To start, I created an image of exactly what Robyn wanted, but I was not convinced this was the best use of space. The kitchen felt crammed, full of cupboards, dark, dull, and poorly planned. So, I prepared a second design, turning the giant peninsula around the pillar, improving accessibility, and planning a suitable layout for a multi-person household. From her brief it sounded it wasn’t cupboard space she was lacking, but clever storage solutions and better flow. She didn’t have enough space in the slimline dishwasher, the cabinets were narrow, the seating space was unnecessary, the style and colours didn’t go with her furniture.
By turning the peninsula into an island, I allowed for a second walkway through the kitchen to the conservatory/lounge. This created multiple preparation areas for every family member with a clear cooking station, storage space, coffee area and preparation surface – all of them social and flowing naturally. The worksurface and grey tones tied the kitchen to her conservatory furniture and the Space Towers and pull-outs provided much needed functional storage. I placed the washing machine on the back end of the island - closest to the garden exit and out of the way, while still next to the existing water supply and waste.
The budget was limited so we kept the existing ovens, but a new full-sized dishwasher was a must and meant less water consumption. The open plan and new worktop reflected more light, making the space brighter. The pillar in the centre was unavoidable, so we made a feature of it cladding it in the El Dorado Quartz from Konigstone – a stamp of Robyn’s joyful personality which complimented the existing furniture in the conservatory.
Keeping in mind the temperature changes of the kitchen/conservatory, I picked a sealed and painted door by Burbidge in a light grey and anthracite. Internals from Blum ensure a lifetime of high quality fully functioning drawer boxes in a future proofed kitchen.
This layout was something Robyn had never considered. She wasn’t sure initially, but called back shortly after our design appointment to say she couldn’t stop thinking about how much better it would make the space. It involved a lot more work, a change of the worksurface and subsequently the flooring too – all things she had put in the original brief she wants to keep. Ultimately the value of the new design outweighed the costs of the new worksurface and floors for her and we were lucky she picked us to carry out this vision and add value to her life.
Project cost: £27,890.00