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Kitchen Tour: An Edwardian Terrace Extension With a Bold Accent
Exposed steel, timber and brick and a shot of brilliant yellow give this kitchen-diner a fun and dynamic finish
Extending his own period home, architect George Woodrow had the opportunity to show that “the experimental can lead to great results”. The experiment in this case was a kitchen-diner extension into the side return that shows off its structure beautifully. What’s more, it’s created a sociable hub where friends and family can gather and spend time together.
Walls were demolished to open up the side and back of the house, with the new extension forming an L shape around the outrigger.
Tempted by something similar? Read reviews of architects and building designers in your area.
Tempted by something similar? Read reviews of architects and building designers in your area.
The timber, brick and steelwork used for the extension are a striking feature of the design, revealing how the building is constructed. Not boxing in the steels also creates a greater sense of space, and, rather than a dark colour, George chose to finish them in an uplifting bold – RAL 1023 Traffic Yellow.
“The yellow theme actually started with the radiators,” he says (you can see these in the next two images). “I colour-matched the steels through trial and error – I went through five or 10 different paint samples to get there in the end.”
“The yellow theme actually started with the radiators,” he says (you can see these in the next two images). “I colour-matched the steels through trial and error – I went through five or 10 different paint samples to get there in the end.”
The room’s rafters are made from southern yellow pine and the infill panels are birch ply. They have a whitewashed, Scandinavian-style finish that distinguishes them further from the orange varnished pine the family lived with before. “It’s a lighter, brighter look and it contrasts with the floor,” George says.
The flooring is engineered oak, which was used throughout the ground floor. It, too, has a whitewashed effect that ensures it has none of the orangey tones of the old pine kitchen.
George avoided painted surfaces in the extension as far as possible, and the wall in the dining area features exposed brick. “If you were to add plasterboard and plaster, you’d be using more material than you need to,” he says. “Because of the light brick and the careful pointing, it feels like a finishing product rather than a primary material.”
Bench seating was built into the room. “It’s a useful tool for pushing the table against the wall,” George explains. “The wall is on an angle there, so to help us straighten the line, the bench has a tapering shelf.”
Below the bench is one of the yellow radiators that inspired the colour scheme, and its under-bench position makes the table an extra welcoming place to sit in winter.
Flow Form radiator, Bisque. Aplomb pendant lights in Concrete Grey, Foscarini. Quartz White bricks, Edenhall. Rafters and birch plywood panels, Moss & Co.
The flooring is engineered oak, which was used throughout the ground floor. It, too, has a whitewashed effect that ensures it has none of the orangey tones of the old pine kitchen.
George avoided painted surfaces in the extension as far as possible, and the wall in the dining area features exposed brick. “If you were to add plasterboard and plaster, you’d be using more material than you need to,” he says. “Because of the light brick and the careful pointing, it feels like a finishing product rather than a primary material.”
Bench seating was built into the room. “It’s a useful tool for pushing the table against the wall,” George explains. “The wall is on an angle there, so to help us straighten the line, the bench has a tapering shelf.”
Below the bench is one of the yellow radiators that inspired the colour scheme, and its under-bench position makes the table an extra welcoming place to sit in winter.
Flow Form radiator, Bisque. Aplomb pendant lights in Concrete Grey, Foscarini. Quartz White bricks, Edenhall. Rafters and birch plywood panels, Moss & Co.
George wanted a dark grey or black kitchen to create contrast with the rest of the space. The version he found has subtle detailing with chamfered edges and a matt finish that “doesn’t draw too much attention”.
Wipeable kitchen paint in RAL 6012 Black Green was used for the splashback – a decision that took a lot of thought. “We can amend it in the future, but I really like the look. It blends into the background,” George says.
He chose not to hang wall cupboards to avoid closing in the space, and storage around the fridge and on the bench side of the room means there’s no shortage of stash space. Open shelving above the worktop makes room for decorative objects. “It helps it feel less like a kitchen,” George says.
A second yellow radiator – a vertical design this time – is situated at the end of the room, and is surrounded by niches for accessories and books. “We like seeing objects on display,” George says, “and it helps to separate the radiator from the steel beams. The paint is 98 per cent the same, but it’s a distraction between the two.”
Kungsbacka kitchen, Ikea. Handles, IronmongeryDirect. Black track and ceiling-mounted lighting, Modern Lighting Solutions. Finn radiator, Bisque.
Wipeable kitchen paint in RAL 6012 Black Green was used for the splashback – a decision that took a lot of thought. “We can amend it in the future, but I really like the look. It blends into the background,” George says.
He chose not to hang wall cupboards to avoid closing in the space, and storage around the fridge and on the bench side of the room means there’s no shortage of stash space. Open shelving above the worktop makes room for decorative objects. “It helps it feel less like a kitchen,” George says.
A second yellow radiator – a vertical design this time – is situated at the end of the room, and is surrounded by niches for accessories and books. “We like seeing objects on display,” George says, “and it helps to separate the radiator from the steel beams. The paint is 98 per cent the same, but it’s a distraction between the two.”
Kungsbacka kitchen, Ikea. Handles, IronmongeryDirect. Black track and ceiling-mounted lighting, Modern Lighting Solutions. Finn radiator, Bisque.
Like the splashback, the choice of worktop proved a hard decision. After looking at various options, the couple plumped for spare plywood. “It’s heavily oiled and it does need maintenance, but it saved money, we like the look, and it feels a lot warmer than stone,” George says.
The fact that the surface can take the wear and tear of family life and, if necessary, be replaced several times for the cost of using stone once are other bonuses.
The couple wanted the sink to overlook the garden so they’re interacting with the outdoors every day. A large glass door was fitted to give access to the exterior and both this and the windows maximise sightlines with slim framing.
Door and windows, Velfac.
The fact that the surface can take the wear and tear of family life and, if necessary, be replaced several times for the cost of using stone once are other bonuses.
The couple wanted the sink to overlook the garden so they’re interacting with the outdoors every day. A large glass door was fitted to give access to the exterior and both this and the windows maximise sightlines with slim framing.
Door and windows, Velfac.
The front of the house is red brick, so using brick on the extension tied it into the original property. George chose a thinner, Tudor brick for the addition, however.
“There are more horizontals in the build up, so it looks more refined and works well with the slimmer glazing and more modern extension,” he says.
2in Tudor bricks, Imperial Bricks.
Choosing new windows for your home? Take a look at this expert advice first.
“There are more horizontals in the build up, so it looks more refined and works well with the slimmer glazing and more modern extension,” he says.
2in Tudor bricks, Imperial Bricks.
Choosing new windows for your home? Take a look at this expert advice first.
The addition faces south, so daylight is plentiful, and the rafters create attractive shadows in the room when the sun’s out.
The washing machine doesn’t have to share the kitchen space. George included a utility area in the tapering partition, along with storage.
To the left of the utility room is a corridor to the kitchen…
To the left of the utility room is a corridor to the kitchen…
…and to the right is a play space, with built-in cabinetry that makes tidying away toys easy.
Tell us…
What do you think of this fun design? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
Tell us…
What do you think of this fun design? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
Who lives here? George and Rosie Woodrow and their young daughter
Location South-west London
Property Edwardian end of terrace
Room dimensions 24 sq m
Architect George Woodrow of Woodrow Vizor Architects
Photos by Will Scott Photography
The house used to have a small galley kitchen featuring lots of heavily varnished pine, with an odd utility room on the end. “We weren’t ripping out existing features, as it had been done up in the past,” George says. “It was easier to see it as a blank canvas.”