Country House Comeback

Where Quiet Luxury Lives

With Downton Abbey set to hit our screens for the final time later on this year, country house chic is cantering back into favour with a huge resurgence in farmhouse kitchens and timeless classics such as larder cupboards, free-standing dressers, walk-in pantries and sculleries at the top of clients’ wishlists.

And whilst Mrs Patmore and Daisy might have the space for all of these design delights, what exactly is the difference and how can you pick which one is right for you? Come with us through the green baize door whilst we explain!

One of our favourite pieces of advice when thinking about the design for a pantry is to remember that it is a small, yet perfectly-formed extra room, so why not grab the opportunity to add a little extra flair to the space with bold, hand-painted walls, a striking wallpaper or perhaps a patterned tile or dramatic marble. Having said that, it’s important not to get too bound up in the look before you’ve perfected the practicalities, so let’s shelve that … for now!

Talking of shelves, these really are the lynch-pin of pantries and the first objective is to ensure that your jars, bottles and tins are easily accessible. To achieve this we decrease the depth of our shelves the closer to the ceiling we go, meaning that the jar of Fortnum & Mason brandy butter doesn’t languish out of sight for all eternity, but can be plucked off the shelf as soon as Christmas pops into view.

A pantry is also the perfect spot for a functional prep area where you might measure out ingredients without needing to ferry flours and sugars back and forth to the main kitchen area, and also gives room for plugging in smaller appliances and storing cookbooks.

Below the counter, you can opt for open shelving, baskets or pull-out drawers which provide ample space to keep extra rolls of foil and baking parchment, as well as bulkier items such as kitchen roll or your shopping bags.

Your final decision will be how to access your walk-in pantry – will you opt for glazed doors fitted with reeded glass to give a little hint of what lies behind, or would you prefer to disguise your pantry behind a secret, Narnia door and so blend it into the rest of your kitchen design?

And whilst a scullery may be particularly handy for storing bulky cookware and cleaning supplies, the main difference between that and a pantry is in the 2 Ps – prep and plumbing. A scullery requires a large work surface for preparing food, as well as a sink and draining area above an under-counter dishwasher. You may even like to include extra laundry facilities in your scullery, so napkins and tea towels can be swept up and washed with ease.

Another use for a scullery which is particularly handy when entertaining is additional refrigeration to create a so-called beverage station, just like we have in the basement of our Tunbridge Wells showrooms. In this display we have incorporated a run of Gaggenau appliances into our Urban Vibe display, meaning we can chill wine, cool down mixers and store ice ready for our guests’ cocktails.

And when your guests ask for a coffee at the end of the evening? No problem! You can pop on the coffee machine for a late night cappuccino whilst rinsing out glasses in the adjacent sink.