This couple wants to transform the kitchen in their period farmhouse into a warm, social space. So, we’ve asked two designers to help bring their vision to life…
Abigail Palmer, a doctor in a hospital, lives with her husband Oliver, who works in IT, both 48, with their children, Peter, 18, and Danielle, 16, and lurcher Pixie in an extended 1820s Georgian farmhouse in Cambridgeshire. They have lived there for 10 years but feel that its kitchen, boot room and study need a rethink.
So, they decided to take part in our Drawing Board feature, where interiors experts come up with creative ideas for our readers’ renovations and design dilemmas. This time, KBB journo Rachel Ogden asked founder of Gainsborough Kitchens, Alex Jenman, and Lily Lucas, owner of L Rose Interiors, to help bring the family’s dream farmhouse kitchen-diner to life.
The space
Once the boot room and study walls are removed, the kitchen will form a T shape. It will measure 9.6m at its widest and 6m at its deepest. Its new exterior entrance will be from the former study. A small portion of that dividing wall will remain, as it’s structural. In the former boot room, there is an alcove remaining from an old replace and a large but low window. The ceiling height is 2.27m.
The budget is £40,000.
The brief for the new kitchen-diner
- To create a larger, open-plan kitchen for hosting extended family, Abigail and Oliver plan to remove the walls between the boot room and study. They want to include an island without seating and a divider or sliding door between it and the old study.
- Abigail’s preferred look is a cross between Scandi style and English farmhouse. Think light and wood, pale worktops, colour and texture (such as tiled splashback). The family love tea and coffee, so a dedicated area is required. Plus, they’d like to keep their Quooker Cube tap.
- Plenty of storage is key, with a small number of items on display and space for an extending dining table. Underfloor heating will be fitted.
- There’s an original period bread oven that needs to be included.
Designer one
Alex Jenman has been a kitchen designer for more than 35 years. He founded Gainsborough Kitchens in 1998, has been a finalist in the Kitchen Designer of the Year awards on multiple occasions, and is a member of the KBSA.
Solution one
“Abigail and Oliver have a fascinating space with great period detail. However, there was a lot to accommodate: three rooms in one that would work for entertaining. The main challenges were creating a practical kitchen while keeping it light and airy, and including enough storage, as well as Abigail’s wishlist island.
“To make this a beautiful and useable kitchen, I felt that two key design choices were needed. An island with units on both walls would be quite tight to work around, so I’ve opted for a large peninsula, instead. This provides maximum worktop space. To give an English farmhouse look, I’ve added furniture at the end of the peninsula with a freestanding feel but that also boosts storage. It’s slightly higher than the rest of the peninsula, too: the small height change in the worktop defines both the sink and preparation areas.
“By not taking units across the outside wall, I was able to keep the low window and the bread oven as features. Inspired by Abigail’s suggestion of a dividing wall between the old study and the kitchen, I placed a new wall halfway along the old study, with pocket glass doors. This makes for an open and bright space, while creating an ideal area for appliances such as a built-in AEG steam oven, combi microwave, tall fridge and freezer, plus additional storage. Around the corner is a tea station with bi-fold doors.
“For the furniture, I’ve chosen Symphony’s value-for-money Laura Ashley Harbury units in a soft palette of buttery Caramel and classic Chalk White. These traditional in-frame doors are beautifully made in the UK, and the Caramel aligns with Abigail’s vision: more subdued and less busy than woodgrain, while evoking a relaxed Scandi vibe.”
Abigail’s verdict
“This space has a lovely feel about it. I particularly liked the pocket glass doors halfway down the old study. They allow the daylight through but could keep the mess and mud at bay. I also thought the peninsula worked well. We hadn’t considered it before, but it could make the kitchen space more distinct, although perhaps a bit cramped.
“I would be concerned about the practicalities of working in this kitchen with the fridge so far away from the cooker, though, and I thought that the dining area wall could be put to better use. That said, the Rangemaster cooker looks fantastic. And, my husband was especially taken with the fitted chopping boards in the Laura Ashley furniture range. I really liked the matching boot room furniture. This is something I will definitely look out for when choosing our kitchen.”
Designer two
Lily Lucas is the founder of L Rose Interiors. She has a BA Hons in Interior Architecture and Design, and specialises in kitchen and residential projects, having previously worked for multiple interior design companies.
Solution two
“Reading through the couple’s brief, it was clear this space needed to become the warm, welcoming, spacious heart of their home. I felt it was also important to nod towards the history of the house while bringing in Abigail’s preferred Scandi and English Farmhouse influences.
“I chose a simple slab door in Light Oak from Hampton Kitchens’ Tidbury range. This has been paired with a pale, slightly textured Dekton Aeris worktop, gold handles and an LVT tiled-effect floor, for a Scandi look mixed with a cosy English Farmhouse style. I added soft furnishings in muted yellows, blues and greens to bring in warmth, and pops of copper as highlights.
“For the layout, I began by focusing on the area where a range cooker could live, enhancing the walls around this space, and adding a shelf behind the range for oils and spices. Next, I looked at making a feature of the bread oven. I loved Abigail’s idea of it being used for storage but felt it was better preserved in its original form. I’ve added a unit above for storage, though, with utensils hanging nearby. This means that the bread oven becomes part of the space, rather than having the kitchen designed around it.
“The couple like to entertain, so I’ve included preparation space in the form of a large island. It doesn’t include a hob or sink to maximise worktop area. And, it has deep drawers on one side and full-depth cupboards on the other.
“Mixing closed units with open shelving and glazed units creates a feeling of space. To ensure the room still felt cosy, rather than adding a fixed divider, I decided on a large velvet curtain. This can be opened when the family want to entertain, but closed to create a cosy private dining area.”
Abigail’s verdict
“This design felt really welcoming. I liked the use of soft furnishings and the yellow to make the room feel cosy and spacious. The use of the curtain was ingenious, but I didn’t like the idea of the dining area being in with the shoes and coats. I would rather they were separate, so if they got messy, we could ignore them.
“The big island creates a lot of space for storage and food preparation. However, it limits the dining area when more family is around, which was one of my priorities. I like the open and closed cupboards and shelves, and the hanging saucepans and utensils. Wrapping the counter around the low window and creating a plant bay for fresh herbs was also a brilliant idea.”
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