Need some real-life kitchen inspiration? Discover how these homeowners transformed their property by improving its links with the garden and opting for a lush palette of leafy shades…
When they first saw this six-bedroom neo-Georgian house, built in 1982, in the New Forest, Helen Rowney and husband Richard realised it needed substantial renovation. “It was very tired and needed a lot of a work – to the point that we thought it was too big a project,” Helen tells KBB journo Amelia Thorpe. But after being gazumped on another property, the couple relooked at the house and decided to embrace the challenge. Soon after moving in, the couple knew that they wanted to extend the kitchen and add an orangery to create a family-size cooking-dining-living space as the heart of the home.
The kitchen transformation
“The garden is beautiful but, in the kitchen as it was before, you could hardly see it, and the dining table looked out over the area where the cars are parked,” says Helen. Now the larger space is surrounded by full-height glazing, offering the best possible views of trees and plants stretching into the distance, with an open layout created by removing an internal wall to make room for a family snug-style living area with sofas.
With the planning application underway, Helen and Richard had plenty of time to mull their ideas. “We wanted the kitchen layout to allow us to see the garden as much as possible and for its colours to reflect the greens seen beyond the windows,” she explains.
Other essentials included stone-effect porcelain flooring to flow seamlessly through the space and on to the terrace outside, plenty of storage to create a clutter free feel in their busy home, and a large island. “By positioning the island directly under the roof lantern, we were able to make the most of the natural light in this area and accentuate the role of the island as the hub of the room,” notes Helen.
The kitchen design
Struggling to find the right local kitchen supplier, Helen popped into Living Interiors. “By that time, we were under pressure from our builder to make some decisions, so I asked them if they could turn around a value-for-money kitchen with plenty of wow in double-quick time,” she recalls. “And they’ve been great.”
The classic in-frame Leven bespoke cabinetry painted in a soft shade of green reflects the garden, with the island in a slightly darker shade for definition. An L-shaped sweep of furniture around the room provides storage, a sink zone, and accommodates the AGA cooker, framed by an elegant overmantel.
Beautiful mood lighting washes down the striking richly-veined marble behind the AGA in the evenings, while the solid oak top of the island adds plenty of impact with its natural warmth.
The pantry
There is also an additional feature in the space which Helen particularly appreciates. “I’ve got the pantry of dreams,” she laughs. “It has lots of shelves and cupboards for storage and space to store small appliances, plus a coffee machine and warming drawers – even a window seat,” she says. “Sometimes, I like to sit in there for a quiet half hour in the morning, before the children wake up – it’s so peaceful.”
Redecorating the rest of the house
The tranquil, earthy hues of the green kitchen continue throughout the house, accentuating the natural sense of flow, including the soft shades of the sitting room and upstairs to the bedrooms. While the initial renovation project focused on the kitchen orangery extension, the couple then decided to add a Lutron smart system to their home to control lighting, blinds, audio and security at the touch of a button.
Then, they decided to redecorate throughout the house, removing dated fittings and replacing them with timeless pieces in soft neutrals suited to the neo-Georgian country house style of the property. “I wanted our bedroom to feel like a really cocooning space,” says Helen, who selected a mural paper to cover the walls and deep velvet armchairs to enhance the inviting effect.
The bathrooms
Into the bathrooms and the look echoes the natural tones and materials used throughout the kitchen and bedrooms. “While the colours are subtle, they aren’t boring – details such as antique brass fittings chosen to pick up the copper veining of the marble tiles make all the difference,” she says. Freestanding baths and vessel basins add to the luxurious impact, as do custom-made vanities designed to suit the rooms.
Has the hard work envisioned at the very beginning paid off? “We love it,” says Helen. “Living in the house for some time while we applied for planning permission has really paid off, allowing us to hone our ideas – the house now truly fulfils our original goal of being able to enjoy the garden from every room in the house, and that’s what we’ve managed to create.”
Photography: James French | Styling: Marisha Taylor
This house tour was featured in the August 2024 issue of Kitchens Bedrooms & Bathrooms magazine.
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