Kitchen Tour: A Cedar-clad Extension With an Unusual Layout
This neat addition, which steals little from the garden, has created space for a bright, family-friendly kitchen-diner
Cheryl F
29 March 2019
Houzz Contributor. I'm a London-based journalist with years of experience writing for the UK's top interiors titles. I love shopping for quirky accessories, have a passion for rummaging through vintage stores and I'm ever-hopeful of finding that elusive perfect paint shade.
Houzz Contributor. I'm a London-based journalist with years of experience writing... More
Think of a typical kitchen extension, and you probably picture a squared-off side return on a Victorian terrace, or one that lengthens an existing room, taking out a chunk of garden.
This addition to an end-of-terrace, cottage-style property, though, does something a bit different. A neat extension wraps around the side of the house, adding architectural pizzazz and a new home for a kitchen-diner at the rear.
“The extension follows the property’s boundary line, which is how its slightly unusual shape evolved,” says Mike Healey of Design Squared, the architecture practice behind this unique project.
This addition to an end-of-terrace, cottage-style property, though, does something a bit different. A neat extension wraps around the side of the house, adding architectural pizzazz and a new home for a kitchen-diner at the rear.
“The extension follows the property’s boundary line, which is how its slightly unusual shape evolved,” says Mike Healey of Design Squared, the architecture practice behind this unique project.
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here? A professional couple with two children
Location Dulwich, southeast London
Property Cottage-style end-of-terrace house
Kitchen-diner dimensions 35.8 sq m
Architect Mike Healey of Design Squared
Kitchen designer Cookhaus
Photos by Chris Snook
The family had lived in the property for a while before deciding to extend. “It was a nice house, but the owners wanted to create a more practical space for their growing family,” Mike says. “The main elements of the brief were more space and light, and better functionality.”
As well as creating a new, larger kitchen, the extension added space for a utility room and shower room at the front of the house.
Most of the front of the house matches the original white render. “Our plans not only had to satisfy the council, but, because of the location, also the Dulwich Estate, which has its own set of rules and regulations,” Mike explains.
However, at the rear, the team could be a little bit bolder. Cedar cladding adds a modern touch. “Using different textures, such as the timber, makes it look more architectural,” Mike says. “I think the contrast with the white works really well.”
Who lives here? A professional couple with two children
Location Dulwich, southeast London
Property Cottage-style end-of-terrace house
Kitchen-diner dimensions 35.8 sq m
Architect Mike Healey of Design Squared
Kitchen designer Cookhaus
Photos by Chris Snook
The family had lived in the property for a while before deciding to extend. “It was a nice house, but the owners wanted to create a more practical space for their growing family,” Mike says. “The main elements of the brief were more space and light, and better functionality.”
As well as creating a new, larger kitchen, the extension added space for a utility room and shower room at the front of the house.
Most of the front of the house matches the original white render. “Our plans not only had to satisfy the council, but, because of the location, also the Dulwich Estate, which has its own set of rules and regulations,” Mike explains.
However, at the rear, the team could be a little bit bolder. Cedar cladding adds a modern touch. “Using different textures, such as the timber, makes it look more architectural,” Mike says. “I think the contrast with the white works really well.”
The new kitchen has a slightly unconventional shape – what Mike describes as an “off-U” – to make the most of the available space. (Notice the two banks of cabinets aren’t parallel.) “It did make for a slightly more complicated design job, though,” he admits.
The kitchen features heritage-style units with a modern twist. “We’re seeing a lot more Shaker-style units at the moment,” Mike says. “However, we’re not calling it a traditional kitchen any more. It’s almost a hybrid of traditional and modern, often teamed with more contemporary work surfaces.”
The units are factory-finished in navy. “It’s one of those colours that’s very on-trend at the moment,” Mike says. “And the room can take it, it’s so light.”
Kitchen units, finished in Velvet Blue, Häcker.
The kitchen features heritage-style units with a modern twist. “We’re seeing a lot more Shaker-style units at the moment,” Mike says. “However, we’re not calling it a traditional kitchen any more. It’s almost a hybrid of traditional and modern, often teamed with more contemporary work surfaces.”
The units are factory-finished in navy. “It’s one of those colours that’s very on-trend at the moment,” Mike says. “And the room can take it, it’s so light.”
Kitchen units, finished in Velvet Blue, Häcker.
The vintage-style handles are another design detail that mixes traditional – that classic half-moon shape – with modern – the brushed-steel finish.
A glass splashback keeps the look clean and airy, and doesn’t clutter the simple white walls.
Cooker and cooker hood, Siemens.
Find a great kitchen fitter in your area on Houzz.
A glass splashback keeps the look clean and airy, and doesn’t clutter the simple white walls.
Cooker and cooker hood, Siemens.
Find a great kitchen fitter in your area on Houzz.
The owners have mostly chosen deep, wide drawers for easy access to kitchenware.
The worktops are a super-slim, scratch-resistant composite. The section on the peninsula has been extended to form a small breakfast bar – the perfect place for the children to eat or do their homework.
20mm Unistone Bianco Carrara worktop, Cookhaus.
20mm Unistone Bianco Carrara worktop, Cookhaus.
A large rooflight ensures this is a bright, welcoming room year-round. “In any extension, you’re always looking to have as much natural light as possible,” Mike says.
Recessed spots in the ceiling are unobtrusive. “This isn’t the tallest room,” he says. “It’s not like your traditional Victorian home, where you might have 3m-high ceilings; these are more like 2.5m.”
Recessed spots in the ceiling are unobtrusive. “This isn’t the tallest room,” he says. “It’s not like your traditional Victorian home, where you might have 3m-high ceilings; these are more like 2.5m.”
A boiling-water tap means there’s no need for a kettle, helping to keep the worktop clutter-free. The seamless drainer adds to the clean, stylish look.
Black aluminium bifold doors let the light flow in and look crisp against the white walls. “Having darker frames doesn’t take away from a traditional look, but it brings a modern aspect to the design,” Mike says. “So they work well in Victorian or cottage-style properties like this one. Plus they still go well with white-painted sash windows, for example.”
Aluminium frames can also sometimes be a more budget-friendly option than steel ones, Mike adds.
Aluminium frames can also sometimes be a more budget-friendly option than steel ones, Mike adds.
The herringbone parquet floor has a warm, timeless feel. The black internal doors echo the external ones for that heritage-meets-modern vibe again.
Before building works, there was a step down into the study area (which is situated through the doors). “But we levelled it off to avoid an awkward threshold,” Mike says.
Flooring, The Wooden Floor Specialists. Pendants, Made In Design.
Before building works, there was a step down into the study area (which is situated through the doors). “But we levelled it off to avoid an awkward threshold,” Mike says.
Flooring, The Wooden Floor Specialists. Pendants, Made In Design.
Originally, the kitchen sat where the dining area is. “It ended where the kitchen now begins,” Mike says. “The key word to describe how it looked before was tired. And it only had one window, no doors, so it was pretty dark.”
The large, vintage-style dining table is positioned so the family can take advantage of the garden views.
Table, Castle & Gregory. Kendal dining chairs, Made.
Planning a family kitchen? Here’s your essential checklist.
Table, Castle & Gregory. Kendal dining chairs, Made.
Planning a family kitchen? Here’s your essential checklist.
The study area has been painted in a dark blue to match the kitchen units.
Tell us…
What do you like about this extended kitchen? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
What do you like about this extended kitchen? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
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Fabulous to see different ideas to make amazing spaces and this works really well
the whole package works really well great work!