After realising that a former modern conversion of this Victorian property’s kitchen didn’t do its origins justice, Mark Deeprose and his family decided to renovate it from scratch. We reveal how they made it their own, while respecting its history…

When Mark Deeprose, his wife, two teenage children and Percy, their cockapoo, moved into this six-bedroom Victorian property, they knew something wasn’t right. The house had recently been through a modern conversion, with the kitchen and conservatory sitting in an extension of the property, with its period heritage nowhere to be found in the design.

“I believe the previous owners ran out of budget and enthusiasm, because it was a large job,” says Mark. “The fundamentals, such as electrics, plumbing and heating, the structure, and all the original features of the house were still in place, but their style was quite different to ours. So, we took it upon ourselves to work room by room, to put our own stamp on it.”

Renovating the Victorian kitchen

An extension of the property, the kitchen and conservatory on the ground floor stood out thanks to the high ceilings and Victorian coving. So, when it came to redoing the kitchen area, the family’s main requirement was to maintain a traditional feel that complemented these elements, while creating a functional, social space.

The brief

One of the first steps to accomplishing this was to enlist Murray Designs to bring their brief to life. “They were quite happy to listen to our ideas and try to get the exact look we were after,” says Mark. “For the design process, we worked out the flow of the kitchen together, which took a while. For example, we needed to ask practical questions such as, when the children come down for breakfast, where will the bowl be, or the milk and the cereal? Where will the coffee machine sit, and how will that flow work?”

He continues, “The previous owners’ design was more contemporary – they hadn’t used the room or accentuated it, or made the most of the ceiling height. It just didn’t fit, so we ripped it down.” The floor tiles with the underfloor heating were among the few things the family retained.

“For the rest, we started from scratch,” says Mark. “The kitchen runs on into the conservatory and you can see all the way through to the garden but, when we got in, the acoustics were awful – sound was bouncing everywhere, so we put in doors to keep the spaces separated but still create a flow between them, rather than having one massive room. We also added two large sash windows to include more light, and tall cupboards to fully use the ceiling height.”

The design

The upper cabinetry, painted in a rich navy shade, creates a fine contrast with the oak cabinets of the island, while for the latter, the family wanted a ‘centrepiece’ surface.

They were set on natural stone and, after some shopping around, they opted for a sophisticated piece of granite. The island was itself created out of the previous owners’ island – being too short for their liking, Murray Designs modified it by adding a beautifully crafted oak extension.

The pièce de résistance

However, the piece that steals the show is the big Lacanche range cooker. The previous owners had chosen waist-height ovens, instead, as part of a long run of cupboards and appliances that looked a bit ‘bulky and unattractive’.

“Murray Designs had the idea to build a hearth to put the big Lacanche in there, which is both in keeping with the building and includes four ovens. Once we got that in place, we were able to work out where everything else would go.”

Modern kitchen appliances such as an in-built microwave and fridge-freezer, as well as the lighting above the cupboards, inside the cabinets, and down lighting onto the surfaces, add a contemporary touch, while still blending with more traditional-looking elements such as the brass handles and taps.

The rest of the house

The family has completed the upstairs guest bathroom, the downstairs bathroom, and recently had the garden done too, where they’ve installed a swimming pool. The Victorian kitchen ultimately tied everything together and brought the entire design to life.

“With the kitchen, the conservatory and the pool, it all flows nicely now, as one. The downstairs we’re very happy with, and we’ve just got a few more rooms higher up to sort out. But no more renovations for the immediate future,” says Mark.

Photography: James French | Styling: Marisha Taylor

This house tour was featured in the November 2024 issue of Kitchens Bedrooms & Bathrooms magazine.

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