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Working with my clients from the early stage of their extension planning enabled me to advise on more than just the kitchen. They were completing a front extension and had to have a window on the front of the house which they felt put them in a goldfish bowl. They also had a side window, again very overlooked. As light was a key to this renovation blocking the side window up was not an option. 

It became apparent that despite only being a household of two they would need a lot of storage, fridge and freezer space. Working long hours they spend much of their time reheating food in the week and prepping fresh and bulk cooked meals at the weekend. I began the design focusing on appliances. 

These included: 

  • full height fridge
  • full height freezer
  • steam ovens 
  • microwaves combination 
  • warming drawer 

Working on from this I introduced two space towers to maximise storage and accessibility. The proposed architects space did not allow for a bank of units. I removed the 1600mm wide window on this wall and proposed two long picture windows with this bank centralised between them. This fulfilled the window requirement, broke up the sightlines from the street whilst creating a unique feature that introduced additional light. By night the recessed LED light strips in the window reveals provide a subtle feature light. 

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Moving on to the sink run. This zone compromises:

  • a large sink
  • Quooker
  • integrated bin
  • storage for toaster, tupperware and bulk bought items. 

With the lowered picture windows did not allow for a corner unit but did allow for a wide drawer unit. Although this space is tight it is far more accessible and sturdier than any corner solution.

Reflecting the picture windows on this side works really well. Rotating and lowering it allows for the surface to run straight into the reveals without risers plus cutting of the view from the neighbours. Above the window is a handy shelf for every day glasses, eggs and decorative items. 

The island is the main focus for prep and cooking. All crockery, prep items, pans etc to hand. 

This island is wrapped in stone to help again with light, keep the space durable and low maintenance. On the back there is enough space for up to 4 stools for socialising, or simply being together whist preparing meals and finishing up for the day. 

Creating this colour palette was fun! My clients were open to colours and textures that can often frighten others. Despite light being a key factor, I advised to go with a dark unit colour and lighter surface. Settling on this highland green we worked through a multitude of marble effects, when our supplier released a new range including Rio Blanco. The earthy tones won them over. Pulling from the orange tones in the quartz I selected chunky knurled gold handles to tie the space together, adding depth and texture. 

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Project cost: £24,970.00

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