Design Workarounds Update an English Heritage Kitchen
Although this family adored their 17th-century English heritage home’s personality, the kitchen abandoned some things to be wanted. Cramped quarters, bad storage organization and a burdensome design made the dark kitchen feel a lot more compact compared to its 350 square feet.
Stuck using the original historic home’s construction, designer Nick Pearce worked closely with the customers to take complete advantage of the spacious layout. The present walls needed to remain, but Pearce shuffled specific functions to each of the kitchen’s various nooks and crannies to split up the cleaning and cooking areas each of the customers’ request.
The design is unconventional, but a light and bright cloth palette, plenty of windows and select modern luxuries updated this historical area with timeless design.
Kitchen in a Glance
Who lives here: A British family of 4
Location: Buckinghamshire, England
Size: 350 square feet
Pearce & Co.. Woodsmiths
The exposed beam and brickwork around the stove are original; Pearce just painted the brick whitened and additional new glass tiles for a backsplash. The previous homeowners purchased the oil-fired Aga stove, which fits right in.
The brick columns on either side of the range extend all of the way down to the floor, making quite shallow cabinets on each side. These cupboards are now the perfect storage areas for spices and condiments.
Backsplash tile: Liquid Glass Ice, Fired Earth; toaster: oil-fired Aga 2
Pearce & Co.. Woodsmiths
The family wanted a light, bright cloth palette to transform the texture of this kitchen. Kashmir Cream granite counters in the wet and heavily used areas — such as the food-prep island and around the sink and stove — will stand up to wear and tear. Walnut counters run the storage sections of cabinetry across to soften the area.
Island paint: Celestial Blue, Small Greene
Before Photo
BEFORE: The older material palette made the kitchen texture dark and obsolete. The design bunched all the cleaning and cooking zones up near the scope, leaving little space for counter space and storage.
Pearce & Co.. Woodsmiths
AFTER: The customers started out with an off-white colour for the cabinetry but ended up going with this soft blue, since it felt more like a heritage color. “This was a brave choice, but I am very happy that this is exactly what they wanted,” says Pearce. “It works really well with all the other material choices — a lotion would’ve appeared too washed out.”
Microwave: Panasonic; ovens: convection, Bosch
Pearce & Co.. Woodsmiths
Since the homeowners didn’t have the alternative of altering the structure’s design or outdoor walls, all the present nooks and crannies in the kitchen ordered this new kitchen floor plan. The customers set a lot of thought into what will work best for them and assigned cleaning to one particular area.
Pearce & Co.. Woodsmiths
Once the customers finish eating in the island they can take everything to this particular sink, dishwasher and garbage compartment for cleanup. Once the dishes are clean, they can set them in the storage area right across from the sink.
The layout may not be for everybody, but these customers wanted to maintain both areas separate whilst maintaining the original design, so they didn’t mind having to walk several paces to the sink. The space from the range to the sink is roughly 12 ft — similar to what it would be in other.
“The leak around the kitchen work triangle functions really well,” says Pearce. “Although it may take a few actions to get out of, say, the scope to the sink, its a readily comprehensible space.”
Sink: Shaws of Darwen
Pearce & Co.. Woodsmiths
The new kitchen design spreads out over 350 square feet, with cooking zones at one end and cleaning zones in the opposite end. The refrigerator sits conveniently between the sink and the next selection, dividing the cleaning and cooking zones. The customers often fill up a pitcher of water to use for adding water to the dishes, and just carry any leftovers that might need draining to the sink.
Refrigerator: Samsung
Pearce & Co.. Woodsmiths
Pearce put pullout mechanics in the custom cabinetry to keep things organized. This pantry in the habit cabinet around the fridge makes it effortless to unload groceries in 1 place.
Pearce & Co.. Woodsmiths
The design of the kitchen allows for windows piled along both longer walls. Pearce maintained each window so the distance becomes bathed in natural light throughout the day.
Fixtures: cast-pewter casing handles, Finesse
