Kitchen Tour: A Cost-friendly Extension With a Clever Window Seat
This stylish design makes off-the-shelf look bespoke and has a window seat that works inside and out
In common with many of us, designer Gemma Fabbri and her family spent several years living with a kitchen that was falling apart. So, having designed plenty of kitchens for her clients over the years, the time came for her to tackle her own.
Budget was a key consideration, so Gemma had to find ways to create a unique design without breaking the bank. Having plywood fronts cut from large sheets, subtly repeating elements, textures and colours, and making a wise decision on the flooring all had an impact, while her design for a window seat that works both inside and out was a genius move that proved to be the standout feature.
Budget was a key consideration, so Gemma had to find ways to create a unique design without breaking the bank. Having plywood fronts cut from large sheets, subtly repeating elements, textures and colours, and making a wise decision on the flooring all had an impact, while her design for a window seat that works both inside and out was a genius move that proved to be the standout feature.
The old kitchen was falling apart and wasn’t a very sociable space. Working with an architect, Gemma extended the room into the side return and out at the back by around 2m.
“Size isn’t always the most important thing,” she says. “It’s about how you use the space and how it works.”
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“Size isn’t always the most important thing,” she says. “It’s about how you use the space and how it works.”
Easily find and hire reviewed interior designers on Houzz.
The former kitchen also felt quite cut off from the dining area in the middle room.
The old layout had separate living and dining rooms and a fairly narrow kitchen.
Now, the kitchen is bigger and the ground floor is open-plan, but with the flexibility to alter this if required down the line. “At the moment, it works to have a completely open-plan ground floor, but in time, as the kids grow, we can fit a pocket door to close off the living room at the front,” Gemma says.
She has moved the dining area to the garden side of the kitchen, which frees up the middle room. “[The space in the middle] breaks up the ground floor layout, so it gives us a good separation between the living room and the kitchen,” she says. It’s also created somewhere for the piano to live and a spot where she can do yoga and the kids can play.
She has moved the dining area to the garden side of the kitchen, which frees up the middle room. “[The space in the middle] breaks up the ground floor layout, so it gives us a good separation between the living room and the kitchen,” she says. It’s also created somewhere for the piano to live and a spot where she can do yoga and the kids can play.
The couple were on a tight budget, so once the build was done, Gemma kept a sharp eye on costs. “I kept going back to the budget all the way through the project, so every time we spent on something or something came up, I revisited it,” she says.
“We didn’t want to scrimp on the appliances or worktop – they’re about longevity and the functionality of the kitchen – so by the time it came to putting in the kitchen [cabinets], we thought we might have to go for a standard, off-the-shelf one,” she says.
This is where Gemma’s design expertise really came in, as she found a way to save on the cabinets while creating a bespoke look.
“We bought some Ikea carcasses and the green doors, which we really liked. They’re made from recycled PET bottles in sustainable factories with renewable energy,” she says. “Then the builders made other carcasses out of Ikea parts.”
The plywood fronts were the result of Gemma shopping around. “We thought we might get the fronts made, but that would have blown the budget,” she says.
Bodarp kitchen in grey-green, Ikea.
“We didn’t want to scrimp on the appliances or worktop – they’re about longevity and the functionality of the kitchen – so by the time it came to putting in the kitchen [cabinets], we thought we might have to go for a standard, off-the-shelf one,” she says.
This is where Gemma’s design expertise really came in, as she found a way to save on the cabinets while creating a bespoke look.
“We bought some Ikea carcasses and the green doors, which we really liked. They’re made from recycled PET bottles in sustainable factories with renewable energy,” she says. “Then the builders made other carcasses out of Ikea parts.”
The plywood fronts were the result of Gemma shopping around. “We thought we might get the fronts made, but that would have blown the budget,” she says.
Bodarp kitchen in grey-green, Ikea.
“The plywood came about as I didn’t want to give up on the idea of bespoke,” Gemma says. “I knew the reveal around the window seat was going to be ply, so I was sourcing ply sheets anyway.
“It’s been quite hard to get good-looking plywood in the past couple of years,” she continues. “I phoned a local supplier and it was my lucky day, as they’d had a load arrive that morning. I measured everything and did a cutting list for them. I probably saved two-thirds on ready-made fronts.” She sanded and oiled the doors, then they were fitted by a local carpenter.
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“It’s been quite hard to get good-looking plywood in the past couple of years,” she continues. “I phoned a local supplier and it was my lucky day, as they’d had a load arrive that morning. I measured everything and did a cutting list for them. I probably saved two-thirds on ready-made fronts.” She sanded and oiled the doors, then they were fitted by a local carpenter.
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Gemma linked the two sides of the kitchen together by using ply to frame the green units and fitting green handles on the ply cupboards, “so it felt as if it was all meant to be part of one thing”, she says.
The carpenter also used plywood on the end panels of the island. “We tried to waste as little as possible, so anything I could use elsewhere I did, including the reveal around the back door, and shelves and a desk for my home office,” she says.
Gemma used top boxes for the high cupboards, principally because they’re as deep as the base units (600mm), unlike standard wall units, and she wanted to create a flush frame around the sink area.
The carpenter made a shelf underneath out of plywood. “We could have done two rows of top boxes, but it would have been quite bulky,” Gemma says. There’s a light integrated under the shelf to illuminate the worktop.
A boiling-water tap keeps the worktop free, while cups on the shelf above speed up tea-making.
Cupboard handles, Toniton.
The carpenter also used plywood on the end panels of the island. “We tried to waste as little as possible, so anything I could use elsewhere I did, including the reveal around the back door, and shelves and a desk for my home office,” she says.
Gemma used top boxes for the high cupboards, principally because they’re as deep as the base units (600mm), unlike standard wall units, and she wanted to create a flush frame around the sink area.
The carpenter made a shelf underneath out of plywood. “We could have done two rows of top boxes, but it would have been quite bulky,” Gemma says. There’s a light integrated under the shelf to illuminate the worktop.
A boiling-water tap keeps the worktop free, while cups on the shelf above speed up tea-making.
Cupboard handles, Toniton.
The tall run has two standard Ikea cabinets on the left, one of which contains the fridge-freezer, then two wider, 800mm ones, which were made by the team. One is a double-door larder cupboard containing a coffee machine and toaster.
“I wanted to get things off the worktop, as it’s mostly on the island and I didn’t want much on there,” Gemma says.
The next cupboard holds the boiler.
Gemma was left with a slim space next to the boiler cupboard and, because of the deep reveal of the window seat, it wasn’t very accessible, so she decided to make a cat tunnel. “The panel pops off so you can get in there to clean it. There’s a piece of carpet in there so their feet dry a little. I have considered every member of the family when designing this house,” she laughs.
“I wanted to get things off the worktop, as it’s mostly on the island and I didn’t want much on there,” Gemma says.
The next cupboard holds the boiler.
Gemma was left with a slim space next to the boiler cupboard and, because of the deep reveal of the window seat, it wasn’t very accessible, so she decided to make a cat tunnel. “The panel pops off so you can get in there to clean it. There’s a piece of carpet in there so their feet dry a little. I have considered every member of the family when designing this house,” she laughs.
In another subtle link, the pink ribbed ceramic pendant lights over the island echo the pink ribbed splashback tiles, which Gemma has also used on the back of the island. The bar stools are Muuto, but came from an office clearance company “and were a steal”, she says.
Gemma initially wanted microcement on the floor, but decided on this microcement-look linoleum, which is cheaper, but also durable, easy to clean, sustainable, quick to fit and warm underfoot (boosted by underfloor heating).
Pendant lights, Vitamin Living. Marmoleum Concrete linoleum flooring, Forbo. Worktop, Caesarstone. Aluminium door, Origin.
Gemma initially wanted microcement on the floor, but decided on this microcement-look linoleum, which is cheaper, but also durable, easy to clean, sustainable, quick to fit and warm underfoot (boosted by underfloor heating).
Pendant lights, Vitamin Living. Marmoleum Concrete linoleum flooring, Forbo. Worktop, Caesarstone. Aluminium door, Origin.
Gemma has exposed the roof joists in the extended sections of the room and left the steel RSJ on show.
“The design of the space is quite raw and honest,” she says. “In the original drawings, the beam was hidden, but we wanted to keep the pitch at the end, as it zones the dining area, and the only way to hide the beam was to keep running the lower ceiling.”
Instead, she’s made a feature of the beam, painting it in a bold coral.
The walls carry on the pink and green palette of the kitchen. The end wall is a slightly green off-white, and that sits next to the pink of raw plaster.
“I wanted to make sure the room felt calm and got as much natural light as possible, and it feels like nature in the tones of the wood and green,” Gemma says. “The pink for me is like a neutral when I put it with green, they’re so harmonious.”
RSJ painted in Lollipop, Mylands.
“The design of the space is quite raw and honest,” she says. “In the original drawings, the beam was hidden, but we wanted to keep the pitch at the end, as it zones the dining area, and the only way to hide the beam was to keep running the lower ceiling.”
Instead, she’s made a feature of the beam, painting it in a bold coral.
The walls carry on the pink and green palette of the kitchen. The end wall is a slightly green off-white, and that sits next to the pink of raw plaster.
“I wanted to make sure the room felt calm and got as much natural light as possible, and it feels like nature in the tones of the wood and green,” Gemma says. “The pink for me is like a neutral when I put it with green, they’re so harmonious.”
RSJ painted in Lollipop, Mylands.
While Gemma is pleased with the whole design, it’s the window seat that’s her favourite feature. “I felt that if we’d put in sliding or bifold doors [across the back], it wouldn’t have anchored and zoned the kitchen in the way I wanted,” she says.
“Also, I love being connected to the garden all year round. I like having a place to perch and hang out,” she continues. “Even in winter, you need some sunshine and to be able to see greenery. But equally, in the summer, it’s brilliant for the kids, who like to hop in and out through the window.”
She chose slide and pivot doors made bespoke to work as a large window. “This means we can open up one pane or the whole window,” she says. “We can also spin ourselves around and dine outside. And it’s like a sunbed in the summer – I can lie there reading.”
Slide and pivot doors (adapted to be a window), SunSeeker.
“Also, I love being connected to the garden all year round. I like having a place to perch and hang out,” she continues. “Even in winter, you need some sunshine and to be able to see greenery. But equally, in the summer, it’s brilliant for the kids, who like to hop in and out through the window.”
She chose slide and pivot doors made bespoke to work as a large window. “This means we can open up one pane or the whole window,” she says. “We can also spin ourselves around and dine outside. And it’s like a sunbed in the summer – I can lie there reading.”
Slide and pivot doors (adapted to be a window), SunSeeker.
The back of the house before it was extended.
The extension is clad in blackened battens. You can see the exit to the cat tunnel bottom right and also get a feel for how the window seat works for outdoors as well as in.
“The new kitchen has made a massive difference to the family,” Gemma says. “Suddenly, we’re spending time in here and inviting people over. We’ve totally changed how we live.”
Tell us…
What do you like about Gemma’s redesign? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
“The new kitchen has made a massive difference to the family,” Gemma says. “Suddenly, we’re spending time in here and inviting people over. We’ve totally changed how we live.”
Tell us…
What do you like about Gemma’s redesign? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
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Who lives here? Designer Gemma Fabbri with her partner, two children and two cats
Location Lloyd Park area of Walthamstow, north-east London
Property A Victorian terraced house
Room dimensions Around 6m x 4m
Designer Gemma Fabbri of Studio Fabbri
Architects SS4 Architects
Project year 2023
Photos by Chris Snook
Suddenly finding herself as client as well as designer, Gemma, in consultation with her partner, had to ask herself what the family wanted from the kitchen and draw up a brief.
Light, a connection to the garden, and how the space would work for them and their lifestyle were the most important considerations.