The Keeper: A Kitchen Love Story
A London family replicates the elegance of their previous kitchen in a larger space, adding lots of concealed storage
When the Beckers needed more space, they moved to a larger home just next door, but there was one feature of their old house that they desperately wanted to retain – the kitchen. They loved the cool, calm simplicity of their original kitchen, which was designed by Sola Kitchens, so they called on the company’s managing director, Sofia Bune Strandh, to do it all again. “It’s exactly the same style and colour,” Bune Strandh says, “but, of course, the layout is different, as this is a larger space.”
Having loved the cool, streamlined Scandinavian vibe of the kitchen in their previous house, the Beckers decided to opt for the same style and colours.
“The spray-painted white units with handleless groove are from a Swedish manufacturer and are exactly the same as the clients’ previous kitchen in the house next door,” Bune Strandh says. “It’s actually just one shade off bright white.”
The kitchen is a practical U-shape with a central island as a focal point.
“The spray-painted white units with handleless groove are from a Swedish manufacturer and are exactly the same as the clients’ previous kitchen in the house next door,” Bune Strandh says. “It’s actually just one shade off bright white.”
The kitchen is a practical U-shape with a central island as a focal point.
Storage was high on the agenda for the busy family, especially in an open-plan kitchen that’s constantly on view.
Sola Kitchens introduced custom solutions, such as the compartmentalised birch pullout drawer on the island and the tall cabinets that stretch to the ceiling to accommodate streamlined integrated appliances.
“We built the tall cabinets to about 2.7 metres high to take advantage of the height of the ceiling,” Bune Strandh says. “There’s now space to store less-often-used platters and serving dishes.”
Sola Kitchens introduced custom solutions, such as the compartmentalised birch pullout drawer on the island and the tall cabinets that stretch to the ceiling to accommodate streamlined integrated appliances.
“We built the tall cabinets to about 2.7 metres high to take advantage of the height of the ceiling,” Bune Strandh says. “There’s now space to store less-often-used platters and serving dishes.”
Sola Kitchens persuaded the owners to go with slightly different benchtops in this design.
“The clients chose the white-oiled oak flooring first, so we matched this with a light, white-stained oak benchtop on the island. In the other house, we’d used walnut,” Bune Strandh says. “Here, we also went with a light composite benchtop instead of a dark grey.”
“The clients chose the white-oiled oak flooring first, so we matched this with a light, white-stained oak benchtop on the island. In the other house, we’d used walnut,” Bune Strandh says. “Here, we also went with a light composite benchtop instead of a dark grey.”
Filled with natural light, the kitchen is simple yet effortlessly stylish. Sleek undermount sinks and a flush induction stovetop streamline the silhouette.
The smooth oak flooring enhances the fluidity of the large open-plan room. Conveniently, the kitchen can also be accessed from a separate side door.
The second sink on the end of the island can be reached from every angle.
The owners suggested the idea of a built-in banquette to create a relaxed breakfast area.
“They’re a family of six and the kids often have friends over, so they need a lot of seating,” Bune Strandh says.
“They’re a family of six and the kids often have friends over, so they need a lot of seating,” Bune Strandh says.
The grey upholstered banquette and the modern white dining table and chairs complement the serene ambience of the Scandinavian decor that the family likes so much.
A walk-in utility room next to the breakfast zone houses the laundry appliances and provides yet more storage.
“It’s more like a large pantry with a big broom cabinet, plus storage for overflow kitchen items and a pullout dog bowl drawer,” Bune Strandh says. “The owners had this slightly romantic view of a big countryside pantry. Hence, we decided to do it in a more classic style, and in a soft grey shade, compared to the main kitchen.”
“It’s more like a large pantry with a big broom cabinet, plus storage for overflow kitchen items and a pullout dog bowl drawer,” Bune Strandh says. “The owners had this slightly romantic view of a big countryside pantry. Hence, we decided to do it in a more classic style, and in a soft grey shade, compared to the main kitchen.”
Even the family dog has its own drawer where bowls and food are stashed.
The huge addition at the back of the house is saturated with natural light, and features fluid zones for dining, relaxing and preparing food.
The cool, calm grey-and-white palette provides the perfect backdrop for the simple Scandinavian furniture in pale woods and light-coloured upholstery.
Who lives here: Karoline and Mark Becker and their four children
Location: Southwest London, UK
Size: 4 x 4 metres, plus a pantry-utility area
Designer: Sofia Bune Strandh of Sola Kitchens
With four children, the Beckers had outgrown their place, so they moved next door to a roomy detached 1920s house with six bedrooms.
The owners had lived in the house for more than 45 years, and it needed a complete renovation and modernisation. The Beckers also built a large addition across the back of the house to accommodate an open-plan living-dining-kitchen hub.
“The kitchen is in the same spot as the original one, but the walls were opened up to create an open-plan layout,” Bune Strandh says. “The main kitchen area measures 4 x 4 metres, but we also added a pantry-utility space.”