Dark Gray Sophistication in a Shaker-Style Kitchen
Rich paint used throughout this compact London space helps create a kitchen that’s contemporary and inviting
Color has a huge effect on the atmosphere of a space, and this beautiful kitchen in a Georgian house in London proves that sometimes it pays to be bold. The kitchen is outfitted with classic Shaker cabinets but wears a striking shade of flinty gray on the walls, cabinets and shelves, punctuated by a pale marble countertop. “It’s a very warm, atmospheric space,” says Emily Rumble, its designer. “It’s a small room, but the color really makes it feel cozy and inviting.”
The owners didn’t want to take out the chimney breast. “There’s a similar one in the adjoining dining room, so it provides symmetry,” designer Emily Rumble says. “It can also be costly to remove a chimney breast.” So it made sense to fit the range within it and put the sink beneath the window.
“These initial parts of a design can be quite easy,” Rumble says. “It’s then fitting the other elements in that’s harder! It’s about making sure you still have symmetry and plenty of storage in a room that’s quite limited in space.”
“These initial parts of a design can be quite easy,” Rumble says. “It’s then fitting the other elements in that’s harder! It’s about making sure you still have symmetry and plenty of storage in a room that’s quite limited in space.”
“We were very focused on having something under the window to create symmetry,” Rumble says. “Then we wanted to maximize the rest of the space without making it look crowded.”
The wooden shutters are an intriguing original feature. They pull up to conceal the window or fold down behind each other. “They bring some natural wood tones into the space,” Rumble says. “The wall and cabinet color had to tie in with that.”
The owners chose a rich, dark gray for the cabinets and walls. “It’s the Flint color from our bathroom range,” Rumble says. “It’s not a standard color for our kitchens, but the owners were torn between a softer gray and a very dark blue, and this seemed like a natural, in-between shade to go for.” Warm brass handles glow softly amid the dark backdrop.
Open shelves were built on either side of the chimney breast. “We wanted to make a grand feature of it,” Rumble says. The shelves were designed to be slightly higher than the run of cupboards on the opposite side. “Thanks to the dark color, this difference in height is not noticeable and the vertical and horizontal lines are not so obvious.”
The countertop and range backsplash are 30-millimeter-thick marble. It has a honed rather than a polished finish. “Marble is not quite as hard-wearing as a man-made composite or a stone such as granite,” Rumble says. “It’s a naturally porous material, so it can get scratched and stained, but it’s very beautiful.”
Opera A3 dual-cavity range: Smeg
Opera A3 dual-cavity range: Smeg
The cabinets are a classic Shaker design, made with plywood frames and solid tulipwood fronts. A small open section next to the dishwasher provides storage for chopping boards and platters.
Shaker cabinets painted in Flint: deVOL
Shaker cabinets painted in Flint: deVOL
The kitchen opens onto a dining room, at the back of the house. Its pale walls are a fresh contrast to the kitchen’s dark tones.
A custom butcher block island serves a range of functions. It’s fitted with wheels so it can be moved, and it offers a spot at which to perch with a cup of coffee. It also contains bins and long drawers. “There aren’t a lot of drawers elsewhere in the kitchen,” Rumble says, “and there also wasn’t a very obvious space for the bins, so we fitted them in here too.”
This run of cabinets contains a pantry in the center and a fridge and freezer on either side. “We worked hard to build in as much storage here while keeping it looking discreet and uniform,” Rumble says. Using the same dark shade on the cabinets and the walls helps them to melt into the background.
To the side of the pantry, a small section of countertop acts as a breakfast station. “We encourage people with [pantries] to use this little return for their toaster and mugs and treat it as a tea and coffee area,” Rumble says. “Here, the owners didn’t need a kettle because they have a boiling-water tap.”
To the side of the pantry, a small section of countertop acts as a breakfast station. “We encourage people with [pantries] to use this little return for their toaster and mugs and treat it as a tea and coffee area,” Rumble says. “Here, the owners didn’t need a kettle because they have a boiling-water tap.”
The spacious pantry has lighting and also electrical outlets, so the microwave and other appliances can be stored and used there.
“When there’s a beautiful central window, it’s nice to fit a sink under there,” Rumble says.
Ionian faucet in chrome: Perrin & Rowe; Pro3 Classic boiling-water tap: Quooker; sink: Villeroy & Boch
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Ionian faucet in chrome: Perrin & Rowe; Pro3 Classic boiling-water tap: Quooker; sink: Villeroy & Boch
How to Design the Perfect U-Shaped Kitchen
8 Top Hardware Styles for Shaker Kitchen Cabinets
Who lives here: A couple with a young child
Location: Bloomsbury area of London
Size: 154 square feet (14.3 square meters)
Designer: Emily Rumble at deVOL Kitchens
The kitchen is square and compact, with a chimney breast on one interior wall and a window overlooking the leafy square at the front of the house. These key features dictated where the cabinets and appliances could be installed.