and HND in Building Services and has also worked in building compliance. His plans include increased storage, easily accessible internal space, clever lighting and a wet area.

The solution

“Having studied Dee and Tom’s brief, I felt that the main design challenge was that once the wall between the two rooms was removed, they would be left with a space that could easily start to feel like a corridor. In addition, it needed to function not only as a kitchen but a dining space, seating and coffee station, too. The key to this would be having defined zones, each with a clear function,” says Cameron.

“Lowering the window to the left of the coffee station would enable the design to include an inviting window seat and afford better views of the garden from the dining area. Making these structural changes means a bank of tall units can be located in a suitable position for the island. I have selected furniture from our German supplier Nobilia, with the tall Line N handleless units in Alpine White chosen to make the room feel wider, alongside the Riva in Bergamo laminate oak doors with a coordinating dining table top,” he says.

“Most of the appliances are within the tall bank and include a tall fridge and freezer plus Siemens Studioline steam oven and microwave oven. The island in front is home to a five-zone Siemens Studioline Flex induction hob and glass downdraft extractor, which should work equally well for busy everyday life as well as entertaining friends and family.”

“The dining table is then only a couple of steps away from the coffee station, which has an antique mirror behind it to create the illusion of space and make the lighting pop. On the other side of the room, I have added a media centre using oak slat walling. This has been pulled forward to seamlessly integrate a TV and sound bar, while the same oak finish is used on the wall units above the Anthracite granite sink for design cohesion. In this way, the slats add visual warmth to the scheme and help to define the dining area, creating a focal point in the multifunctional space,” explains Cameron.

Dee’s verdict

“What we like the most about this design is the modern but homely feel. Its colour palette works for us, with the white mixed with the darker wood and pockets of grey. The industrial feel of the coffee station is fabulous, and what a great idea to add a mirror behind the station to give that illusion of width and space. We especially appreciate how the layout incorporates the different zones of cooking, eating, and socialising (and watching TV), with room to flow between the different areas. And how the hob on the island allows interaction with guests while cooking.

“However, we would have preferred to see some seating around the island, with the dining table further into the room, as we felt this layout only allowed for formal seating near the kitchen. Overall, though, we love the look and feel of this design and there are features we’d consider for our future project.”

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