Cluttered Kitchen Gains Order, Space and Light
See how smart space planning transformed this kitchen into a modern and highly efficient space
When Simon Lennox of Adornas Kitchens first met these homeowners in his Bangor, Northern Ireland, showroom, they weren’t really sure what they wanted. “Then they returned a few months later, having done lots of research,” Lennox says. “She had an iPad open on Houzz, where she’d saved loads of photos of kitchens she liked.”
When the designer visited the couple’s 20-year-old home, he saw that their L-shaped kitchen had “more cupboards than they knew what to do with. “However,” he says, “lots of the kitchens they liked didn’t have any wall cabinets, so we had to design something to achieve that look but not compromise on storage.” Read on to see how Lennox rose to the challenge.
When the designer visited the couple’s 20-year-old home, he saw that their L-shaped kitchen had “more cupboards than they knew what to do with. “However,” he says, “lots of the kitchens they liked didn’t have any wall cabinets, so we had to design something to achieve that look but not compromise on storage.” Read on to see how Lennox rose to the challenge.
Before: “Originally, it was a very dark room,” Lennox says.
Before: There were also “loads of wall cupboards.”
After: In addition to wanting walls free of upper cabinets and a brighter room, the couple also wanted to open up the space. Previously, the room had felt claustrophobic, with the corner door opening directly onto banks of cabinets either side.
“It felt very tight due to the diagonal angle of the wall,” Lennox says. “I wanted to totally open up that space, so we restricted most of the cabinets to the back wall.”
“It felt very tight due to the diagonal angle of the wall,” Lennox says. “I wanted to totally open up that space, so we restricted most of the cabinets to the back wall.”
The base cabinets on the perimeter have slab doors in pale gray with a matte finish. In a nod to industrial style, they have black knurled bar handles.
Shop for cabinet knobs and pulls on Houzz
Shop for cabinet knobs and pulls on Houzz
“In the absence of wall cabinets, drawers are the future,” Lennox says. “They provide much more storage than a cupboard. With drawers being telescopic, you can see everything at the back — nothing gets lost, nothing is inaccessible.”
Plates and bowls are among the items that live in the meticulously planned drawers. There’s also a dedicated cutlery drawer, as well as drawers for utensils, storage containers, serving dishes, pots and pans.
“No food lives here,” Lennox says. “It’s not part of that zone. Stuff that lives here is connected to the [stove] or what comes out of the dishwasher to make the layout as efficient as possible.”
“No food lives here,” Lennox says. “It’s not part of that zone. Stuff that lives here is connected to the [stove] or what comes out of the dishwasher to make the layout as efficient as possible.”
The cabinetry under the window include space for the dishwasher. “This was the owners’ existing one,” he says. “They considered getting a new one, but the stainless steel works brilliantly as part of the industrial theme.” On the right is a wall of cabinetry for food storage — including the refrigerator — and the ovens.
“This is what we call an appliance wall. It’s alleviated the need for wall units,” Lennox says. Lennox’s team built out the tiled section to extend the existing wall beyond the beam, creating space for the new storage zone.
They constructed a bulkhead to integrate the cabinetry into the new wall and gave it a tiled surround. “Otherwise you might have ended up with a big gray oppressive blob,” Lennox says. “The tiles — which match those in the cooking zone — create a visual bridge between the kitchen and dining areas.”
They constructed a bulkhead to integrate the cabinetry into the new wall and gave it a tiled surround. “Otherwise you might have ended up with a big gray oppressive blob,” Lennox says. “The tiles — which match those in the cooking zone — create a visual bridge between the kitchen and dining areas.”
Behind the doors are the refrigerator-freezer and a ceiling-high pantry, as well as the ovens and a drawer below these for baking trays. “Just where you need them,” Lennox says.
The design is all about efficiency. “Shopping can all go on the island, and then you can easily unload it all — fresh, frozen and long-life — into the food zone,” Lennox says. “The whole kitchen is compartmentalized.”
Though the pantry door looks like two doors from the outside, this is a visual trick that mirrors the refrigerator on the other side.
As part of the blend of traditional and modern, Lennox suggested a different style of door and handle on this bank of cabinets — Shaker style with smaller knurled handles.
Cabinet paint: Dust Grey, Adornas
Though the pantry door looks like two doors from the outside, this is a visual trick that mirrors the refrigerator on the other side.
As part of the blend of traditional and modern, Lennox suggested a different style of door and handle on this bank of cabinets — Shaker style with smaller knurled handles.
Cabinet paint: Dust Grey, Adornas
The backsplash tile is the same as the tile on the appliance wall. “We wanted something with a rough, industrial, almost commercial look,” different from a subway tile, Lennox says. “This is an irregular-surface tile, from Italy.”
They carried the tiles up to the ceiling, which makes the room feel taller. “Previously, there was space between the wall cabinet tops and the ceiling, so it lowered the height of the room visually,” Lennox says.
Tile: Ceramica Etc.
They carried the tiles up to the ceiling, which makes the room feel taller. “Previously, there was space between the wall cabinet tops and the ceiling, so it lowered the height of the room visually,” Lennox says.
Tile: Ceramica Etc.
The range hood is also incorporated within the tiled surface. “Part of our philosophy is that it shouldn’t be seen,” Lennox says. “We like to get the best-performing model that’s really practical and not worry about how it will look — hiding it instead. So this one, which is ducted to the outside, has a very high extraction rate.”
To add a little wall storage for the owners, Lennox installed heavy oak shelves that connect with the range hood, since there’s no change in depth.
In addition to providing space for plants and recipe books, the shelves provided a place to install LED strips for task lighting. These would ordinarily go beneath wall cabinets, so the shelves solved that problem.
The gas cooktop is recessed, with only the buttons and rings above countertop level. “Just like in a commercial kitchen,” Simon says, “building on the thread that goes through the whole design.”
The slimline countertops are a concrete-effect quartz in Urban Grey.
In addition to providing space for plants and recipe books, the shelves provided a place to install LED strips for task lighting. These would ordinarily go beneath wall cabinets, so the shelves solved that problem.
The gas cooktop is recessed, with only the buttons and rings above countertop level. “Just like in a commercial kitchen,” Simon says, “building on the thread that goes through the whole design.”
The slimline countertops are a concrete-effect quartz in Urban Grey.
The team also custom-made a portable island, which can double as a work station. “We always allow a [3-foot] clearance around an island,” Lennox says. So there just wasn’t room to build a permanent structure in the center of the room.
This mobile version, on wheels, provides storage, seating and extra work space. Here, it’s being used as a breakfast bar, but it can also be rolled over to “dock” around the cabinets on the perimeter to boost the food prep area. It also provides storage for everyday plates, bowls and wine glasses. “We created the drawer to be just the right height for the tallest of the owners’ glasses,” Simon says.
The wooden top is oak and matches the wood used for the shelving. “The wood really warms up the room,” Simon says.
Island paint: Graphite Grey, Adornas
This mobile version, on wheels, provides storage, seating and extra work space. Here, it’s being used as a breakfast bar, but it can also be rolled over to “dock” around the cabinets on the perimeter to boost the food prep area. It also provides storage for everyday plates, bowls and wine glasses. “We created the drawer to be just the right height for the tallest of the owners’ glasses,” Simon says.
The wooden top is oak and matches the wood used for the shelving. “The wood really warms up the room,” Simon says.
Island paint: Graphite Grey, Adornas
Before: The uPVC windows were originally mahogany effect.
After: They are now painted graphite gray to match the island.
The floor is oak laminate. “That decision was born out of it already being in their hall,” Lennox says. “We wanted to extend that to get that consistency of surface and material.”
The floor is oak laminate. “That decision was born out of it already being in their hall,” Lennox says. “We wanted to extend that to get that consistency of surface and material.”
Before: This is the dining area before work started.
Lennox and his team also installed two new radiators — one in the kitchen zone, and another in the dining area. Previously, there had just been one low radiator for the whole room, seen here to the right of the table.
Lennox and his team also installed two new radiators — one in the kitchen zone, and another in the dining area. Previously, there had just been one low radiator for the whole room, seen here to the right of the table.
After: The owners were initially nervous about the pink dining room wall, but as the core part of the kitchen is neutral, this is less of a commitment and can be changed down the line. Luckily, though, Lennox says, “They love it!”
Feature wall paint: Sulking Room Pink; other walls painted in Strong White, all Farrow & Ball
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Feature wall paint: Sulking Room Pink; other walls painted in Strong White, all Farrow & Ball
More on Houzz
Read other Kitchens of the Week
Find a kitchen remodeler
Shop for kitchen products
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A young professional couple expecting their first baby
Location: Bangor, Northern Ireland
Size: 315 square feet (29 square meters); 21 by 15 feet
Designer: Simon Lennox of Adornas Kitchens & Interiors
“We were actively involved in all of the choices in the kitchen,” Lennox says. Style-wise, he wanted to do “a mashup of traditional and modern.” He also wanted to give the kitchen an industrial feel — to have elements in it that looked like something you’d see in a professional kitchen.
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