Kitchen of the Week: The Island Stars in a Converted Schoolhouse
Earthy hues, classic cabinetry and a painted island create a family hub in this east London home
When the owners of this converted schoolhouse needed a new kitchen, they turned to Peter Humphrey, who had just completed a friend’s renovation. “They wanted a relaxed family feel for the space with room for the children to enjoy it too,” Humphrey says. The kitchen was relocated from the basement to a more central space at the front of the house, which used to be a sitting room. It was designed using simple Shaker-style doors in painted tulipwood for classic appeal.
An oak island incorporating an expanse of storage was a special request. “This prep table/island unit is the workhorse of the kitchen, and life tends to revolve around it,” Humphrey says. Its natural oak countertop and dark green-gray painted base provides a central focal point against the pale cabinets.
The roughly 6½-by-4-foot island has three large drawers on either side for storage, and a huge open slatted area below for stacking kitchen equipment.
The roughly 6½-by-4-foot island has three large drawers on either side for storage, and a huge open slatted area below for stacking kitchen equipment.
“We installed simple ceiling spotlights on dimmers, which are so important for creating different moods, especially as the owners love to have dinner with friends after the kids are in bed,” Humphrey says. “Task lighting is inset into shelving and in the cooker hood.”
How to Install a Dimmer Switch
How to Install a Dimmer Switch
The anticato-finished white quartz countertops help give the kitchen its clean lines.
Countertops: Diresco; sink: Villeroy & Boch; faucet: Perrin & Rowe
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Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A professional couple with three children
Location: Hackney, east London
Size: About 22 by 20 feet (6.7 by 6 meters); part of a converted schoolhouse with four bedrooms and three bathrooms
Designer: Peter Humphrey of Humphrey Munson