Property

Georgian townhouse

In a Nutshell

A mix of contemporary and Georgian-inspired cabinetry, striking wallpaper and an LED-lit coffered ceiling to create a true ‘showstopper’ of a kitchen.

Welcome to the newest display in our Tunbridge Wells showrooms, and our latest collaboration with Ashton Taylor-Smith.

Our Aim: to create a display that would stimulate conversation. We wanted to be able to incorporate the unique design elements from Ashton’s project at Brasted Place, to create a beautifully proportioned and atmospheric show kitchen which marries architectural heritage with modern kitchen design to create ‘The House of Rencraft’.

When we designed ‘A Kitchen Fit for an Emperor’, a one-off kitchen was created and bespoke cabinetry crafted to suit the architectural legacy and period character of the property. Through working with the Grade 1 Listed features, we were inspired to create a unique and eclectic style which encapsulates everything that Rencraft stands for: expert design and handmade kitchens with distinction and flair.

Our Tunbridge Wells showrooms were designed by Decimus Burton, an esteemed architect of the Georgian era and so what could be more fitting than our 8^th collaboration with Ashton Taylor-Smith to create a breathtaking display fit for our award-winning showrooms.

Handmade luxury kitchen with marble splashback and hand painted cupboards in Tunbridge Wells

Grey blue modern kitchen with Miele oven stack

House of Rencraft kitchen island with seating

Georgian Grandeur

The design had to work sympathetically with the natural features, including large sash windows and high Georgian ceilings. The main run of traditional Georgian style cabinetry, comprising a break-fronted central workstation hiding a concealed chimney breast (for which we selected a beautiful piece of Italian marble, Calacutta Rosata) was book matched to create a distinctive and visual impact. Running over the top we fitted glazed cupboards so we could store and view treasured pieces. This central display was flanked on each side by huge bespoke cupboards, the left housing a grand double door larder / breakfast cupboard and the right integrated fridge and freezer. Top boxes were added for additional storage, and to finish we hand-painted in Muddy Amber by Zoffany for elegant and striking grandeur.

Handmade larder cupboard with marble splashback

Modern kitchen island with Quooker tap and integrated appliances

Blue Ice Island

The Georgian element of the kitchen is contrasted with a central island and coffee nook with a contemporary feel of modern lay-on flat doors which are hand-painted in Zoffany icy blue-grey tones.

The island was designed with a raised plinth to conceal the functional cooking zone from the seating area, where LED strip lighting is utilised to illuminate the hob, prep area and sink. To complete the look, Ashton selected House of Hackney wallpaper depicting berries, flowers and foliage and finished with an original artwork by Stephen Rose.

Project Details

View Kitchen Inspiration

To suit this tall Georgian room, we created the coffered ceiling as an architectural feature. This enabled us to move away from the more obvious choice of a chandelier or pendant lighting and instead we chose a modern alternative in the form of subtle LED lighting which was installed to provide controlled mood lighting with multiple scene settings.

Within the Georgian style cabinetry, we integrated a Miele fridge and freezer next to a Calacutta Rosata Italian marble splashback. Due to the height of the cabinetry, we chose elegantly striking Hendel & Hendel Barrington pulls and knobs, selecting polished nickel for the Georgian style cabinetry and black for the island and coffee nook.

For the ultimate in convenience, we fitted a Fisher & Paykel dishwasher and Liebherr fridge on the kitchen island, alongside a Miele downdraft hob and Quooker Flex and Cube with a Villeroy and Boch white ceramic sink.

Next to the coffee nook we installed Miele ovens and a countertop coffee machine, all in black to complement the handles and provide a contrast to the lighter hues of the cabinetry.

Kitchen island with Miele hob and downdraft extractor

A Word from John

“After many collaborations with Ashton, this is our first at one of our showrooms, and we couldn’t be more excited to share it with you. The experience has been, a total pleasure and privilege. One of my favourite features are the glazed cupboards where we chose to use reeded glass horizontally, rather than the more typical choice of vertical, so that we were able to disguise the presence of shelving, so giving the impression that, from some angles, the contents are floating. The inside of the cupboards are hand-painted using the same aqua-blue as the island, rather like one would ask a tailor to add a bright silk lining to a jacket or blazer, and so bringing a little of Ashton’s sartorial style and Savile Row chic to the kitchen.

We’ve designed and created a truly unique showstopper, and that’s the point: it stimulates the senses and some people love all of it, others only part; it’s a conversation piece but I guarantee everyone who sees it will take something away. All of the details, obvious and subtle, come together in a way that will put a smile on anyone’s face.” John Stephens, MD