Room Tour: A Cleverly Designed Kitchen-diner With a Sociable Feel
Before and after shots show how a smart layout, lots of storage and fun colours have created a practical, inviting space
The wish list for this kitchen-diner was one most of us would recognise – masses of storage, an island, a walk-in pantry, a utility room, a downstairs loo, a sociable family space and a connection to the garden. Fitting all that into the relatively modest rear of this 1930s semi, however, was more of a challenge.
Luckily, clever space planning is one of designer Gemma Fabbri’s super-powers. In collaboration with the project’s architect, she suggested ways to slot everything in, then went on to give the young family who live here the fun, practical and colourful space they’d dreamed of.
Luckily, clever space planning is one of designer Gemma Fabbri’s super-powers. In collaboration with the project’s architect, she suggested ways to slot everything in, then went on to give the young family who live here the fun, practical and colourful space they’d dreamed of.
With the couple willing to sacrifice the integrated garage (seen here through the open door), there was scope to steal some space to create a utility room, walk-in pantry and cloakroom. The rest of the garage has become a home office.
Now a utility room sits behind the door on the right. The door on the left leads into the hall and, next to it, on the side of this tiled wall, is the entrance to the pantry (not pictured).
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The team worked with a small existing extension (top right) and extended the kitchen (top left) roughly halfway out along the old extension.
In the current plan, you can see how the utility room, walk-in pantry and cloakroom all work together. “The utility needed to be a decent size and have outdoor access,” Gemma says.
Removing the wall between the kitchen and dining room and extending the kitchen slightly (less than 2m) has created a sociable family space with a connection to the garden and forest beyond.
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Removing the wall between the kitchen and dining room and extending the kitchen slightly (less than 2m) has created a sociable family space with a connection to the garden and forest beyond.
Discover why you should hire a professional who uses Houzz Pro software.
The previous kitchen didn’t get much light and was an awkward shape.
The new kitchen has huge glazed sliding doors. The area is also slightly sunken to help it connect better with the garden, which is lower than the house. “It’s actually a nice way of zoning the space, too,” Gemma says.
She’s fitted in an island, even though there wasn’t much space to play with. “The owners really wanted a kitchen where the kids could hang out, so we made sure we fitted in an island,” she says. “It’s a little tight – only around 1.2m from the doors – but because the ceiling is so high and there are glass doors to the garden, it doesn’t feel [cramped].”
She’s fitted in an island, even though there wasn’t much space to play with. “The owners really wanted a kitchen where the kids could hang out, so we made sure we fitted in an island,” she says. “It’s a little tight – only around 1.2m from the doors – but because the ceiling is so high and there are glass doors to the garden, it doesn’t feel [cramped].”
The owner found the coral tiles and fell in love with them. They add just the right amount of strong colour. “They’re a busy family with energetic kids, so they wanted the space to be fun, but they also wanted to be able to create a bit of calm in the chaos, so there’s colour, but not screaming colour,” Gemma says.
The tiles were the starting point for the scheme, with Gemma choosing a calming green for the units and warm off-white for the walls. “If we’d gone too intense on the other colours, the tiles wouldn’t sing. They bring it all together,” she says. “They’re so textural and when the light hits them, they bring something to what otherwise might have felt quite flat.”
The worktops pull together all the different hues. “The terrazzo contains bits of green and pink, and earthier tones that connect to the wood,” Gemma says. “Those colours also link really nicely to the garden.”
Coral zellige tiles, Mosaic Factory. Terrazzo worktop, Diespeker.
The tiles were the starting point for the scheme, with Gemma choosing a calming green for the units and warm off-white for the walls. “If we’d gone too intense on the other colours, the tiles wouldn’t sing. They bring it all together,” she says. “They’re so textural and when the light hits them, they bring something to what otherwise might have felt quite flat.”
The worktops pull together all the different hues. “The terrazzo contains bits of green and pink, and earthier tones that connect to the wood,” Gemma says. “Those colours also link really nicely to the garden.”
Coral zellige tiles, Mosaic Factory. Terrazzo worktop, Diespeker.
There are no wall units in the new design. “Because it’s quite a tight space and there’s a wall of tall cabinets plus the island and pantry for storage, we decided to finish off the tiles with a little shelf [the owners] could just keep plants and objects on,” Gemma says.
She’s layered the lighting, fitting spotlights, recessed lights, wall lights and pendants, plus an inset LED strip under the shelf and lighting in the larder cupboard. “Apart from the shelf [and larder] lighting, they’re all on dimmers, so the couple can [set the mood],” she says. “I always see lights as jewellery – that last thing to dress the space.”
Alphabeta pendant lights, Hen.
She’s layered the lighting, fitting spotlights, recessed lights, wall lights and pendants, plus an inset LED strip under the shelf and lighting in the larder cupboard. “Apart from the shelf [and larder] lighting, they’re all on dimmers, so the couple can [set the mood],” she says. “I always see lights as jewellery – that last thing to dress the space.”
Alphabeta pendant lights, Hen.
The walls are painted in a warm stone that doesn’t fight with the stronger colours. “It sits really well with the green – it looks quite pinky in some lights – and we took it right through the space,” Gemma says. “It has a nice, calming vibe.”
Walls painted in Honest John, Mylands.
Walls painted in Honest John, Mylands.
The units are a mix of Ikea carcasses and Plykea doors faced in soft green Fenix. The larder is inventively created – a Plykea larder unit on top of Ikea drawers.
The oak handles tie into the beams in here and shelves in the dining space.
Kitchen, Ikea; with cabinet fronts and side panels in Fenix Verde Kitami; island in Arpa Rosa Bourbon, all Plykea.
The oak handles tie into the beams in here and shelves in the dining space.
Kitchen, Ikea; with cabinet fronts and side panels in Fenix Verde Kitami; island in Arpa Rosa Bourbon, all Plykea.
The utility room, which can be closed off with a neat pocket door, is a more pared-back space.
It was designed to be functional, but with the mint tap and handles adding a bit of fun. The birch ply units, made by the carpenter, are a nod to the kitchen units, but stripped right down, and they tie in with the plywood in the dining area.
Out of sight to the left is an alcove that holds a stacked washing machine and tumble dryer with cupboard space above, plus a storage cupboard for the ironing board and so on.
Green tap and handles in Mint, Dowsing & Reynolds. Ceiling-hanging drying rack, George & Willy.
More: Where Designers Would Spend and Save in a Utility Room
Out of sight to the left is an alcove that holds a stacked washing machine and tumble dryer with cupboard space above, plus a storage cupboard for the ironing board and so on.
Green tap and handles in Mint, Dowsing & Reynolds. Ceiling-hanging drying rack, George & Willy.
More: Where Designers Would Spend and Save in a Utility Room
The beams over the patio doors mark the extended section of the room – roughly 2m. The oak links with the cabinet handles and the timber in the dining room.
The flooring is Marmoleum. “We did look at microcement, but Marmoleum is amazing acoustically – it just softens the space – and you still get that nice clean floor finish,” Gemma says. “This one has a little fleck in it, so you don’t see every mark, which is practical with two cats and three boys. It’s so easy to clean and doesn’t cause them any stress. They wanted a space that was lovely for them and considered, but they didn’t want to be too precious about it.”
Marmoleum flooring in Concrete, Forbo.
The flooring is Marmoleum. “We did look at microcement, but Marmoleum is amazing acoustically – it just softens the space – and you still get that nice clean floor finish,” Gemma says. “This one has a little fleck in it, so you don’t see every mark, which is practical with two cats and three boys. It’s so easy to clean and doesn’t cause them any stress. They wanted a space that was lovely for them and considered, but they didn’t want to be too precious about it.”
Marmoleum flooring in Concrete, Forbo.
The old kitchen was separated from the dining room by this wall.
The wall has now been removed. “We’ve opened the kitchen to the dining space so it feels like one room,” Gemma says. The area on the left is the original extension.
The old dining room extension.
The new, single-pane picture window in place of the French doors and, crucially, the skylight have made the room so much brighter. It’s north-east facing, so it doesn’t get too hot.
“Within the family space, we’ve tried to include something for everyone, so it was a no-brainer to turn the end into a big picture window with a lovely window seat where they could sit and look at the garden and the forest,” Gemma says.
“The slatted panelling, which the carpenter made, gives a bit more interest, but also helps acoustically, as there are quite a lot of solid surfaces, quite a lot of glass,” she continues. “It also allowed us to make the window seat deeper. That helped us play with what was the original extension and turn it into something a lot more contemporary.”
“Within the family space, we’ve tried to include something for everyone, so it was a no-brainer to turn the end into a big picture window with a lovely window seat where they could sit and look at the garden and the forest,” Gemma says.
“The slatted panelling, which the carpenter made, gives a bit more interest, but also helps acoustically, as there are quite a lot of solid surfaces, quite a lot of glass,” she continues. “It also allowed us to make the window seat deeper. That helped us play with what was the original extension and turn it into something a lot more contemporary.”
In the base of the window seat and shelving unit there are big drawers for toys, but the space is designed for the parents, too, who have a big record collection.
“We tried to create a space that can be chaos in the day, but everything can be shovelled back in later and the parents can just relax and listen to music and enjoy the view,” Gemma says. (There’s now a big rug in here.)
“We tried to create a space that can be chaos in the day, but everything can be shovelled back in later and the parents can just relax and listen to music and enjoy the view,” Gemma says. (There’s now a big rug in here.)
The records unit has been cleverly designed to hide the less attractive elements of a music collection, such as cables, speakers and a CDJ.
“One of the owners loves records, but hates the ugly bits that come with it,” Gemma says. “So the storage has been designed so they can slide the panels open when they need those bits, then cover them up afterwards.”
They’ve chosen slightly different colours in here. “We talked to the owners about changing it a bit in here and introducing blue, to make it feel like a different kind of space, then the coral doors tie into the tiles,” Gemma says.
“We wanted to be able to put lamps in there, too,” she adds, “so the joiner designed it so there’s a false backing that can be popped out that hides all the sockets and cables.”
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“One of the owners loves records, but hates the ugly bits that come with it,” Gemma says. “So the storage has been designed so they can slide the panels open when they need those bits, then cover them up afterwards.”
They’ve chosen slightly different colours in here. “We talked to the owners about changing it a bit in here and introducing blue, to make it feel like a different kind of space, then the coral doors tie into the tiles,” Gemma says.
“We wanted to be able to put lamps in there, too,” she adds, “so the joiner designed it so there’s a false backing that can be popped out that hides all the sockets and cables.”
Find reviewed carpenters and joiners in your area on Houzz.
There are plainer alcove cabinets in the dining area for books and favourite pieces. “Because there’s a lot going on with the vinyl shelves, we wanted to keep these simple,” Gemma says. “We were also working to a budget.”
This material was left over from cutting all the other birch ply elements. So while the graphic lines of the split shelves are nice visually, this was also a practical way to use otherwise wasted small pieces.
Chairs, Hay.
This material was left over from cutting all the other birch ply elements. So while the graphic lines of the split shelves are nice visually, this was also a practical way to use otherwise wasted small pieces.
Chairs, Hay.
The couple love their new room. “As a social space, it works really well,” Gemma says. “If they have friends over, the kids can all be in and out of the garden and in the open-plan area, but there’s also space for people to be hanging out in the kitchen and a place to eat. It holds a lot of people – they even sit on the steps. The family just enjoy the way the whole space functions for them.”
Tell us…
What do you think of Gemma’s design of this space? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
Tell us…
What do you think of Gemma’s design of this space? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
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Who lives here? A couple with three young boys
Location Highams Park, Waltham Forest, London
Property A 1930s semi-detached house
Room dimensions Kitchen, 17.7 sq m;
dining and music space, 28.9 sq m;
utility room, 3.6 sq m
Designer Gemma Fabbri of Studio Fabbri
Architects SS4
Photos by Chris Snook
The home’s previous layout was dated and awkwardly configured. “I looked at the floor plans with the architect and [the house] had a lot of broken spaces, but the couple have young children and wanted to be able to be in one space together,” Gemma says. “Also, the house backs onto the forest, but you wouldn’t have known it, because there was no real connection to the garden.”