Grand Design award winners, Ruach Kitchens have their say
29Mar '17
Grand Designs award winner, Ruach Kitchens in Westerham, were commissioned by Mr and Mrs Tippin from Tonbridge, Kent to help realise their dream kitchen. As an avid baker and cook, Mrs Tippin wanted plenty of worktop space to create her sumptuous dishes and delicacies. In addition to creating an organised and ergonomic space, the couple also wanted their kitchen space to be a sociable and aesthetically pleasing environment for their young family and friends.
There were several challenges to overcome during the re-modelling as the existing layout hosted rather a large and imposing island with impractical wooden worktops that hogged most of the space and hindered the flow of traffic. As a family home, we had to come up with a design that would free worktop space, accommodate a rather large number of appliances (12 in total, excluding the extractor) as well as creating a beautiful and welcoming environment where children could do their homework and guests could congregate without hindering food preparation.
To combine beauty and practicality, Ruach set about re-modelling the current layout by doing away with the existing island, replacing it with a featured but less imposing and functional centrepiece seating up to five and enabling the flow of traffic more freely. Wood remained a feature throughout, but much of the worktop was replaced with more practical Quartz which can be seen here.
A tidy larder space was created for all Mrs Tippin’s ingredients as well as a dedicated baking preparation area with deeper counter space. Appliances were strategically placed around the kitchen and glassware showcased in beautiful internally lit cabinets. Key to the design was the avoidance of too many tall units thus retaining an open and spacious feel.
One of the primary challenges was to feature the Miele ceiling extractor whilst simultaneously accommodating a ceiling beam running through the room. Ruach achieved this by lowering and boxing in the extractor to create a featured shape matching the island below. Mrs Tippin was also keen to incorporate as many curves as possible within the room. This was accomplished wherever possible and in areas less accommodating, by creating soft curved pilasters which completed the overall look and enhanced the soft flow of space.
The Tippin’s kitchen is truly unique, not only in its design but also in craftsmanship. Created using the Fulham Range, it is an in-frame hand painted (Farrow & Ball Pavillion Grey) wooden kitchen with oak veneer cabinet interiors and solid wood dovetail draws, all meticulously hand crafted in Northern Ireland. French Grey toughened glass splashbacks throughout beautifully compliment the furniture and ceramic flooring, an example can be viewed here.
Ruach Kitchens is an independent business established in 1993. An “Investors in People” company and fully-fledged member of KBSA, we thrive on providing traditional values and we’re extremely proud that over 70% of our custom is generated through personal recommendations.
We continually striving to meet individual customer needs and take great care to ensure that stunning kitchens are beautifully designed by experienced designers and perfectly installed by our own team of fitters, most of whom have worked for the company for over a decade. Ruach is also approved suppliers of all the leading appliance brands including but not limited to Miele, Siemens, Neff, Bosch and AEG.
Whilst the Tippin’s budget was rather larger than most at circa £100,000, we accommodate a wide range of budgets from £10,000 upward. Whether you prefer traditional, hand-crafted or contemporary kitchens Ruach can offer you offer a choice of over 200 door front styles to suit virtually every variety of style and finish.
Our showroom in the heart of Westerham is host to several displays demonstrating the quality of our furniture ranges and installation quality. Visitors are always welcome to view their Irish hand-crafted range in conjunction with Duval, a reputable British furniture manufacturer and last but by no means least, their Mobalpa ranges – a highly respected French brand with a history spanning over 100 years and 3 generations.
Ruach’s design and quotation services are completely free of charge. Our designers will be more than happy to spend time with you discussing your dream kitchen, either in your own home whilst measuring up or you can simply drop in to the showroom with your plans.
