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Design Dilemma Kitchens

Kitchen Window

Mel Weber Interior Design

3 years ago

We'd like to add a larger window opening(s) to our open plan kitchen area to let in more light but I'm really struggling to find any inspiration. The kitchen area forms part of a square open plan living/dining/kitchen with bifolds across the back of the house. It's a semi-detached house so the window will look directly on to the brick wall of the house next door - there's approx 1m wide pathway in-between. It's pretty Victorian brick opposite with no pipework but I'm looking for inspiration on how to make the window area look good.

Thoughts so far are to run a shelf across the full width of the window to put plants on but given the limited light I'm not sure how well they'll fare. Grateful for any other ideas or images of similar as I just can't find anything online. I love exposed brick/crittall/industrial styles if that helps.

Pic of existing kitchen which we inherited and will all be revamped once we get our heads around layout. Tall cupboard on left likely to stay as houses the boiler but we have the full wall to play with where the existing wall cabinets are.

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Comments (13)

Daisy England
3 years ago
I would have no wall units at all on the window wall. That then gives you the opportunity to have a larger window to whatever size you wish.
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Mel Weber Interior Design
Original Author
3 years ago
Thanks Daisy. Yes I don’t plan to have any wall cabinets but looking for ideas on how to add interest to a wall opening up on to a brick wall. Hope that makes sense.
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Carolina
3 years ago
Would something like this be an idea? With either cabinets or shelves above perhaps? So it's not the focal point, acts like a brick backsplash more or less, but it will let in light. You could have lights mounted under the shelves too, or LED strip lights behind so the wall will be lit up in the evening. Ignore the style of the kitchens below.
Carolina
3 years ago
Also, is it a well used path? Or could you put tall, narrow plant boxes along the wall with plants in it? Maybe something made of corten steel?
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Mel Weber Interior Design
Original Author
3 years ago
Thanks Carolina, both lovely ideas. No we hardly ever use the path so tall planters definitely an option and something I wouldn’t have thought of.
Ellie
3 years ago
What lighting do you have? I'd plan to make change to lighting first before increasing the size of a window.
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Mel Weber Interior Design
Original Author
3 years ago
Hi Ellie, just spots currently but I don’t plan to have lighting on during the day & work from home so would like to maximise natural light wherever possible.
Sonia
3 years ago
Hi Leo & Grace, so really you’re wondering how to improve the view out of the new window? I think a planter or pot, as Carolina has suggested, with a plant in it would do the trick. There is an evergreen climber called Trachelospermum jasminoides (Star Jasmine) which has small glossy leaves and fragrant flowers all summer long. It’s flat and slim so won’t block the path. They need some sun. Bamboo is another evergreen rustling grass that could do the job too.

Here’s a couple of pics, first is Star Jasmine and the second is black bamboo, but there are loads of plants that will do the job,
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Mel Weber Interior Design
Original Author
3 years ago
Hi Sonia. Yes either to improve the view outside or to do something clever internally to make it more interesting. Thanks for the plant suggestions 🌿
chloeloves
3 years ago
Hi Sonia, if the view is no good have you considered a long horizontal wi Dow similar to carolina suggestion but positioned high above eye level so you are not looking at the wall but you get the light in. You could then have shelf and backsplash at lower levels. You could expose the brick internally if it is good or use brick slips?
Jonathan
3 years ago
You could also put wire up the wall and grow climbing plants like clematis. I like when the wire makes a diamond pattern
Carolina
3 years ago
I wouldn't put plants on the inside of the window, because that would block more light? What chloeloves said was my other idea, but life got in the way of posting it :-) I Think a window lower down is easier to clean (I must be getting old, I'm sounding like my mother now), and it will give you more light on the worktop. But both would work well. If you decide to make the wall more interesting with plants, you could just go for a larger window. Not sure if you're allowed to drill into the neighbour's wall to attach wires to it, like Jonathan suggested?

Choices, choices...
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Gvega Cerámica
3 years ago
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