HOMES l KBB
Paul, a banker, were looking for in their new kitchen, adding a side-return extension to their fi ve-bedroom home in north London as part of a whole-house project. Here, Roisin explains how the slick, minimalist space came to be…
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What prompted you to redo your kitchen? The whole house needed renovating, so a year aſt er moving in we completely gutted and rebuilt it. There were originally two kitchens: a disused one from the 1950s and a poor quality but slightly more modern design in an L-shaped room at the rear of the house. That’s where we extended, squaring off the space to create our open-plan kitchen while the other space is now a playroom.
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How did you fi nd a designer to create your vision? We went up and down Wigmore Street in London, visiting showrooms to gather information, and came across Halcyon Interiors. From our discussions with designer Graham Robinson, we felt he was going to be able to create ‘our’ look. We met many times to discuss ideas and he was really helpful when it came to providing samples and information as well as trying diff erent designs. I didn’t feel pressured at all – he was on hand to answer any questions we had.
What was your brief? Paul and I knew what we wanted, but it was hard to visualise it in a room that didn’t exist. We asked for a grey and white kitchen with a large island, all handleless, and wanted to achieve a modern, open space. Everything had to be very thin, as I don’t like chunky edges – plus we didn’t want the scheme to age either.
Why did you go for this layout? Part of the brief was to not have too much furniture – I didn’t want it to look too busy. As you come in, you are greeted with a single run of cabinetry which leads into the large open-plan space. This includes the sink and tap, dishwasher, and bin. We wanted the room to be airy, so decided against wall units. In the cooking zone, a bank of fl oor-to-celling cabinets includes the ovens, fridge, and wine storage. Opposite this is the large island with the hob that looks out into the dining area. We considered a fl oating breakfast bar, but it didn’t work with a slimline look.
Which appliances did you choose? We went for a downdraſt extractor behind the induction hob because our skylight meant we couldn’t have a ceiling hood. Paul and I hadn’t had a steam oven before, but we like cooking and thought it was worth a try. We now use it regularly for roasting and think it helps produce lovely moist meat. The wine cabinet means we can keep chilled wines, Champagne, and reds in one unit. We were primarily drawn to the look of the Gaggenau appliances because you can have them fl ush with the cupboards and add aluminium fronts – but the functionality is good, too.
What is your favourite part of the new kitchen? I love the island. The extension created a big room and when you walk in, the unit is a real feature – particularly when we have lots of guests. It allows people to socialise and put drinks down as if you’re in a bar – or an art gallery, with all our pictures. I also really like the back bank and the aluminium on the Gaggenau appliances, which I think goes really nicely with the greys that we picked. It all looks very tidy.
Would you do anything differently? I regret not getting a warming drawer, but when you’re renovating a whole house the funds have to stop somewhere. Apart from that, we didn’t compromise and if we’d to do it all again, I wouldn’t change a thing. In a diff erent property, it would depend on the look we were trying to achieve – but in my heart of hearts, even if we moved into a cottage, I know I’d always be drawn to a minimalist style.
design edit
1 iQ700 LD97DBM60B downdraſt extractor, £2069, Siemens.
siemens-home.bsh-group.com 2 Manor House Gray modern emulsion, £49.95 for 2.5 litres,
Farrow & Ball.
farrow-ball.com 3 Folding butterfl y accent chair in tan stitched leather, £229, Cult Furniture.
cultfurniture.com 4 Gaucho 1 pendant light in white, £82.80, Där Lighting.
darlighting.co.uk 5 Lyon Béton Concrete Alps dining table with black powder coated metal base, £2150, Lime Lace.
limelace.co.uk
APRIL 20 l KITCHENS BEDROOMS & BATHROOMS 111 4
s you walk into primary school teacher Roisin’s kitchen, you can’t fail to notice the eye-catching paintings on crisp white walls, followed by her large island – the focal point in this white and grey Alno kitchen from Halcyon Interiors. It’s exactly the eff ect Roisin and her husband
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