Kitchen Tours
South East Kitchen
Kitchen Tour: An Elegant, Family-sized Design Packed With Storage
A large, practical island is the star of this beautifully pale, classic kitchen in Surrey
Kitchen designer Mark Andrews’ clients were planning an extension when they found him on Houzz, which they’d already been using for inspiration. “The kitchen they’d previously had was a quarter of the size of the new one,” Mark says. As such, the family of five were keen to make the most of the generous new space and asked Mark to include two dishwashers, two larders, a 12-seater dining table and a huge island packed with storage.
The owners had originally wanted an all-white kitchen, including the walls, but Mark advised that, in this large space, especially with a dark floor, it could risk looking a little cold. As such, they opted for a very pale blue for the walls and a grey-white for the cabinets.
Cabinets painted in Strong White; walls painted in Skylight, both Farrow & Ball. Dark oak LVT flooring, Karndean.
Cabinets painted in Strong White; walls painted in Skylight, both Farrow & Ball. Dark oak LVT flooring, Karndean.
The owners didn’t feel they needed the island to accommodate seating, but Mark added space for a couple of bar stools at one end, sufficient to allow comfortable socialising with whoever is cooking.
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The other side of the island (not shown) contains a wine fridge, two tray spaces, more drawers and a double cupboard. The worktop houses an induction hob.
The bank of full-height units against the wall behind contains, from left to right: a larder, a microwave and two warming drawers, plus the owners’ existing double oven, with storage cupboards above for infrequently used items.
Before the next bank of units starts, there’s a door leading to a shower and utility room and, beyond these, a back door.
The fridge-freezer looks like an American-style design; in fact, it’s two separate, full-size appliances with doors fixed to open outwards to create the same look. The owners already had the freezer, and a new fridge was sourced to match it in colour and size.
Next to this is the second larder and, beyond that, a broom cupboard.
The bank of full-height units against the wall behind contains, from left to right: a larder, a microwave and two warming drawers, plus the owners’ existing double oven, with storage cupboards above for infrequently used items.
Before the next bank of units starts, there’s a door leading to a shower and utility room and, beyond these, a back door.
The fridge-freezer looks like an American-style design; in fact, it’s two separate, full-size appliances with doors fixed to open outwards to create the same look. The owners already had the freezer, and a new fridge was sourced to match it in colour and size.
Next to this is the second larder and, beyond that, a broom cupboard.
The worktops throughout are quartzite. “It’s a real stone – one of the only ones you can have as white that’s so durable,” Mark says.
Mark also made the chunky maple chopping board seen here.
The cupboards either side of the sink contain the two dishwashers. The corner units contain shelves, and there’s a double pull-out bin in the cupboard to the right of this, under the bread bin.
Mark also made the chunky maple chopping board seen here.
The cupboards either side of the sink contain the two dishwashers. The corner units contain shelves, and there’s a double pull-out bin in the cupboard to the right of this, under the bread bin.
Mark designed this dreamy larder to suit the owners’ requirements. There’s a worktop, plus power points for small appliances, including a coffee-maker and a blender, and racks on the doors for additional storage of small bottles and packets. The owners opted to have their spices lying flat in the top drawer, and Mark designed the drawer’s interior to accommodate this.
The cupboard exterior is solid wood, as are the rest of the units, with walnut veneered shelving and inners. The dovetailed drawers are solid walnut.
The cupboard exterior is solid wood, as are the rest of the units, with walnut veneered shelving and inners. The dovetailed drawers are solid walnut.
The units at the far end of this run are set back. “As a visual thing, so as not to have one big run of cupboards and a big block of kitchen, we kept the cupboards the same depth [as the sink units] here,” Mark says.
Also adding visual interest is the higher ceiling level at the end, which is due to the shape of the house. “If you look at it from outside, the roof goes down to an angle. The raised area is the eaves and [the owners] opted to use this space to give them extra height here.” This roof area has a window (out of shot), which also boosts light at this end of the kitchen.
Ceiling-mounted extractor, Westin.
Also adding visual interest is the higher ceiling level at the end, which is due to the shape of the house. “If you look at it from outside, the roof goes down to an angle. The raised area is the eaves and [the owners] opted to use this space to give them extra height here.” This roof area has a window (out of shot), which also boosts light at this end of the kitchen.
Ceiling-mounted extractor, Westin.
Mark says the owners were very keen to have soft-close doors on the cabinets. “You can’t generally have them on inframe doors like these,” he explains, adding that soft-close hinges are designed to be invisible from the exterior and that’s something you can generally only do with unframed doors. Inframe doors are designed to work with visible hinges, which can’t also be soft-closing.
Undaunted, Mark, a trained furniture-maker, came up with a way to make the idea work using magnets sunk into the doors and the frames, which did the “pulling”. He then added a soft-close piston to make the doors close slowly.
Undaunted, Mark, a trained furniture-maker, came up with a way to make the idea work using magnets sunk into the doors and the frames, which did the “pulling”. He then added a soft-close piston to make the doors close slowly.
Mark created the upholstered bench seating as well as this impressive 12-seater dining table. The top is solid oak and the legs are made from painted tulip wood.
The bench cushions are upholstered in a very hardwearing, dark blue fabric. “It’s so robust that I had to suggest a lighter material for the buttons, because the upholsterer couldn’t get a needle through both!” Mark says.
Liaison easy-clean chenille bench fabric in Storm, Warwick Fabrics. Painting by the owners’ daughter.
The bench cushions are upholstered in a very hardwearing, dark blue fabric. “It’s so robust that I had to suggest a lighter material for the buttons, because the upholsterer couldn’t get a needle through both!” Mark says.
Liaison easy-clean chenille bench fabric in Storm, Warwick Fabrics. Painting by the owners’ daughter.
The toaster, bread bin and knife racks sit on this bit of worktop – the only section with wall-mounted cabinets above and lights below. It’s right next to the larder, which has tea bags, coffee, condiments and spreads inside, as well as other small appliances.
The under-mounted sink is double size and the tap is a boiling-water design, so there’s no need for a kettle.
Boiling water tap, Quooker.
Tell us…
Which features from this family kitchen would enhance your own cookspace? Let us know in the Comments.
The under-mounted sink is double size and the tap is a boiling-water design, so there’s no need for a kettle.
Boiling water tap, Quooker.
Tell us…
Which features from this family kitchen would enhance your own cookspace? Let us know in the Comments.
Who lives here? A family with three grown-up children who are currently living at home
Location Guildford, Surrey
Property A detached 1930s house with five bedrooms
Room dimensions 9m x 7m
Designer Mark Andrews of Dual Designs
Photos by Simon Murrell
At the heart of the new kitchen is this generously proportioned island. The design is deliberately practical, with cooking in mind. It also has drawers filling one entire side; some members of the family are keen cooks and bakers and a place to keep relevant equipment was a key requirement.