A couple from South Wales had converted their bungalow into a five-bedroom house to accommodate their family needs, however the new open-plan layout downstairs meant they needed a kitchen that would blend seamlessly with the dining and living space. The owners required plenty of storage and a kitchen island was a must to create a sociable hub for their family.
Whilst Stoneham retailer Kitchens by Avantgarde had initially been entrusted to deliver the perfect kitchen, it became a much bigger project, with the Kitchens by Avantgarde team helping the couple to transform other rooms in the property into unique spaces that reflected their bold style choices.
The kitchen
Stoneham’s Knole in-frame range was chosen for the furniture in the kitchen with tall units spanning a wall of over seven metres long. This area was broken up in the centre with workspace and a sink with a black Quooker Flex tap. The worktop in Silestone Calacatta Gold was utilised not just as a worktop but to wrap around overhead cupboards to frame the area and soften the design. The subtleness of the gold and grey highlights in the white worktop contrast beautifully with the oak painted cabinetry in Farrow & Ball Railings, a rich blue shade.
Opposite the main run of units is a large kitchen island which the owners had on their wish list. This is sectioned at one end with an l-shaped breakfast bar in the same white veined Silestone worktop as used for the sink area. The addition of the breakfast bar was important for the family so they could dine together and sit with their two children when doing their homework. The rest of the island has a Dekton Liquid Embers worktop, a dark blue surface featuring sweeping veins. Furthermore, an AEG induction hob was integrated into the worktop to allow the family to utilise this important area for cooking, dining and socialising.
One of the most impressive parts of the kitchen is a bespoke wine storage cabinet. The owners wanted this to be a showpiece in the room, so every detail needed to be captured. The cabinet was crafted with the same furniture and colour as the rest of the kitchen but with glass to show off its features. This included cruciform wine racks and tilted shelving for displaying bottles of fizz. There is also a wine cooler and double glass doors that open to reveal stunning glass shelves and a workspace for drink preparation. The couple also decided to display their decorative mantel clock on the glass shelves illuminated by interior spotlights.
The hidden rooms
The long wall in the kitchen wasn’t just a place for the owners’ cupboards, appliances and sink area. At either end of the units are two cupboard doors that look like part of the kitchen units but are in fact doors that open into hidden rooms. One room is a pantry and the other a playroom.
The hidden pantry provides a huge amount of storage over two walls for the couple to organise many food and household items. In keeping with the kitchen, Stoneham’s Knole range was used in the same blue shade for the cabinetry with exposed oak for the internal drawers and shelves.
For the playroom, practicality was a priority with the need for plenty of storage for the children’s toys. Stoneham’s Aspen range was used for its panelled doors to create an Edwardian feel. No handles were chosen so that the doors appeared like decorative wall panels, however a push-to-touch mechanism was incorporated to reveal floor-to-ceiling box-style shelving so that toys could be neatly stored away. The same rich blue shade was chosen to maintain the consistency and flow from the kitchen.
The bar room
As well as the impressive bar unit in the kitchen, the couple wanted a bigger space for entertaining. One of the new rooms in the property was earmarked for this purpose to create their very own bar. The brief for the bar room was to come up with a design that was unconventional and had the wow factor.
Stoneham’s Cudham range was chosen for the drink’s dresser and u-shaped island, both painted in a rich Heritage Red. The bold shade not only makes a statement but reflects the colour of red wine (perfect for a bar!).
The bespoke dresser was designed to house the couple’s extensive range of glassware and bottled spirits with a TV mounted in the centre. A white Silestone worktop was used for the bar’s counter on the u-shaped island, while a Dekton Laurent worktop, a dark back stone surface with gold veins is used around the sink area and where drinks are mixed and served. Above the bar area is a ceiling bulkhead in Heritage Red that creates a stunning structure to frame the owner’s pendant lights. The addition of integral LED lighting provides extra illumination over the bar area.
The room is also decorated with panelling on two walls to match the same colour as the bar and to provide a juxtaposition to the art deco style wallpaper used throughout the room. There is also a standalone modern pendulum clock and a large Welsh dragon ornament located on the bar which add to the eclectic style of the room.
Read part two of this home renovation project.
This new-build renovation is just one of many home transformation projects we’ve created for our happy customers. You can see our broad range of options and find the inspiration you need to create your dream home in our brochure here.
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