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South East Kitchen
Kitchen Tour: Beautiful Materials Add Warmth to a Family Space
Soft colours, a stunning floor and practical design are just some of the elements that elevate this large open kitchen
The owners of this riverside home were keen to preserve the character of their Victorian house while making it functional for the needs of a modern family. The solution was to open up the floorplan to create a brighter, more sociable layout. Designer Gemma Dudgeon was called in to help with the full renovation of the home and, as part of this large project, she designed a beautiful and practical kitchen and pantry for the family to enjoy.
To bring light and flow into the house, the four small ground floor rooms were knocked through and an infill extension was built into an internal courtyard. The kitchen, pantry and boot room area form part of the resulting large, airy space.
To bring light and flow into the house, the four small ground floor rooms were knocked through and an infill extension was built into an internal courtyard. The kitchen, pantry and boot room area form part of the resulting large, airy space.
The Shaker-style cabinets along the wall are painted in a slightly darker version of the neutral wall paint. This allows them to recede slightly, ensuring the blue-green island can form a central display with the floor tiles.
“We weighed up the positioning of the sink and had considered putting it along the run of wall units,” Gemma says. “However, this would have knocked off the symmetry of the range cooker and tall units either side.
“It’s always a case of working out your client’s priorities,” she adds, “and they were very happy to have the sink on the island.”
Walls painted in Slaked Lime Mid; wall cabinets in Slaked Lime Dark; Island in Livid, all Little Greene. Pendant lights, Pooky. Shaws of Darwen sink, Holloways of Ludlow.
“We weighed up the positioning of the sink and had considered putting it along the run of wall units,” Gemma says. “However, this would have knocked off the symmetry of the range cooker and tall units either side.
“It’s always a case of working out your client’s priorities,” she adds, “and they were very happy to have the sink on the island.”
Walls painted in Slaked Lime Mid; wall cabinets in Slaked Lime Dark; Island in Livid, all Little Greene. Pendant lights, Pooky. Shaws of Darwen sink, Holloways of Ludlow.
Pink zellige tiles form a reflective splashback. “They tone with the pink on the floor and we loved the variation in the colour,” Gemma says. The durable quartz worktop also has flecks of pink in its warm-toned surface.
Gemma incorporated open shelving and glass-fronted wall units along the cooker wall to bring a lighter feel and add interest.
Zellige tiles, Best Tile.
Inspired to revamp your space? Find kitchen designers in your area and read reviews from previous clients.
Gemma incorporated open shelving and glass-fronted wall units along the cooker wall to bring a lighter feel and add interest.
Zellige tiles, Best Tile.
Inspired to revamp your space? Find kitchen designers in your area and read reviews from previous clients.
At the end of the run of units, Gemma designed a boot room area. It’s set back into a recess and sits next to the glazed back doors.
This is the entrance the children often use to come into the home, so each of them has their own cupboard. “Inside are hooks for their coats and book bags,” Gemma says.
There’s a breakfast bar area at one end of the island. Gemma chose four wooden stools with brass front bars, which tie in with the antique brass tap and cabinet door handles.
At the far end, a steel-framed door with reeded glass opens up to a useful pantry area.
Bar stools, deVOL. Ironmongery, Armac Martin.
You might also enjoy 8 Ways to Use Reeded Glass.
At the far end, a steel-framed door with reeded glass opens up to a useful pantry area.
Bar stools, deVOL. Ironmongery, Armac Martin.
You might also enjoy 8 Ways to Use Reeded Glass.
The laundry area was moved upstairs, so this room is for storing infrequently used items, such as small appliances. There’s also a wine fridge in here, an extra freezer and a larder cupboard. A traditional ceramic sink is ideal for washing vegetables or stacking dishes when guests are over.
Gemma chose a checkerboard floor tile pattern, which adds to the eclectic feel of the space without overwhelming the kitchen design.
Floor tiles, Original Style.
Gemma chose a checkerboard floor tile pattern, which adds to the eclectic feel of the space without overwhelming the kitchen design.
Floor tiles, Original Style.
The larder cupboard has flexible storage, with four roomy, oak-fronted drawers and spice racks on the doors. The worktop is the same quartz as in the kitchen.
Gemma explains that the project was very much a collaboration with the owners. “We wanted to create a home with them that reflected their needs and the things that bring them joy,” she says. “We worked really closely to achieve that as a team.”
Tell us…
What do you like about this stunning, practical kitchen? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
Tell us…
What do you like about this stunning, practical kitchen? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
Who lives here? A couple with their three daughters
Location Buckinghamshire
Property A Victorian villa
Room dimensions Kitchen, 4.9m x 3.5m; pantry, 3.2m x 3.8m; boot room area, 2.8m across
Designer Gemma Dudgeon of Gemma Dudgeon Interiors
Photos by Adam Butler Photography
The patterned floor tiles are the star of the show in this Victorian home’s kitchen. “In my client’s family home in Belgium there were decorative floor tiles, and she was keen for something that reminded her of that,” Gemma says. “She sourced these tiles from France.
“They were a real find, as we’d already talked about the colour palette for the room, and these tiles tied in perfectly,” she continues. “We put a lot of time and effort into ensuring they were laid in a way that echoes the shape of the island.”