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Before & After: A Sunlit Kitchen Reimagined With Timber & Green
Natural tones and surfaces complement period details in this calm family kitchen and dining area in the UK
The owners of this Victorian terrace home in London, UK, wanted to maintain access from their living room to their backyard through the kitchen, which is located in the rear of the house. To do this, London-based interior designer Chantel Elshout suggested some clever tricks to make the room feel lighter and to maximise the space. The result? A beautiful, bright kitchen/dining area that feels wonderfully connected to nature.
Before: The original side window looked onto some much-loved calla lilies. The homeowners wanted to retain the view of these plants while still making room for the new kitchen layout.
Transform your kitchen from ‘before’ to ‘after’ with a specialised kitchen designer near you
Transform your kitchen from ‘before’ to ‘after’ with a specialised kitchen designer near you
After: The solution was to replace the large sash window with two smaller versions. “They bring in a lot more light, and the whole feel of the room has changed,” says Elshout.
The smaller windows allowed for a run of units along the side wall with a banquette seat at the end.
The smaller windows allowed for a run of units along the side wall with a banquette seat at the end.
Drawers beneath the bench seating provide useful extra storage. Elshout also had some seat cushions made from an oatmeal-toned herringbone fabric.
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“The banquette seating makes good use of the space, as the dining table can be placed opposite to allow a better flow to the garden,” says Elshout.
After: Elshout’s team designed new French doors to match the one that already led from the living room into the side return.
A pendant light made from antique brass and reeded glass ties in with other elements in the kitchen and helps to zone the dining table.
A pendant light made from antique brass and reeded glass ties in with other elements in the kitchen and helps to zone the dining table.
Here’s the door that leads from the living room and the row of calla lilies, which brighten up the side return.
The kitchen units wrap around the corner at the back of the room, where they incorporate a large range hood with a double oven and warming drawer. The wall cabinets are fitted with reeded glass fronts.
The benchtops are made from white Macaubas quartzite, which has the look of marble but is more durable.
The owners already had the artwork (pictured on the wall), so Elshout illuminated it with an antique-brass light to match the cabinet handles elsewhere.
The benchtops are made from white Macaubas quartzite, which has the look of marble but is more durable.
The owners already had the artwork (pictured on the wall), so Elshout illuminated it with an antique-brass light to match the cabinet handles elsewhere.
A pantry cupboard with bi-fold doors and an oak-veneered interior is positioned in an alcove. Sockets allow small appliances to be plugged in and hidden away when not in use.
“The clients only had a fireplace recess, so we sourced a new limestone surround and some green tulip tiles, and cut down their existing hearth, so it doesn’t protrude into the room as much,” Elshout says.
The large refrigerator-freezer has storage above it. Alongside this, a bar area is perfectly placed for easy access from the dining table.
Browse more beautifully designed home bar areas
Browse more beautifully designed home bar areas
Shortly after the project began, the pandemic prompted a national lockdown in the UK, so the design team had to put the renovation on hold.
“They were so lovely and relaxed about it,” says Elshout. “We did everything we could to move things along afterward and the project was finished six weeks later than scheduled.” The homeowners love their new kitchen and say they appreciate it even more because they had to wait a little longer to get it.
Your turn
What are your favourite elements in this kitchen? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story, save the images for inspiration, and join the renovation conversation.
More
Keen to see another home makeover? Check out this Before & After: A Run-Down Worker’s Cottage Reborn for $100,000
“They were so lovely and relaxed about it,” says Elshout. “We did everything we could to move things along afterward and the project was finished six weeks later than scheduled.” The homeowners love their new kitchen and say they appreciate it even more because they had to wait a little longer to get it.
Your turn
What are your favourite elements in this kitchen? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story, save the images for inspiration, and join the renovation conversation.
More
Keen to see another home makeover? Check out this Before & After: A Run-Down Worker’s Cottage Reborn for $100,000
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their young daughter
Location: London, UK
Size: 23 square metres
Designer: Chantel Elshout of Chantel Elshout Design Consultancy
The garden was the starting point for the colour choice in this kitchen. The homeowners knew they wanted a mossy green colour for the cabinets to complement the brass accents and the newly selected benchtop, but also to reflect the outside. They settled on Sage Green paint from UK-based The Little Greene Paint Company. From the kitchen, the windows and doors are framed by plants and wisteria.
“The green also ties in with the front door, which is a similar colour,” says Elshout, who combined the natural shade with a new warm-toned oak herringbone floor.