Room Tour: From Old Conservatory to Sunny Garden Room and Kitchen
The owners of a rural home exchanged a cold uPVC addition for a light, sociable family space
Swapping a cold and leaking conservatory for a generous extension gave the owners of this Buckinghamshire house the chance to create a stylish kitchen. But the wraparound addition isn’t only home to a keen cook’s dream – there are light-filled dining and living spaces overlooking fabulous rural views, too.
The owners chose timeless Shaker-style cabinetry for the kitchen. “She likes muted tones, so we went for grey,” Lauren O’Sullivan says.
Two shades were chosen to add depth to the scheme, with a darker tone for the island and wall cabinetry and a lighter grey elsewhere. To give the room a more contemporary twist, the owners opted to leave traditional cornicing off the cabinetry.
The island includes a breakfast bar. “It’s easy for the teenagers,” says Lauren, “and it makes it more of a sociable space.”
Kitchen island and wall cabinets in Truffle; base units in Stone, all Hawk Kitchens & Bathrooms.
Two shades were chosen to add depth to the scheme, with a darker tone for the island and wall cabinetry and a lighter grey elsewhere. To give the room a more contemporary twist, the owners opted to leave traditional cornicing off the cabinetry.
The island includes a breakfast bar. “It’s easy for the teenagers,” says Lauren, “and it makes it more of a sociable space.”
Kitchen island and wall cabinets in Truffle; base units in Stone, all Hawk Kitchens & Bathrooms.
To accommodate all the equipment for a keen cook, the island includes deep drawers for pans, with cutlery storage above, on the side facing the hob and sink. Sockets have been fitted to make using small appliances at the island convenient.
The designers recommended a quartz worksurface. “It’s hard-wearing and heat- and scratch-proof,” Lauren says. It was used for the upstand and the splashback behind the hob as well. “It’s hygienic and seamless and there are no grout lines,” she says.
Silestone worktop, upstand and splashback in Coral Clay, Hawk Kitchens & Bathrooms.
The designers recommended a quartz worksurface. “It’s hard-wearing and heat- and scratch-proof,” Lauren says. It was used for the upstand and the splashback behind the hob as well. “It’s hygienic and seamless and there are no grout lines,” she says.
Silestone worktop, upstand and splashback in Coral Clay, Hawk Kitchens & Bathrooms.
Multi-functional ovens cater for the homeowner’s passion for cooking. They’re flanked by a larder on one side and a fridge-freezer on the other, keeping food storage conveniently in one area.
Three pendant lights and bold orange bar stools draw the eye to the kitchen island, creating a focal point.
Pendant lights, Jim Lawrence.
Pendant lights, Jim Lawrence.
The designers included a countertop cabinet that conceals a breakfast preparation area. “It makes things a bit tidier,” Lauren says. The design maximises available worktop space at that end of the kitchen, too.
Alongside is open shelving for the owner’s cookbooks, which brighten the space.
Alongside is open shelving for the owner’s cookbooks, which brighten the space.
The dining area was created by wrapping the extension around the side of the house. “There are amazing views of the hills,” Lauren says.
Planning an extension? Find architects and building designers in your area.
Planning an extension? Find architects and building designers in your area.
The designers chose a butler sink for the room to complement its Shaker-style cabinetry.
From the island, you can look down the new room to the living area, and the open layout means the chef doesn’t miss out on guests’ company when the space is used for entertaining.
Bifold doors open up the new room to the garden and countryside beyond. The colour of the door and window frames echoes the grey of the island and wall cabinets, giving the new room a pulled-together look.
As well as a room that’s ideal for entertaining, the open-plan extension is shared family space, and a stove keeps it cosy in colder months. Exposed brick adds attractive texture to the scheme, while roof windows maximise light.
Not sure where to begin with choosing roof glazing? Check out our beginner’s guide to roof windows, rooflights and skylights.
Not sure where to begin with choosing roof glazing? Check out our beginner’s guide to roof windows, rooflights and skylights.
The dining area with kitchen beyond can be seen through the window alongside the new porch.
Tell us…
What do you like most about this light-filled family kitchen-diner and living space? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
Tell us…
What do you like most about this light-filled family kitchen-diner and living space? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
Who lives here? A couple and their two teenage sons
Location Wingrave, Buckinghamshire
Property A detached country house
Room dimensions 44 sq m
Designers Grant Hosking and Lauren O’Sullivan of Hawk Kitchens & Bathrooms
Photos by Jonathan Gooch
The homeowners planned a garden room in place of their tired conservatory, with windows that would take advantage of the brilliant views over rolling hills.
Hawk Kitchens & Bathrooms, who designed and project managed the new space, suggested upping the extension’s size to create a wraparound addition. This would create a larger kitchen-dining area, plus a bigger hallway and porch for the house.