Kitchen Tour: A Small, Elegant Kitchen With Discreet Storage
A clever design means maximum storage with a minimal look that showcases colourful art and countryside views
Sarah Alcroft
8 December 2019
Houzz UK Editorial Team
As a couple with a keen aesthetic sense, the owners of this Gloucestershire cottage dreamed of a kitchen that was beautiful and highly functional, but minimal enough to let their art shine. So they contacted Sustainable Kitchens to talk about what they wanted from their small room – namely, somewhere they could relax and entertain.
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here? A retired couple and their dog, Freddie
Location Upton Cheyney (between Bristol and Bath), Gloucestershire
Property A cottage with two bedrooms and one bathroom
Kitchen dimensions 5.5 x 3.8m
Designer Charlie Draper of Sustainable Kitchens
Designer Charlie Draper’s challenge was to create a kitchen that was stylishly simple without being characterless – and fitted everything the owners needed into the small space without it feeling cluttered.
“The couple came into the showroom first,” she says. “People work in different ways. For some, it’s important you go to their house first, so you can get a feel for the space, but others want to make sure we’re the right fit for them as well.”
Who lives here? A retired couple and their dog, Freddie
Location Upton Cheyney (between Bristol and Bath), Gloucestershire
Property A cottage with two bedrooms and one bathroom
Kitchen dimensions 5.5 x 3.8m
Designer Charlie Draper of Sustainable Kitchens
Designer Charlie Draper’s challenge was to create a kitchen that was stylishly simple without being characterless – and fitted everything the owners needed into the small space without it feeling cluttered.
“The couple came into the showroom first,” she says. “People work in different ways. For some, it’s important you go to their house first, so you can get a feel for the space, but others want to make sure we’re the right fit for them as well.”
The kitchen was originally the opposite way round. The units ran along the wall to the left in this photo and across the rear wall, which had a small window in it. The garden, which backs onto fields, is stunning, so not having a good view of it was really missing a trick.
Keen to open up your home? Find builders in your area.
Keen to open up your home? Find builders in your area.
“The owners put in the French windows and we moved the kitchen around completely,” Charlie says. “Although there are only two of them, they’re quite sociable, and they use the garden for entertaining, so it was a no-brainer to open up the space, bring light into the kitchen, and create a direct route in and out.”
Form chairs, Normann Copenhagen. EB18 dining table, James Burleigh.
Form chairs, Normann Copenhagen. EB18 dining table, James Burleigh.
To keep the kitchen as simple as possible, Charlie suggested flat-fronted cabinets with discreet, J-shaped handles in the tops of the doors.
“The wife in particular is really into her art,” she says. “She wanted the cupboards to be clean-lined, so the artwork would be the main focus of the room. But the dark colour means the cabinets still make quite a statement – it’s not just a plain, neutral space.”
The cabinet frames are solid oak with birch ply carcasses and doors. The drawer boxes are solid birch.
Cabinets painted in Railings, Farrow & Ball. Painting by Allan Caswell.
“The wife in particular is really into her art,” she says. “She wanted the cupboards to be clean-lined, so the artwork would be the main focus of the room. But the dark colour means the cabinets still make quite a statement – it’s not just a plain, neutral space.”
The cabinet frames are solid oak with birch ply carcasses and doors. The drawer boxes are solid birch.
Cabinets painted in Railings, Farrow & Ball. Painting by Allan Caswell.
The alcove in the original kitchen was filled with general storage.
The cupboards were stripped out and Charlie made the most of the alcove space. The tall cabinet on the right is an integrated fridge-freezer with a cupboard above. “This cupboard doesn’t have a shelf in it – it’s for things such as big Christmas dishes that don’t get used very often,” she says.
The ovens have a cupboard above and two drawers below, and there’s a slim cupboard under the bookshelves.
The ovens have a cupboard above and two drawers below, and there’s a slim cupboard under the bookshelves.
Designing the countertop cupboard to the left of the ovens took some thought. “We started off with open shelving, but the owners didn’t want loads of stuff on show,” Charlie explains.
“We looked at having a double countertop cupboard, but then you have the problem of opening that right-hand door, and it would actually be quite hard to reach around it,” she says. “So we settled on a hybrid – a mix of open and closed, the closed section being a wide half larder with space for foodstuffs and small appliances.”
For more inspiration, check out 10 ideas for kitchen cabinets that sit on the worktop.
“We looked at having a double countertop cupboard, but then you have the problem of opening that right-hand door, and it would actually be quite hard to reach around it,” she says. “So we settled on a hybrid – a mix of open and closed, the closed section being a wide half larder with space for foodstuffs and small appliances.”
For more inspiration, check out 10 ideas for kitchen cabinets that sit on the worktop.
The shelves to the right of the larder, which are the exact width of the slim cupboard below for visual balance, are perfect for cookery books.
To keep the look unfussy, Charlie painted the insides of the shelves the same colour as the units, rather than leaving them natural wood. “It creates a nice contrast with the books, helping the colourful spines to stand out,” she says.
To keep the look unfussy, Charlie painted the insides of the shelves the same colour as the units, rather than leaving them natural wood. “It creates a nice contrast with the books, helping the colourful spines to stand out,” she says.
To the left of the blind corner cupboard, there’s what looks like two drawers. The owners wanted as few lines as possible, so Charlie concealed some of the drawers in the run, so she could keep the look clean while still creating a place for everything.
So inside the top drawer, there’s an extra section for cutlery and utensils…
…and the cabinet to the left of the hob contains two drawers behind one plain door.
The extractor fan is a super-discreet downdraft design that sits flush with the worktop when not in use. “One of the key things the couple wanted was to be able to look out of the window while they were cooking,” Charlie says. “Because of this, they didn’t want to have an extractor hanging down from the ceiling and blocking the view, so this led to us fitting a downdraft extractor. It’s very useful, as it’s only up when you need it.”
However, it was a challenge to fit one. “The motor is actually quite large, so a lot of the space is taken up underneath it,” Charlie explains. “Also, because the extractor needs a fair amount of room around it, we had to find a very slim hob – but one large enough for the owners’ needs – to avoid having a deep worktop, which makes it harder to reach the back and also adds to the cost.”
Hob, Neff, Extractor, Siemens.
However, it was a challenge to fit one. “The motor is actually quite large, so a lot of the space is taken up underneath it,” Charlie explains. “Also, because the extractor needs a fair amount of room around it, we had to find a very slim hob – but one large enough for the owners’ needs – to avoid having a deep worktop, which makes it harder to reach the back and also adds to the cost.”
Hob, Neff, Extractor, Siemens.
Much of the space under the hob is taken up by the extractor motor, but Charlie designed in a shallow cupboard at the front that’s perfect for spices and kitchen linens.
Pots (behind hob) by Kim Donaldson.
Pots (behind hob) by Kim Donaldson.
The door next to the concealed drawers is an integrated dishwasher, then there’s an under-sink cupboard and a final single cupboard. The washing machine and tumble dryer are in a small utility room.
Underfloor heating keeps everyone cosy, especially Freddie.
Underfloor heating keeps everyone cosy, especially Freddie.
The window opening on this wall was shortened slightly to accommodate the run of base units. This frame was originally in the back wall, where the French windows are now.
The upstand fits neatly under the new window. “We talked about having metro tiles, but the owners weren’t keen on that style, and the line would have been broken by the window,” Charlie says. “The upstand gives a nice, consistent line right the way across.”
The worktop and upstand are engineered quartz that looks like Carrara marble, but is much more robust. “The owners didn’t want to be following people around with a cloth!” Charlie says. “They wanted something really durable they didn’t have to worry about.”
30mm engineered quartz worktop in Bianco Nuvolo, Arenastone.
The worktop and upstand are engineered quartz that looks like Carrara marble, but is much more robust. “The owners didn’t want to be following people around with a cloth!” Charlie says. “They wanted something really durable they didn’t have to worry about.”
30mm engineered quartz worktop in Bianco Nuvolo, Arenastone.
Having simple pendant lights rather than spots over the worktop gives the room an elegant edge. “They light up the artwork really nicely, too,” Charlie says.
The transformation from dark, cluttered kitchen to light, calm room with a beautiful view is everything the owners hoped for. “They absolutely love the kitchen,” Charlie says. “The models we make of the flat-panel style are good, but the real thing always looks so much better.”
Pendant lights, Flos. Rococo tap, Clearwater. Paintings by Rosemary Vanns.
Tell us…
What do you like about this clean-lined kitchen? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
The transformation from dark, cluttered kitchen to light, calm room with a beautiful view is everything the owners hoped for. “They absolutely love the kitchen,” Charlie says. “The models we make of the flat-panel style are good, but the real thing always looks so much better.”
Pendant lights, Flos. Rococo tap, Clearwater. Paintings by Rosemary Vanns.
Tell us…
What do you like about this clean-lined kitchen? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
Related Stories
House Tours
Houzz Tour: A Midcentury Home With a Strong Indoor-outdoor Link
By Becky Harris
A nature-inspired renovation has given this ranch house a relaxed mood and a connection to the outdoors from most rooms
Full Story
House Tours
Houzz Tour: Warm Tones and Luxurious Surfaces in a City Townhouse
An earthy colour palette, hidden storage and well-placed texture add character and practicality to this London home
Full Story
Room Tours
Kitchen Tour: A Gorgeous Extension With a Leafy Glasshouse Feel
By Kate Burt
When the owners of this terraced house extended, they were keen to retain its period feel and highlight the garden
Full Story
Gardens
Garden Tour: A Bare Roof Terrace Becomes a Pretty, Sociable Space
By Kate Burt
A retired couple got help transforming their large rooftop into a gorgeous, welcoming, multi-functional retreat
Full Story
House Tours
Houzz Tour: A Smart Layout and Genius Storage in a Victorian Home
Flipping the standard layout and carving out excellent storage have turned this tired house into a brilliant family home
Full Story
House Tours
Houzz Tour: A Victorian House Brought Impressively Up to Date
By Jo Simmons
A cohesive layout and warm colours combined with energy-efficiency measures thoroughly modernise this terraced home
Full Story
Kitchen Tours
Kitchen Tour: An Open, Airy Space Made for Entertaining
Combining two separate rooms has improved flow and created a sociable open-plan kitchen, dining and seating space
Full Story
House Tours
Houzz Tour: A Family Home Inspired by its Seaside Location
Coastal colours and practical design combine to create a house that will adapt as the family grows
Full Story
Kitchens
5 Inspiring Before and After Kitchen Transformations
Whether you want to boost storage, incorporate original features or maximise your space, take ideas from these designs
Full Story
House Tours
Houzz Tour: An Airy, Scandi Finish for a Tall Victorian House
By Kate Burt
From a tricky inherited bath to a sticky-out staircase, on-site problem-solving led to a seamless update for an old home
Full Story
Hi soles61 The dining table is the EB18 by James Burleigh
I really like the elegant little pendant lights. They are soft-looking, are no bigger than they need be, and i think must do the job of task lighting for cooking, as well as showing off a painting each. And when they're on at night the effect must be much more intimate than the bland blanket ceiling spots people often have.
thanks Sarah sorry didn't come back sooner not on here much.