Liam Butler
Butler Interiors
For the kitchen I’ve ensured user centred design, optimising ideal layout & ease of access with a specific focus on worktop heights. The kitchen has been developed to maximise ease and efficiency of use. Product and material choices are made with sustainability in mind, however are not compromising on quality.
Carcases and doors are made from durable, sustainably sourced 18mm birch plywood. The worktops are from Compac’s Obsidana range of recycled quartz. Fittings & components are high quality Blum and Peka products. Appliances will be chosen for energy efficiency as well as quality to maximise their life, reducing waste. Where possible free-standing appliances have been chosen for ease of replacement, hopefully extending the overall life of the kitchen.
To reflect the sustainability focus, the aesthetical style combines the client’s “contemporary” taste, with biophilic design principles. Maximising wellbeing and further enhancing the user’s affinity to nature. Natural colours and textures are used as much as possible, as well as lots of plants and greenery.
One feature of the island is the table-like design, utilising upcycled & modified steel RSJs for support, maximising natural light and air flow into the space. The end of the island has a dropped down section at table height for; dining, doing homework, playing board games etc…
The bar area is designed to be rustic, inspired in part by old wine cellars. Complimenting and offsetting the contemporary fitted kitchen. It has a couple of chairs overlooking the garden for relaxation or watching the kids play outside.
The sitting/TV area, carries through the biophilic design principles utilising natural wood. However, it is deliberately cleaner and more minimalist than the rest of the room. This is to not distract or detract from what is being watched on TV.
Around the double doors leading to the front door, I’ve built a timber frame to house both the office space and a children’s play area. The doors have been stepped into the room to sit flush with the timber framework, creating a cleaner aesthetic and the illusion of two recesses, further serving to reduce how imposing the framework might appear.
On the right is the ‘work from home’ office space, this could also be used by the children to do homework if the kitchen table is occupied. I’ve kept this simple in terms of aesthetic, using only white and wood and placing a small plant on the shelf to increase productivity and carry through the biophilic styling.
The left side is the children’s play area, consisting of a swing, some toys, a world map mural, a soft mat and the main feature; a spiral staircase leading up to a netted mezzanine where they can play and overlook most of the room.
Each zone will have separately controlled smart lighting, allowing full customisation of the lights via a control panel and a companion app. Pre-sets will be ‘functional kitchen lighting’, ‘mood lighting’ & ‘ambient lighting’.
