Smart Cabinet Arrangement Opens Up a Narrow London Kitchen
Elegant design and space-saving ideas transform an awkward space into a beautiful galley kitchen and utility room
During a major refurbishment of this central London townhouse, Emily Rumble of DeVol Kitchens was called in to design a practical galley kitchen and utility room. With great attention to detail, she set about creating two rooms that feel spacious and calm while packing in plenty of space-saving elements.
Rumble’s original kitchen design featured a lot of drawers on either side of the ovens, but the clients decided that they didn’t need so many drawers and preferred the look of cabinets. So two extra-wide single drawers now flank the ovens and contain the cooking utensils.
“Wide drawers are very practical,” Rumble says. “You can store a lot more in them than in two smaller ones.”
“Wide drawers are very practical,” Rumble says. “You can store a lot more in them than in two smaller ones.”
The cooktop is custom-made from prime oak and treated with a Danish oil that gives a natural finish and doesn’t change the look of the wood.
LED downlights are fitted beneath the wall cabinets to provide practical task lighting, while the elegant pendant lights above add character to the space.
LED downlights are fitted beneath the wall cabinets to provide practical task lighting, while the elegant pendant lights above add character to the space.
The high ceiling allowed for tall wall cabinets, which the designer divided into two. “If I’d made the cupboards with one single door each, there would have been too much movement when they were opened,” she says. “They would also have looked too stretched.”
By separating the upper and lower sections, the cabinets appear well-proportioned. The top ones are perfect for objects that aren’t used often, while the lower ones are easy to access and ideal for everyday items.
By separating the upper and lower sections, the cabinets appear well-proportioned. The top ones are perfect for objects that aren’t used often, while the lower ones are easy to access and ideal for everyday items.
The cabinets on each side of the galley are deliberately designed not to reach the ceiling. “It’s nice to have a gap above,” Rumble says. “It gives the room a feeling of space and shows the units off as a piece of furniture.”
The unit on the right contains a fridge with a freezer compartment; the clients realized that they didn’t need a large freezer. To the left of this is a classic pantry, with drawers, a shelf rack and a practical, nonporous marble shelf inside.
The farmhouse sink fits between an integrated dishwasher and a trash bin cabinet of equal size. The 31-inch double sink was the perfect size to fit the space and helps create symmetry. In fact, each element of the kitchen is symmetrical, including the oven area.
“We use this symmetrical design idea in most kitchens, but it works particularly well in a small space,” Rumble says. “The room could have felt crammed and busy, but by keeping the design balanced and simple, it looks less confusing.”
Farmhouse sink: Villeroy & Boch
“We use this symmetrical design idea in most kitchens, but it works particularly well in a small space,” Rumble says. “The room could have felt crammed and busy, but by keeping the design balanced and simple, it looks less confusing.”
Farmhouse sink: Villeroy & Boch
Behind the sink is a marble faucet insert. “With wooden [countertops], we always recommend a tap insert,” the designer says. “You often don’t see what’s happening underneath the taps until it’s too late. If there’s leakage, the marble stops the water seeping through and ruining the wooden surface.”
Originally, this side of the kitchen had open shelving going right across, but the clients liked the idea of glass-fronted cupboards to display items without dust collecting. Rumble left a section of open shelves above the sink, so the area wouldn’t feel claustrophobic.
Unlike the wall units opposite, she decided that these glass-fronted cabinets would work well without being split into two.
Unlike the wall units opposite, she decided that these glass-fronted cabinets would work well without being split into two.
The client had already chosen the coral color scheme in the dining room and wanted something lighter in the kitchen. The units, painted in a custom pale green, complement the coral beautifully and contrast well with the warm oak kitchen countertop.
Oak leaf chandelier: Charles Saunders
Oak leaf chandelier: Charles Saunders
The kitchen leads into the breakfast room, which has a large glass door opening onto a balcony. The room was designed as a relaxing space in which to soak up the sunlight.
A windowed partition separates the breakfast room from the utility room.
“I had great fun designing the utility room, particularly the built-in wall units, as they contain plenty of clever storage solutions,” Rumble says.
From left to right, the cabinets house a stacked washing machine and dryer, a rail with a heater underneath to dry clothes, another hanging rail, an umbrella stand, and practical coat hooks. The cutout dots aerate the cabinets to keep laundry and coats from becoming musty.
Opposite is a handmade fitted bench with cubbyholes beneath for shoe storage.
More
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From left to right, the cabinets house a stacked washing machine and dryer, a rail with a heater underneath to dry clothes, another hanging rail, an umbrella stand, and practical coat hooks. The cutout dots aerate the cabinets to keep laundry and coats from becoming musty.
Opposite is a handmade fitted bench with cubbyholes beneath for shoe storage.
More
10 Tips for Planning a Galley Kitchen
Kitchen Confidential: Glass Cabinet Doors Are a Clear Winner
Who lives here: A family
Location: Pimlico area of central London
Size: Kitchen is about 215 square feet (20 square meters), 21½ by 10 feet (6.6 by 3 meters). Utility room is about 69 square feet (6.4 square meters), 11½ by 6 feet (3.5 by 1.8 meters).
Designer: Emily Rumble of DeVol Kitchens
“Our starting point is usually appliances. Once we know the client’s requirements, we can work from there,” Rumble says. “So in this case, the double oven came first.”
The clients were initially eager to have a range, but they changed their minds in favor of two undermounted ovens. They liked the functionality of modern ovens and wanted to maximize the workspace. The cooktop takes up less room than a range but still provides a generous number of burners. “It’s perfect for such a small space,” Rumble says.
The integrated ventilation system is protected by a wooden hood, which sits flush with the cabinets, and hides the wires and motor.