Kitchen Addition for a Historic Coach House and Cottage
Contemporary features complement period architectural details in this inviting room in Oxfordshire, England
This old blacksmith’s forge in Oxfordshire, England, needed a considerable amount of work after it was purchased. “The whole place was completely gutted and redone by the clients,” says kitchen designer Marcus Watkins, “and we were involved with designing the concept for the kitchen area.”
When it came to their kitchen, the owners were interested in doing something a little different from the rest of the house. “They were excited by the idea of a contemporary piece of architectural furniture that was in contrast to some of the period details in the old building,” Watkins says.
When it came to their kitchen, the owners were interested in doing something a little different from the rest of the house. “They were excited by the idea of a contemporary piece of architectural furniture that was in contrast to some of the period details in the old building,” Watkins says.
The kitchen is in an addition that was built during the renovation. At left in the photo is the original coach house, with a period thatched cottage to its right. On the far right is the new addition, perpendicular to the original structure. Works were undertaken throughout by the owners.
Watkins’ concept was to create a design that felt more like a piece of architectural furniture than a traditional kitchen.
There are two simple blocks of furniture — the wall unit and the island. “This meant we could treat them slightly differently,” Watkins says. The owners chose a soft, warm gray along the wall, which works well with the wood elements.
There are two simple blocks of furniture — the wall unit and the island. “This meant we could treat them slightly differently,” Watkins says. The owners chose a soft, warm gray along the wall, which works well with the wood elements.
A roller shutter hides a cabinet containing a secondary work surface, electrical outlets, and shelves for tea, coffee, mugs and small appliances, keeping them neatly tucked out of sight.
CH56 bar stools by Hans Wegner: Benchmark
CH56 bar stools by Hans Wegner: Benchmark
The wall unit is the technical block, home to the refrigerator-freezer, the cabinet with the roller shutter and a stack of ovens: a steam combination, a full-size oven and a warming drawer. “This relatively small area works very hard,” Watkins says.
At the end of the wall unit, an opening leads to a utility space designed by the owners.
Ovens and warming drawer: Gaggenau
At the end of the wall unit, an opening leads to a utility space designed by the owners.
Ovens and warming drawer: Gaggenau
The white island suits the contemporary space. An olivewood breakfast bar breaks up the white expanse. Touch-latch cabinets below the bar keep the lines clean.
B3 system cabinets and countertops in 10mm laminate: Bulthaup
B3 system cabinets and countertops in 10mm laminate: Bulthaup
The grain of the olivewood bar has a lot of movement and texture, Watkins says. “It’s a contrast to the purity of the white island.” The countertop is cut around the wood bar, which is fitted onto the cabinets.
The working side of the island is packed with appliances and storage. A dishwasher sits to the left of a flush-mounted sink, which is laser-welded to the laminate surface. Underneath the sink is storage for bins and other cleaning equipment. Next come drawers for knife blocks, utensils, pots and pans, and dry food. There’s an induction cooktop at the far end, and underneath it is a cabinet for oils and spices.
Sociability informed a large part of the design. “You tend to spend most time at the [stove] and the sink, and it’s nice that when you’re … cooking, you can look out at people, while having everything quickly and easily to hand,” Watkins says.
Bifold doors open to give an uninterrupted view of the Oxfordshire countryside.
Sink: Bulthaup
Bifold doors open to give an uninterrupted view of the Oxfordshire countryside.
Sink: Bulthaup
At the end of the wall unit is a structural column disguised in the same laminate as the cabinets. There is a difference in depth beyond the column, but rather than install shallow cabinets, Watkins opted for more decorative open shelves to soften the look of the space.
Wall panel system: Bulthaup
Wall panel system: Bulthaup
The kitchen sits in what had been part of the garden. The addition had to be sympathetic to the original building, as it required planning permission. The stone wall at the back of the kitchen is the old cottage wall.
Find more kitchen ideas
Find more kitchen ideas
Who lives here: A couple with visiting grown-up children
Location: Oxfordshire, England
Size: 226 square feet (21 square meters)
Designer: Marcus Watkins of Bulthaup by Kitchen Architecture
Designer Marcus Watkins wanted to create a juxtaposition and play with the contrast between the old and the new. “We wanted to keep it contemporary in terms of furniture design, while highlighting the period architectural details,” he says.