Kitchen storage
The family wanted more worktop space, and O’Meara gave them that by adding a pullout workspace next to the cooker. They can slide out the maple wood butcher’s block when cooking, making use of the space in front of the window. Then they can clean it off and tuck it away. The drawer beneath it contains the compost bin.Pro tips Make sure the spot has enough room for the pull-out unit and it won’t block anything important, such as an air vent.Use a cutting board you can clean easily.Work with the creator of the piece, if it’s bespoke, to ensure all the details fit into place.Check out more moveable islands and butcher’s blocks
At number 3…This classic, solid-wood family kitchen, painted in fashionable indigo blue, was designed by Jamie Blake of Blakes London as part of a new extension on a Victorian semi.Among the (many) standout features are the beautiful black-framed doors leading out to the garden and, in fact, these influenced the ‘classic industrial’ style of the kitchen. A family of five live in the house, so the kitchen needed to be a hard-working space. In particular, the large island packs in a number of different functions. There are two sinks (one prep, one main) and two dishwashers. It also has two integrated bins, a wine cooler and pan drawers. A row of factory-style metal pendants suspended above adds to the industrial feel of the space and provides plenty of task lighting.
The owners have a wonderfully eclectic style, so it was important the kitchen reflected this. “They always knew they wanted a mixture of colours, but they hadn’t decided what these would be,” says Jacobs. “At first, we’d toyed with the idea of having a dusky pink island, but after much discussion, the couple decided against that.”Instead, they opted for a combination of lead on the perimeter units and a turquoise island in the centre. The pink tone was added in subtly with these gorgeous patterned tiles on the cooker splashback.The owners picked a range cooker in a neutral stainless steel so it would work with any colour combination, and their builders constructed a false mantel above for a traditional look.Pink Pradena tiles, Bert & May.Discover how to perfectly pair two kitchen cabinet colours
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