Kitchen of the Week: Beautiful Materials Warm an Open Room
Soft colors, a stunning floor and practical design are just some of the elements that elevate this large open kitchen
The owners of this home in Bedfordshire, England, home wanted to preserve the character of their Victorian house while making it functional for the needs of a modern family. The solution was to open up the floor plan to create a brighter, more sociable layout. Designer Gemma Dudgeon was called in to help with the full renovation of the home and, as part of this large project, she designed a beautiful and practical kitchen and pantry for the family to enjoy.
To bring light and flow into the house, the four small first-floor rooms were opened up and an additional built into an interior courtyard. The kitchen, pantry and mudroom area form part of the resulting large, airy space.
To bring light and flow into the house, the four small first-floor rooms were opened up and an additional built into an interior courtyard. The kitchen, pantry and mudroom area form part of the resulting large, airy space.
The Shaker-style cabinets along the wall are painted in a slightly darker version of the neutral wall paint. This allows them to recede slightly, ensuring the blue-green island can form a central display with the floor tiles.
“We weighed up the positioning of the sink and had considered putting it along the run of wall units,” Dudgeon says. “However, this would have knocked off the symmetry of the range and tall units on either side.
“It’s always a case of working out your client’s priorities, and they were very happy to have the sink on the island,” she says.
Wall paint: Slaked Lime Mid, wall cabinet paint: Slaked Lime Dark, Island paint: Livid, all Little Greene; sink: Shaws of Darwen, Holloways of Ludlow
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“We weighed up the positioning of the sink and had considered putting it along the run of wall units,” Dudgeon says. “However, this would have knocked off the symmetry of the range and tall units on either side.
“It’s always a case of working out your client’s priorities, and they were very happy to have the sink on the island,” she says.
Wall paint: Slaked Lime Mid, wall cabinet paint: Slaked Lime Dark, Island paint: Livid, all Little Greene; sink: Shaws of Darwen, Holloways of Ludlow
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Pink zellige tiles form a reflective backsplash. “They tone with the pink on the floor and we loved the variation in the color,” Dudgeon says. The durable quartz countertop also has flecks of pink in its warm-toned surface.
Dudgeon incorporated open shelving and glass-fronted wall units along the range wall to bring a lighter feel and add interest.
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Dudgeon incorporated open shelving and glass-fronted wall units along the range wall to bring a lighter feel and add interest.
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At the end of the run of cabinets, Dudgeon designed a boot room area. It’s set back into a recess and sits next to the glass back doors.
This is the entrance the children often use to come into the home, so each of them has their own cabinet. “Inside are hooks for their coats and book bags,” Dudgeon says.
There’s a breakfast bar area at one end of the island. Dudgeon chose four wooden stools with brass front bars, which tie in with the antique brass faucet and cabinet door handles.
At the far end, a steel-framed door with reeded glass opens up to a useful pantry area.
Bar stools: deVOL; ironwork: Armac Martin
At the far end, a steel-framed door with reeded glass opens up to a useful pantry area.
Bar stools: deVOL; ironwork: Armac Martin
The laundry area was moved upstairs, so this room is for storing infrequently used items, such as small appliances. There’s also a wine fridge in here, an extra freezer and a pantry cabinet. A traditional ceramic sink is ideal for washing vegetables or stacking dishes when guests are over.
Dudgeon chose a checkerboard floor tile pattern, which adds to the eclectic feel of the space without overwhelming the kitchen design.
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Dudgeon chose a checkerboard floor tile pattern, which adds to the eclectic feel of the space without overwhelming the kitchen design.
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
The pantry cabinet has flexible storage, with four roomy, oak-fronted drawers and spice racks on the doors. The countertop is the same quartz as in the kitchen.
Dudgeon says the project was very much a collaboration with the owners. “We wanted to create a home with them that reflected their needs and the things that bring them joy,” she says. “We worked really closely to achieve that as a team.”
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Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with their three daughters
Location: Buckinghamshire
Size: Kitchen is 185 square feet (17 square meters); pantry is 131 square feet (12 square meters)
Designer: Gemma Dudgeon of Gemma Dudgeon Interiors
The patterned floor tiles are the star of the show in the kitchen. “In my client’s family home in Belgium there were decorative floor tiles, and she was keen for something that reminded her of that,” Dudgeon says. “She sourced these tiles from France.
“They were a real find, as we’d already talked about the color palette for the room, and these tiles tied in perfectly,” she says. “We put a lot of time and effort into ensuring they were laid in a way that echoes the shape of the island.”
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