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The Kitchen with a View

This house and kitchen are situated in Turnditch (between Belper and Ashbourne) and the views, out over the Debyshire countryside, are absolutely stunning.

Owners Duncan and Jacquie already knew that they wanted to extend the kitchen into the old pantry and rear entrance hall - and they wanted to alter the windows, to make the most of those views. Further internal alterations would result in a separate area, adjoining the kitchen, with a sofa and a tv ... a real living kitchen, but with rather an odd shape.

A big island was part of the "wish list"; preferably with more than one level and perhaps with some curves ... but it was very difficult to fit one in. The new kitchen area was long but still quite narrow.

The overall look was to be sleek and elegant and Jacquie wanted the furniture to be built right up to the ceiling ... even though the ceilings, in this case, were high. A long slim island just didn't fit the bill; the proportions were all wrong.

The answer, was to put in a large island at an angle. This wasn't as strange as it sounds, since one of the windows - which was to become full height - was already at an angle of 45 degrees to the main walls. The island picked up on this angle and emphasised it.

The main island was designed with curved doors at one end. A separate circular unit, at lower height and with a butchers block top, was offset slightly, at the other end of the island. The beauty of this design, was that the double doors of the island faced directly into the new comfy seating area ... making it obvious that this was very definitely all the same room. At the other end, two of the doors under the circular butcher's block faced directly towards the back door. The island was specifically designed to fit the awkward space.

It wasn't that simple, though. In order to fit this island in ... to what was, after all, quite a narrow kitchen ... I had to reduce the depth of the base units along part of the main, long wall of the kitchen. This meant that the dishwasher wouldn't fit along that wall and had to be positioned in the island ... but, if that sort of re-positioning is needed, what better time than when the builders are coming in anyway?

Duncan and Jacquie were initially a bit wary of the plan, since it was so different from anything they had envisaged. But, after giving it some thought, they went ahead ... and the end result is everything I had hoped it would be. I think they're fairly pleased too!

See what you think.

This kitchen was featured in the June 2009 issue of Beautiful Kitchens magazine ... as I was very pleased to announce!

Looking into the kitchen from the new comfy seating area, the angle of the island, with it's curved doors, makes it obvious that the kitchen is part of the same room.
The circular butcher's block unit, at the other end of the island, faces the door into the garden.
Duncan and Jacquie chose a creamy, off-white paint finish for some of the furniture, teamed with quite a dark oak. The two finishes are beautifully tied together by a creamy, brown, heavily veined granite - which they picked out from slabs at the granite yard.
The reduced depth, oak units along the main wall (necessary to make space for the island) contrast with the painted base units either side and this avoids any emphasis on the length of the room.
A four oven Aga with electric hob was situated along one of the shorter walls. Having the Aga in black, rather than cream, adds a crispness to the look.
The wall at the other end includes a housekeeper's cupboard top - to hide away any clutter - and a tall housing unit for a steam oven, a coffee machine and a built-in fridge.
The tall integrated fridge
Not much clutter yet ... but it's early days.
The mantel was fitted to the ceiling and the extra height meant that it made sense to build cupboards into the top, for extra storage
The mantel is lined with stoney coloured Silestone, to maintain the sleek look. There's just a hint of glitter.
At last! Jacquie loved the idea of illuminated tap water too. Both her taps light up ... although bright sunshine doesn't show them at their best.
On the side of the island hidden from view are a couple of useful trays, an electric socket ... and the dishwasher
This is the main working area in the kitchen ... the longest stretch of worktop ... and it has the best views
The smaller of the two windows is the one which is parallel to the island.
The butcher's block is in walnut ... a multitude of different rich timber shades, which both blend and contrast with the stained oak of the cupboard underneath.
Next to the Aga is a cupboard with vertical dividers, as well as one shelf ... ideal for trays, chopping boards and Aga pans
A close up view of the Typhoon Bordeaux granite. In spite of the dramatic veining pattern, the overall look is very refined. The paler granites tend to be less popular ... but can look wonderful. This one came from Impala Stone at Kirk Langley.
It's an unusual layout ... but I think the kitchen really works.