Kitchen of the Week: Bringing Warmth and Light into a Gloomy Room
A designer refreshes and revives a tired kitchen while respecting the Victorian heritage of the home
The owner of this Victorian house in Yorkshire in the UK wasn’t after a big kitchen, but she did want her existing space to be lighter, calmer and warmer-looking. Achieving that was another matter, however, so she asked designer Lucy Clarke-Bishop to help. “The client brought me in because she was overwhelmed by choice and didn’t know what she wanted to do in terms of finishes, colors and lighting,” she says.
Now, pale cabinets and pink-tinged walls make the most of the extra light from a new, deep-reaching roof lantern, while tongue-and-groove paneling and a Victorian-inspired island nod to the era. The result is an airy, well-functioning space that feels as if it’s always been there.
Now, pale cabinets and pink-tinged walls make the most of the extra light from a new, deep-reaching roof lantern, while tongue-and-groove paneling and a Victorian-inspired island nod to the era. The result is an airy, well-functioning space that feels as if it’s always been there.
Before: The units in the old kitchen were starting to fall apart and the slanted glazing wasn’t bringing in enough light while at the same time stealing potential storage space.
Although the client loves black, there was a little too much of it for a shady space and the white upper units and walls appeared quite harsh in the limited light.
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Although the client loves black, there was a little too much of it for a shady space and the white upper units and walls appeared quite harsh in the limited light.
Find a kitchen designer on Houzz
After: The large roof lantern brings a better quality of light into the room. Doing away with the slanted glazing has also freed up more wall space for a bigger cabinet.
While Clarke-Bishop has reduced the amount of black in the room, she’s also banished most of the white to make the kitchen feel warmer and more inviting.
“At first we were trying to do a pink kitchen, but we couldn’t find a shade that would work in this light — everything either looked too sugary or too dirty,” she says. They settled on a very pale but warm gray.
The walls, meanwhile, are a subtle pinky-white. “It brings warmth into the room without being an overt color,” Clarke-Bishop says.
The client loves black, so Clarke-Bishop has retained some, designing a black island that echoes the existing range cooker. The island is on legs. “It not being solid allows more light to come through and gives it a bit more airiness,” she says.
The island isn’t huge — 64.5 inches long by 35.5 inches wide by 32 inches deep — but it’s perfect for the homeowners. “They really didn’t want any appliances in the island; they wanted it to be a standalone [countertop],” Clarke-Bishop says. “It’s become a real focal point of the kitchen — everyone stands around it chatting.”
The legs are a modern take on a Victorian turned leg. “I researched lots of Victorian table legs to find a good combination of the detail they needed to add a bit of something to the space without it being overly ornate, because everything’s quite simple and calm in the room,” Clarke-Bishop says.
The countertop is Arabescato marble, which has a hint of pink in it. The remaining countertops are a simple, lightly marbled quartz, “just to allow the island to have a shining moment”.
The refrigerator sits behind the far-left door, with a pantry in the right-hand tall cupboard.
Cabinets painted in Strong White; island painted in Pitch Black, both Farrow & Ball; walls painted in Rose Tinted White, Edward Bulmer.
While Clarke-Bishop has reduced the amount of black in the room, she’s also banished most of the white to make the kitchen feel warmer and more inviting.
“At first we were trying to do a pink kitchen, but we couldn’t find a shade that would work in this light — everything either looked too sugary or too dirty,” she says. They settled on a very pale but warm gray.
The walls, meanwhile, are a subtle pinky-white. “It brings warmth into the room without being an overt color,” Clarke-Bishop says.
The client loves black, so Clarke-Bishop has retained some, designing a black island that echoes the existing range cooker. The island is on legs. “It not being solid allows more light to come through and gives it a bit more airiness,” she says.
The island isn’t huge — 64.5 inches long by 35.5 inches wide by 32 inches deep — but it’s perfect for the homeowners. “They really didn’t want any appliances in the island; they wanted it to be a standalone [countertop],” Clarke-Bishop says. “It’s become a real focal point of the kitchen — everyone stands around it chatting.”
The legs are a modern take on a Victorian turned leg. “I researched lots of Victorian table legs to find a good combination of the detail they needed to add a bit of something to the space without it being overly ornate, because everything’s quite simple and calm in the room,” Clarke-Bishop says.
The countertop is Arabescato marble, which has a hint of pink in it. The remaining countertops are a simple, lightly marbled quartz, “just to allow the island to have a shining moment”.
The refrigerator sits behind the far-left door, with a pantry in the right-hand tall cupboard.
Cabinets painted in Strong White; island painted in Pitch Black, both Farrow & Ball; walls painted in Rose Tinted White, Edward Bulmer.
The client wanted to retain the original Aga range cooker, but instead of the traditional oil-fired heating system it previously had, it’s now been converted to electric with induction cooktops under the original hot plate covers.
“The Aga was very much a part of the design and wasn’t going anywhere — they really love it,” Clarke-Bishop says. “It was also more cost-effective to keep it than to buy a whole new range, and it works with the look of the kitchen.”
The tongue-and-groove paneling is painted in the same color as the walls. “We were adamant the paneling was going in, because we wanted to have nods to the period without it being too much of a classic Victorian kitchen. We wanted the kitchen to feel as if it had been there for years,” Clarke-Bishop says.
She’s a big fan of shelves in kitchens. “Because kitchens are so cabinet-heavy, it’s a place where you can show more personality,” she says. “It’s a great way of making someone’s kitchen a bit more theirs.”
The designer and her clients went through quite a few versions of the [countertop] cupboard (seen here on the right and in the previous photo) and settled on this one with a drawer at the bottom. “We also wanted an element of fluted glass, just to soften the space and give a bit more interest and not have full wooden doors all the way around,” she says.
The small cupboard to the left of the range is for baking sheets.
Wall lights: Corston
“The Aga was very much a part of the design and wasn’t going anywhere — they really love it,” Clarke-Bishop says. “It was also more cost-effective to keep it than to buy a whole new range, and it works with the look of the kitchen.”
The tongue-and-groove paneling is painted in the same color as the walls. “We were adamant the paneling was going in, because we wanted to have nods to the period without it being too much of a classic Victorian kitchen. We wanted the kitchen to feel as if it had been there for years,” Clarke-Bishop says.
She’s a big fan of shelves in kitchens. “Because kitchens are so cabinet-heavy, it’s a place where you can show more personality,” she says. “It’s a great way of making someone’s kitchen a bit more theirs.”
The designer and her clients went through quite a few versions of the [countertop] cupboard (seen here on the right and in the previous photo) and settled on this one with a drawer at the bottom. “We also wanted an element of fluted glass, just to soften the space and give a bit more interest and not have full wooden doors all the way around,” she says.
The small cupboard to the left of the range is for baking sheets.
Wall lights: Corston
Squaring off this end of the room meant the window could be a little taller, which gives a lovely view. “The clients had their [back yard] finished this year, so I think it’s been lovely for them to enjoy the greenery through the window,” Clarke-Bishop says.
The black frames draw attention to the view. “The client really wanted there to be elements of black in the room and that it all tied in and looked harmonious,” she says.
The cupboards either side of the sink contain pull-out bins and a dishwasher.
The pendant lights are fluted glass, so they work with the cabinet without being too matchy-matchy, while the scalloped farmhouse sink also nods to the subtle stripes.
Boiling-water faucet: Quooker; cupola pendant lights, Pooky
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The black frames draw attention to the view. “The client really wanted there to be elements of black in the room and that it all tied in and looked harmonious,” she says.
The cupboards either side of the sink contain pull-out bins and a dishwasher.
The pendant lights are fluted glass, so they work with the cabinet without being too matchy-matchy, while the scalloped farmhouse sink also nods to the subtle stripes.
Boiling-water faucet: Quooker; cupola pendant lights, Pooky
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As well as the fluted glass and sink, there are subtle vertical lines throughout both rooms, including in the tongue-and-groove paneling and wooden bench seen here. “I really like stripes,” Clarke-Bishop says. “They add interest and create a sense of height.”
The lighting throughout is beautifully layered, with elegant fittings in brass, fluted glass and white porcelain unobtrusive in the space. There are wall lights by the range and the dining area and pendants over the sink and table.
“Without it looking overcrowded, I try to add as many lighting choices into a kitchen as possible,” Clarke-Bishop says. “You need the option of having everything on, to be able to see really clearly when you’re cooking, but also to be able to tone it down. In this case, the clients wanted to host people, as this is their only dining space, so the lighting needed to be dimmable.
“I always try to avoid spotlights as much as possible, because you’re losing the opportunity to put in nice-looking lights — plus the lighting quality from a spotlight I don’t love!” she continues. “I’ve chosen brass for them all just to keep that warmth going throughout, and brass lights always looks nice when they’re on, as they add an extra little glow.”
Wall lights: Corston; pendant light: Original BTC
The lighting throughout is beautifully layered, with elegant fittings in brass, fluted glass and white porcelain unobtrusive in the space. There are wall lights by the range and the dining area and pendants over the sink and table.
“Without it looking overcrowded, I try to add as many lighting choices into a kitchen as possible,” Clarke-Bishop says. “You need the option of having everything on, to be able to see really clearly when you’re cooking, but also to be able to tone it down. In this case, the clients wanted to host people, as this is their only dining space, so the lighting needed to be dimmable.
“I always try to avoid spotlights as much as possible, because you’re losing the opportunity to put in nice-looking lights — plus the lighting quality from a spotlight I don’t love!” she continues. “I’ve chosen brass for them all just to keep that warmth going throughout, and brass lights always looks nice when they’re on, as they add an extra little glow.”
Wall lights: Corston; pendant light: Original BTC
The dining table was already in place in this spot, but the family wanted more seating, so a fitted bench was a space-smart solution. “It’s not a wide room, so the bench meant they could seat more at the dining table and still have space to walk through the kitchen,” Clarke-Bishop says.
“My design was inspired by old church pews,” she continues. “The wood finish was key, so it’s stained in the same shade as the floorboards, as we wanted it to look as if it had always been there and was part of the house.”
The original room was quite cold, so Clarke-Bishop was keen to fit in more heating. As well as the tall radiator near the laundry/mudroom door, she’s fitted a radiator within the bench. “That’s why it sits slightly away from the wall, to let the heat out,” she says. “It meant they could have a good-sized dining space and still fit in another radiator.”
The seat cushion was made up by a local upholsterer in blue ticking stripe fabric. “It was super-cheap from a haberdashery and feels as if it’s been here forever,” she says.
Bench: made by Browson Design & Build
“My design was inspired by old church pews,” she continues. “The wood finish was key, so it’s stained in the same shade as the floorboards, as we wanted it to look as if it had always been there and was part of the house.”
The original room was quite cold, so Clarke-Bishop was keen to fit in more heating. As well as the tall radiator near the laundry/mudroom door, she’s fitted a radiator within the bench. “That’s why it sits slightly away from the wall, to let the heat out,” she says. “It meant they could have a good-sized dining space and still fit in another radiator.”
The seat cushion was made up by a local upholsterer in blue ticking stripe fabric. “It was super-cheap from a haberdashery and feels as if it’s been here forever,” she says.
Bench: made by Browson Design & Build
Clarke-Bishop removed the solid door between the kitchen and laundry/mudroom and fitted a curtain instead. “The clients wanted the room to be a continuation of the kitchen, with the same colors and materials, and to feel part of the space as a whole, so the door between them wasn’t needed,” she says.
However, because the door to the back yard is in here, the clients wanted a curtain for the colder months. “It’s a lovely pink wool fabric, which keeps the heat in and also softens the space and brings in a bit of color,” she says. (See the first photo for a full view of the curtain.)
It also leads the eye to the striped wallpaper. “It’s not a hard stripe, it’s quite painterly — there’s a wave to it and a bit of depth in the color — so it doesn’t look too harsh,” Clarke-Bishop says.
This is a busy room where the clients do their washing and the kids come in from school, so there’s also coat and shoe storage. “Because it’s a small Victorian [row house], they don’t have space at the front door, so they needed to have everything for family life in here,” she says.
The new back door is glazed, which pulls lots of light into the space.
Floor tiles: Bert & May; wool curtain fabric: Warner House; wallpaper: Annika Reed
However, because the door to the back yard is in here, the clients wanted a curtain for the colder months. “It’s a lovely pink wool fabric, which keeps the heat in and also softens the space and brings in a bit of color,” she says. (See the first photo for a full view of the curtain.)
It also leads the eye to the striped wallpaper. “It’s not a hard stripe, it’s quite painterly — there’s a wave to it and a bit of depth in the color — so it doesn’t look too harsh,” Clarke-Bishop says.
This is a busy room where the clients do their washing and the kids come in from school, so there’s also coat and shoe storage. “Because it’s a small Victorian [row house], they don’t have space at the front door, so they needed to have everything for family life in here,” she says.
The new back door is glazed, which pulls lots of light into the space.
Floor tiles: Bert & May; wool curtain fabric: Warner House; wallpaper: Annika Reed
The cabinets and walls are painted in the same colors as in the kitchen, so it all feels cohesive, but they’ve been used in a slightly different way. “There’s more black, stronger stripes, and a bit more pink,” Clarke-Bishop says. “We’ve dialled it up a bit in here, as it’s a smaller space, so we could.”
Having so much storage and functionality in here meant the kitchen could be a bit freer. “There’s a snug that’s open plan to the kitchen, so the clients wanted the kitchen space to feel very welcoming, open, and not full of laundry — a warm, inviting place where everyone could hang out,” Clarke-Bishop says.
Cabinets, hardware, sink and countertops: Browson Design & Build; cabinet paint: Pitch Black, Farrow & Ball; wall paint: Rose Tinted White, Edward Bulmer
Having so much storage and functionality in here meant the kitchen could be a bit freer. “There’s a snug that’s open plan to the kitchen, so the clients wanted the kitchen space to feel very welcoming, open, and not full of laundry — a warm, inviting place where everyone could hang out,” Clarke-Bishop says.
Cabinets, hardware, sink and countertops: Browson Design & Build; cabinet paint: Pitch Black, Farrow & Ball; wall paint: Rose Tinted White, Edward Bulmer
The clients love Clarke-Bishop’s design and have asked her to remodel their other rooms — the biggest compliment.
As the homeowner said in her review on Houzz: “I felt completely overwhelmed with the responsibility to choose the right [colors] … Lucy … really listened to what I wanted and her advice and continued researching for the right [colors]/lights/design details was absolutely amazing and made the whole process so enjoyable … I honestly couldn’t have created such a beautiful space without her, everyone comments on how well the [colors] work and how calming it all feels.”
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As the homeowner said in her review on Houzz: “I felt completely overwhelmed with the responsibility to choose the right [colors] … Lucy … really listened to what I wanted and her advice and continued researching for the right [colors]/lights/design details was absolutely amazing and made the whole process so enjoyable … I honestly couldn’t have created such a beautiful space without her, everyone comments on how well the [colors] work and how calming it all feels.”
More on Houzz
Read more kitchen stories
Browse kitchen photos for ideas
Find a kitchen remodeler
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Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A family of four
Location: York, North Yorkshire, UK
Size: Kitchen: 238 square feet (22.1 square meters);
Laundry/mudroom: 57 square feet (5.3 square meters)
Designer: Lucy Clarke-Bishop of Clarke-Bishop Interiors
The kitchen and laundry room sit within the existing footprint. “The client was quite clear she didn’t need any additional space,” Clarke-Bishop says.
The homeowners worked with Browson Design & Build, who fitted the roof lantern and made the cabinets, then turned the remodel over to Clarke-Bishop. “I came in on all the finishes, including the colors, where the island was going to go, the worktop finishes, tone of flooring, bench seating and lighting,” she says.
Kitchen: cabinets, hardware, sink and countertops: Browson Design & Build