A Bright Kitchen Addition With a Wood-Burning Stove
This family gathering spot offers ample storage and spectacular views of Ireland’s Blessington Lakes
In its original incarnation, this secluded, detached home wasn’t making the most of its prime location on an acre of land overlooking Blessington Lakes in Ireland’s County Wicklow. “The kitchen was in a completely different part of the house before,” designer Will Healy says. “It was much darker, quite cold and finished in pine throughout.”
The clients are the owners of two restaurants, so having a bright, welcoming and workable kitchen was important to them. The goal “was to create a large family kitchen that’s the focal point of the house, with an airy, user-friendly finish and ample storage,” Healy says. “Together with the clients’ builders, we extended and created one big space where the whole family can congregate and entertain.”
The clients are the owners of two restaurants, so having a bright, welcoming and workable kitchen was important to them. The goal “was to create a large family kitchen that’s the focal point of the house, with an airy, user-friendly finish and ample storage,” Healy says. “Together with the clients’ builders, we extended and created one big space where the whole family can congregate and entertain.”
The view from the window is what this kitchen is all about, and Healy designed the room to make that the focus.
“From the table in the window, and standing at the island doing the dishes at the Belfast sink, you get an amazing view over Blessington Lakes,” he says. “We wanted to make the window seat the main feature. It also has lots of pullout storage underneath.”
Because this house is out in the open on its own, it had quite a cold feel to it before. The clients wanted to create an airy, open space, but one that had warmth and coziness. This was achieved through the addition of a wood-burning stove and dark wood flooring.
“The client wanted wood rather than tiles, so we installed this flooring to give her the warmth she was after,” Healy says. “It looks like solid walnut planks, but it’s actually engineered walnut, which tends to be more affordable and durable.”
“From the table in the window, and standing at the island doing the dishes at the Belfast sink, you get an amazing view over Blessington Lakes,” he says. “We wanted to make the window seat the main feature. It also has lots of pullout storage underneath.”
Because this house is out in the open on its own, it had quite a cold feel to it before. The clients wanted to create an airy, open space, but one that had warmth and coziness. This was achieved through the addition of a wood-burning stove and dark wood flooring.
“The client wanted wood rather than tiles, so we installed this flooring to give her the warmth she was after,” Healy says. “It looks like solid walnut planks, but it’s actually engineered walnut, which tends to be more affordable and durable.”
Healy also designed the mantel over the stove to integrate the area into the rest of the kitchen.
“We make our kitchens ourselves in our own joinery workshop,” Healy says. “This one is solid maple and includes solid drawers, plate dividers and, most importantly for our clients here, lots of easy storage.
“The way we work is that we chat with the client and get an idea of their [goals] and wish list, and then we get the design nearly all the way there. Our client then comes in to chat through it with us, and we’ll add bespoke touches just for them.”
Oven, microwave and dishwasher: Smeg
“We make our kitchens ourselves in our own joinery workshop,” Healy says. “This one is solid maple and includes solid drawers, plate dividers and, most importantly for our clients here, lots of easy storage.
“The way we work is that we chat with the client and get an idea of their [goals] and wish list, and then we get the design nearly all the way there. Our client then comes in to chat through it with us, and we’ll add bespoke touches just for them.”
Oven, microwave and dishwasher: Smeg
“It took our client a while to find these,” Healy says of the understated yet striking pendant lights. “But they work perfectly with this kitchen and provide task lighting where she needs it, above the island.”
To offset the dark wood floor, the client went for bright countertops in scratch- and stain-resistant Silestone.
“Our client was happy with the technology behind this new quartz finish,” Healy says.
Pendant lights: Mullan; Silestone counters in Tigris Sand; Colonial bridge faucet: Perrin & Rowe
To offset the dark wood floor, the client went for bright countertops in scratch- and stain-resistant Silestone.
“Our client was happy with the technology behind this new quartz finish,” Healy says.
Pendant lights: Mullan; Silestone counters in Tigris Sand; Colonial bridge faucet: Perrin & Rowe
“One of my client’s daughters was with her when we came to finalize the kitchen design, and she came up with a lot of the great ideas behind this solid walnut pantry,” Healy says.
With a wine rack at the top and three drawers below, along with the shelving and door cabinets, there’s plenty of storage.
“We personalize the engraving on our solid drawers with items and tasks specific to the family, or add kids’ names or special dates,” Healy says. “The spice rack on the door and the handy drawers mean everything’s at hand and you don’t need to bend down too much to retrieve often-used items.”
Block pillars on either side finish the design off nicely, mirroring the fridge unit opposite it.
With a wine rack at the top and three drawers below, along with the shelving and door cabinets, there’s plenty of storage.
“We personalize the engraving on our solid drawers with items and tasks specific to the family, or add kids’ names or special dates,” Healy says. “The spice rack on the door and the handy drawers mean everything’s at hand and you don’t need to bend down too much to retrieve often-used items.”
Block pillars on either side finish the design off nicely, mirroring the fridge unit opposite it.
“I’m ecstatic with the finished look,” Healy says. “Most of my job is such a process — there’s so much measuring and ordering and delivering. But because everything’s handmade, you can see it becoming more and more complete every day. The best bit is when the client gets back in the room and starts using it. It’s so rewarding seeing the client’s sheer delight.”
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Homeowner’s Workbook: How to Remodel Your Kitchen
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Who lives here: A professional couple who run two restaurants, plus their two young adult children
Location: Blessington, County Wicklow, Ireland
Size: 27 by 18 feet (8.2 by 5.5 meters)
Designer: Will Healy of Jonathan Williams Kitchens
To create this modern addition, Jonathan Williams Kitchens, working with O’Neill’s Building Services, removed most of the back of the house and extended out, adding about 645 square feet to the home. The addition required two supporting beams, which were fitted with paneling to match the rest of the room.
“The builders were in the property for about four months doing the structural work before we came in,” designer Will Healy says. “We liaised with them during that time to plan in the plumbing and lighting, then came in to fit the kitchen itself. It usually takes us about two weeks from start to finish to fit our fully solid kitchens and have them hand-painted on site by our in-house team — so much planning will have gone in beforehand that it’s usually fairly quick.”
Kitchen cabinets: Claridge Inframe Collection, Jonathan Williams Kitchens; cabinet paint: Slipper Satin, Farrow & Ball; range: Hotpoint; refrigerator: Samsung