After living in a town house with a small garden for more than twenty years, Adam and Gail Walker decided it was time for a move. Here, they tell us all about the new kitchen’s clever layout, thoughtful details, and eye-catching island…
“We wanted a home with more lateral space, with less time spent running up and down stairs, and a larger garden,” Adam, a chartered surveyor, tells KBB journo Amelia Thorpe. They were lucky enough to find an attractive two-floor detached property a few miles from their previous home, close to the sea, and with a spacious garden. However, while the location and size were perfect, the house was in dire need of a design rethink.
“The oak kitchen was dated, and the room was in the wrong place, tucked to the side and a long way from the dining room, which made the layout very impractical,” says Adam. As the couple began to mull their ideas for renovating the interior, they took a winter holiday in Majorca with friend Michael Rogers, managing director of Design Interiors.
“One wet weekend, we sat down together and Mike started sketching out layout ideas for the ground floor, introducing options we just hadn’t thought of,” recalls Adam. “Mike showed us how we could reconfigure the layout to create an open-plan cooking-dining-living space, with better sense of flow and improved access to the garden.”
Reworking the layout
By removing internal walls, swapping the living area with the kitchen and extending across wasted space at the side of the house, they could create a much more usable layout, geared to their lifestyle and love of entertaining and socialising with friends and family.
Three sets of steel-frame double doors across the width of the house now allow plenty of natural light into the room while the open-plan design accentuates the spacious feel.
“I could see that it made sense to use the long wall of the kitchen zone for a run of tall cabinets to house the ovens, fridge, freezer and pantry cupboard, plus breakfast dresser, with a sink area with dishwasher, creating a very practical layout,” Michael says.
The curved kitchen island
To form the hub of the room and the main preparation area, Michael then turned his attention to the island. “The T-shape design makes the best use of the space, bridging the dining and living areas, with generous curves, to make a real focal point in the room,” continues Michael. “While one side sweeps around the corner of the space, the other makes a neat area for a banquette seat and breakfast table, so that Gail and Adam can look out over the garden while eating.”
By opting for bespoke furniture by Davonport, it was possible to achieve the unusual concave curves of the kitchen island. Plus, it includes as much storage as possible. “There’s another smart detail,” adds Michael. “The builder curved the wall as it turns the corner from the dining to the living area, matching the skirting as well.”
The details
The choice of soft white paint for the tall cabinets was carefully considered, reducing any sense of bulk and creating a calm backdrop in the room. “We chose the bold blue for the island to bring in contrast and add interest – we didn’t want the room to look bland – while Gail added the mustard touches to boost the sense of warmth,” says Adam. “The gold finish to the handles and tap also lift the look, adding a little luxury.”
Quartz surface worktops with a subtle marble effect are durable and stain resistant, making them a good choice for a busy kitchen, while a splashback of the same quartz, finished with a fluted detail, introduces texture to the room.
“We invested in the best quality kitchen we could afford, in a classic style chosen to stand the test of time,” says Adam. “The room is a joy – it’s where we love to spend time and enjoy the views of the garden. We’re so pleased with how it’s turned out.”
As originally told to: Amelia Thorpe | Photography: Darren Chung
This house tour was featured in the August 2024 issue of Kitchens Bedrooms & Bathrooms magazine.
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