The brief:
The owners of a sixteenth-century house in the village of Henfield wanted their contemporary hi-gloss kitchen replaced with a kitchen style that would complement their historic home. Their existing kitchen was located in an attached barn of the same period, which had a mixture of original exposed beams and new green oak beams, columns and timbers. It was therefore important the kitchen worked well with the abundance of wood, as well as not looking too modern or traditional.
The solution:
The couple appointed Stoneham retailer Metamorphosis Interiors for their kitchen project, who were delighted to work on a space in such a unique property. To ensure the kitchen blended with the environment, it was agreed that Stoneham’s Knole range offered the character to suit the home but with a modern touch. The cupboards were painted in Farrow and Ball’s Off Black shade for the islands, while Peignoir Pink, a greyish pink, was chosen for a run of tall cabinets.
These tall units were created to house a number of integrated appliances, including a Liebherr fridge and freezer, as well as a bespoke pantry cupboard. This cupboard was crafted with internal oak drawers, shelves and a spice rack on the door for the couple to store all manner of food items. Oak posts were installed either side of the units to create a beautiful frame that links with the timber in the room.
The couple purchased a large black AGA range cooker, which needed to be incorporated into the design. This was cleverly positioned in the centre of an island with an impressive, toughened glass splashback behind it that was extended up to a wooden beam. The splashback also created a separation between the AGA and Shaws double sink on the opposite side of the island. Oak accents were also utilised on the island with wooden pull-out trays and a chopping board integrated either side of the AGA.
A second island, adjacent to the other, features a circular breakfast bar with a Caesarstone Black Tempal worktop. This complements the black veining used on the Nilestone Calacatta Black Fusion worktop on both islands, while adding a modern touch to the kitchen. LED strip lighting was also used to highlight the triple layer feature on the curve below the bar top. To top off the breakfast bar, a Kaelo single wine bottle cooler was integrated and placed within reach for the owners to enjoy when dining.
A tall Liebherr wine cooler was installed in the kitchen to store the couple’s extensive wine collection, while a bespoke oak wine unit runs at the same height to its side. Next to this is a stunning split faced black slate feature wall to match the dark tones of the island cabinets and veining on the worktops. It also features on a wall in the living area of the open-plan layout to create a cohesive design.
The classic furniture used, combined with contemporary elements, provides the ideal styling the couple desired for the period style of the property. Along with the oak accents that have been incorporated into the design, the kitchen sits in perfect harmony within the space.
This classic kitchen in a sixteenth-century home is just one of many kitchens 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 kitchen in our design brochures here.
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