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Kitchen Tour: How Extra Storage Was Tucked into a Compact Room
Built-in joinery was a game-changer in this home and the key to keeping a spacious feel while hiding lots of possessions
Many of us have grappled with this conundrum – how to create more storage while still keeping a room feeling open and airy.
The owner of this home had a lot of stuff and a relatively small kitchen-diner-living space. Unsure of how to create the look and feel she wanted, she sought the help of interior designer Georgina Robertson, who slotted in custom-designed cabinetry that elegantly took care of everything from the kettle to office supplies to the vacuum cleaner, leaving a calm, collected living space the owner could enjoy.
The owner of this home had a lot of stuff and a relatively small kitchen-diner-living space. Unsure of how to create the look and feel she wanted, she sought the help of interior designer Georgina Robertson, who slotted in custom-designed cabinetry that elegantly took care of everything from the kettle to office supplies to the vacuum cleaner, leaving a calm, collected living space the owner could enjoy.
The slatted panelling that now frames the kitchen was the starting point for the dark accents and it links the cabinetry on either side of the living space. “There’s a dramatic bulkhead over the island and into the extension,” Georgina says, “so instead of trying to hide it, I decided to make it into a feature.” The grooves were created by the joiner to add texture.
You can see how the rich, dark elements in the design are set amid off-whites, adding definition while keeping an airy feel. The white quartz worktop, which continues onto the splashback, helps to reflect the light in this darker area of the room.
Carrara Nuvo worktop and splashback, Artemistone.
You can see how the rich, dark elements in the design are set amid off-whites, adding definition while keeping an airy feel. The white quartz worktop, which continues onto the splashback, helps to reflect the light in this darker area of the room.
Carrara Nuvo worktop and splashback, Artemistone.
The key to maximising the space was made-to-measure cabinetry, especially in the compact kitchen. “The bespoke joinery was a big focus for me, as the owner had a lot of stuff,” Georgina says. “I started by considering how I could add as much storage as possible into the space.”
The kitchen cabinets and storage units in the living area are all made to Georgina’s design from Egger wood-based panels, which kept costs down. (The wall cabinets look pale in this shot, but see the previous photo for the true colour.)
“Bespoke joinery is the thing that elevates all of my jobs,” Georgina continues. “It’s having a piece that’s perfectly designed for you – the colour, the material, the lighting, the handles, the space – whether you need shelves, drawers, a wine rack… It gives us the flexibility to fit things into spaces that, with non-custom furniture, you couldn’t really do.”
There’s no utility room in the home and the washing machine was freestanding, so Georgina positioned it in the right-hand corner, where it can’t be seen from most points in the room. On the other side of the sink, there’s a dishwasher, while the tall unit on the left contains the fridge-freezer.
Dark cabinets in F323-ST20 Cobra Bronze; pale cabinets in U750-ST9 Taupe Grey; slatted panelling and living area units in H1379-ST36 Brown Orleans Oak, all Egger.
More: What Happens When You Hire a Carpenter, Joiner or Cabinet-maker?
The kitchen cabinets and storage units in the living area are all made to Georgina’s design from Egger wood-based panels, which kept costs down. (The wall cabinets look pale in this shot, but see the previous photo for the true colour.)
“Bespoke joinery is the thing that elevates all of my jobs,” Georgina continues. “It’s having a piece that’s perfectly designed for you – the colour, the material, the lighting, the handles, the space – whether you need shelves, drawers, a wine rack… It gives us the flexibility to fit things into spaces that, with non-custom furniture, you couldn’t really do.”
There’s no utility room in the home and the washing machine was freestanding, so Georgina positioned it in the right-hand corner, where it can’t be seen from most points in the room. On the other side of the sink, there’s a dishwasher, while the tall unit on the left contains the fridge-freezer.
Dark cabinets in F323-ST20 Cobra Bronze; pale cabinets in U750-ST9 Taupe Grey; slatted panelling and living area units in H1379-ST36 Brown Orleans Oak, all Egger.
More: What Happens When You Hire a Carpenter, Joiner or Cabinet-maker?
The previous peninsula unit was too narrow to form a breakfast bar and the edge was very close to the tap, so Georgina made the new worktop around 20cm deeper to create a usable overhang.
All the hardware and light fittings are antique brass to bring in warmth. “I changed all the door handles downstairs to antique brass, so it all matches,” Georgina says.
Tap, Abode. Cushions, Oka and Andrew Martin. Bar stools; coffee table; rug, all Gallery Direct (trade only).
All the hardware and light fittings are antique brass to bring in warmth. “I changed all the door handles downstairs to antique brass, so it all matches,” Georgina says.
Tap, Abode. Cushions, Oka and Andrew Martin. Bar stools; coffee table; rug, all Gallery Direct (trade only).
Beyond the bifold doors there’s a beautiful garden, but it can get hot in the room, as there are roof windows, too, so Georgina fitted sheer curtains.
“There are electric blinds on the doors, but that makes the room so dark,” she says, “so I suggested adding the sheers to bring in a little colour – these are apple green – and to add softness and diffuse the light. It’s made such a difference to the space.”
Apple green sheer curtains, Warwick Fabrics.
“There are electric blinds on the doors, but that makes the room so dark,” she says, “so I suggested adding the sheers to bring in a little colour – these are apple green – and to add softness and diffuse the light. It’s made such a difference to the space.”
Apple green sheer curtains, Warwick Fabrics.
The owner loves her garden and had always enjoyed lying on this sofa and looking out at it. “The sofa is basically a chaise, with just one arm, and the owner said she loves lying here on a Friday evening, reading her book with a drink and looking at the garden,” she says. “I wasn’t sure I could find a similar piece, so I had this fully reupholstered in a muted green chenille.”
The owner wasn’t keen on colour initially, but Georgina persuaded her to have some green, just to bring the inside and outside together.
Houzz is a great place to find the right professional for your project. Read client reviews of renovation experts in your area in the Houzz Professionals Directory.
The owner wasn’t keen on colour initially, but Georgina persuaded her to have some green, just to bring the inside and outside together.
Houzz is a great place to find the right professional for your project. Read client reviews of renovation experts in your area in the Houzz Professionals Directory.
On the other side of the kitchen, there’s a pantry cupboard. Previously, this space contained waste pipes and a radiator, so the owner hadn’t had any storage here, but Georgina could see a solution. By budging up the radiator and integrating the pipes, she’s managed to fit in two roomy cupboards, a breakfast station with bifold doors, and a wine rack.
“The owner would never have put in a pantry cupboard here, because to her it looked as if it wouldn’t fit, but I made it work,” she says.
“The owner would never have put in a pantry cupboard here, because to her it looked as if it wouldn’t fit, but I made it work,” she says.
With the doors open, you can see how Georgina incorporated the waste pipes in a box on the left-hand side.
The quartz worktop continues in here to protect the wood, and there are power outlets, too, so the owner can keep a toaster and kettle to hand.
Georgina fitted lighting inside, which adds to the glow right around the room. “Layers of lighting are key,” she says, “so as well as the pendant lights over the island and lights under the cabinets, I put LED lighting in both sides of the living area joinery [under the shelves], which are on a Bluetooth button, and in the pantry, which is on a sensor.”
The pendant lights over the island are fluted to echo the slatted panels. “The light that fluting gives off is stunning – it fires in all directions,” she says.
The owner didn’t want a pendant light over the dining table. “She uses it for multiple things, so she didn’t want to be restricted by a low-hanging light,” Georgina says. “Instead, there are spots in the ceiling and all the ambient lights [around the room].”
Pendant lights, RV Astley.
The quartz worktop continues in here to protect the wood, and there are power outlets, too, so the owner can keep a toaster and kettle to hand.
Georgina fitted lighting inside, which adds to the glow right around the room. “Layers of lighting are key,” she says, “so as well as the pendant lights over the island and lights under the cabinets, I put LED lighting in both sides of the living area joinery [under the shelves], which are on a Bluetooth button, and in the pantry, which is on a sensor.”
The pendant lights over the island are fluted to echo the slatted panels. “The light that fluting gives off is stunning – it fires in all directions,” she says.
The owner didn’t want a pendant light over the dining table. “She uses it for multiple things, so she didn’t want to be restricted by a low-hanging light,” Georgina says. “Instead, there are spots in the ceiling and all the ambient lights [around the room].”
Pendant lights, RV Astley.
The shutters on the side window were existing, so Georgina kept those and fitted a new radiator underneath.
Showing the owner her ideas for the new layout and how her product suggestions would work together was made easier by using Houzz Pro software, which allows pros to share a dashboard documenting everything about the project.
“I love Houzz Pro,” Georgina says. “I use the Clipper [where product photos and prices can be saved onto one sheet] all the time when I’m building product lists for my clients, or for sending them quotes. I swear by it. I use it for my proposals, my invoicing, my leads, recording all my notes and product lists. I do everything in there.
“The homeowners find it useful,” she continues. “I do my schedules in there and send them a link to my Dashboard, so they can see all the invoices and the schedule, and when I move anything, they’re updated.”
Showing the owner her ideas for the new layout and how her product suggestions would work together was made easier by using Houzz Pro software, which allows pros to share a dashboard documenting everything about the project.
“I love Houzz Pro,” Georgina says. “I use the Clipper [where product photos and prices can be saved onto one sheet] all the time when I’m building product lists for my clients, or for sending them quotes. I swear by it. I use it for my proposals, my invoicing, my leads, recording all my notes and product lists. I do everything in there.
“The homeowners find it useful,” she continues. “I do my schedules in there and send them a link to my Dashboard, so they can see all the invoices and the schedule, and when I move anything, they’re updated.”
The flooring is luxury vinyl tiles. “I chose a bronze finish to tie all the wood and antique brass elements into the floor,” Georgina says. “I laid a border around the room, too, which finishes it off nicely.
“LVT is so hardwearing and I want the rooms I design to last,” she says. “Also, there’s so much light in here that real timber would have faded.”
The table extends, as the owner loves entertaining, but she also likes to work here, with the doors open in the summer. “That’s why the chairs are more like desk chairs, as she likes a comfortable seat,” Georgina says.
Flooring, Karndean.
“LVT is so hardwearing and I want the rooms I design to last,” she says. “Also, there’s so much light in here that real timber would have faded.”
The table extends, as the owner loves entertaining, but she also likes to work here, with the doors open in the summer. “That’s why the chairs are more like desk chairs, as she likes a comfortable seat,” Georgina says.
Flooring, Karndean.
The back of the extension has a high ceiling, so Georgina could fit in roomy storage on both sides of the kitchen opening. The tall cupboard on the left here acts as a broom cupboard – the vacuum cleaner is hung inside and it’s all lit internally – and she also made room for some display space.
Now, the whole room is very calming. “You decompress as you walk in,” Georgina says. “I think it’s the colours and textures – it just really makes you feel quite zen.”
But what does the homeowner think? The review she left on Georgina’s Houzz profile says it all: “A wonderful service from start to finish. Georgina has an amazing eye for detail and is able to come up with designs that really work for the space. She took my vague vision and turned it into a beautiful reality!”
Tell us…
What do you like about Georgina’s redesign? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
Now, the whole room is very calming. “You decompress as you walk in,” Georgina says. “I think it’s the colours and textures – it just really makes you feel quite zen.”
But what does the homeowner think? The review she left on Georgina’s Houzz profile says it all: “A wonderful service from start to finish. Georgina has an amazing eye for detail and is able to come up with designs that really work for the space. She took my vague vision and turned it into a beautiful reality!”
Tell us…
What do you like about Georgina’s redesign? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
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Who lives here? A single professional woman
Location Near Cambridge
Property A modern house with three bedrooms
Room dimensions 6m deep x 5.3m/4m wide
Designer Georgina Robertson of Georgina Robertson Interiors
Project year 2024
Photos by Anya Rice Photography
The owner had hastily furnished the kitchen and extension when she first moved in, but it was never quite what she wanted, so, having seen photos of Georgina’s previous projects, she asked for her help. She explained that she liked dark colours, but Georgina could see she was also drawn to the idea of a light and calming space.
“I ask my clients for any inspiration at all, even if it’s a different room, to get a sense of their style,” she says, “so she sent me a bunch of photos and it was clear she wanted everything to be lighter, but with some dark accenting.”