Chartwell Country Kitchen

Chartwell, Kent

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The Brief

When our clients first came to us they were struggling to find a design which adhered to their planning regulations but also fitted their dream kitchen vision and were, by their own admission, at their wit's end and ready to sell their beautiful cottage in order to find another property where they could achieve their perfect kitchen.

In stepped our designer, Sarah who invited our clients to visit our Tunbridge Wells showroom where she listened to their wish list. Unfazed by the challenge, Sarah visited the client’s home to discover a hidden-away room with oodles of untapped potential which was being used as storage for garden items. With Sarah’s vision she was able to show the clients how the space could be opened up to expose the beautiful beams and fireplace and their passion for their dream kitchen design was quickly reignited.

As a talented interior designer, our client had a clear picture of what she wanted for the kitchen, as well as the dining room next door and so we worked in collaboration with her to create a space which flows beautifully and takes in the views of the pretty gardens and fields beyond.

It was important to our client to create a calming haven with clean lines and neutral tones and so, in order to accentuate this further, we built a large pantry with oak interiors and ample shelving for dry goods, as well as spice racks inside each door, which we then mirrored with a breakfast nook including plenty of space for a coffee machine and blender, as well as mugs and tea cups to be hidden away.

We hand painted the main run of cabinetry in Strong White by Farrow & Ball to reflect the natural light streaming in from the cottage windows and, to complement the original timber beams and wooden accents of the cupboard interiors and flooring, we hand painted the kitchen island in Stony Ground, also by Farrow & Ball.

For a final flourish we added elegant Milliner handles by Corston in an antique brass finish to complete the look.

To create a welcoming, sociable feel in the kitchen, we positioned a Bora induction hob and downdraft on the kitchen island opposite the informal seating area for relaxed family suppers and weekend brunches. In addition, we included an oven stack with Siemens ovens next to the fridge/freezer for convenience and a Quooker Fusion tap and a Shaws Bradshaw Smart Divide ceramic sink behind the cooking area for ease when filling saucepans and draining or rinsing.

On the kitchen island we chose a Calacutta Gold quartz with a 60mm waterfall edge to create a sophisticated and timeless elegance.

“When I visited the property I soon realised how the back room would work for the kitchen. By knocking down the existing utility and opening up a blocked original doorway, we were then able to recreate a window from another doorway, allowing us to get a run of units across the sink wall. When looking at the historic plans of the house, it transpired that this layout is where the kitchen would have been originally and so now the new sink is once again sited in its original spot.

In addition, we relocated the utility room which freed up all of the kitchen space, allowing us to fit in a central island, as well as a tall bank of cupboards on the rear wall and plenty of work surface around sink.

It was an absolute pleasure working with Leila & David on their project as they really were struggling with gaining planning permission for an orangery extension. However, with a fresh set of eyes we were able to design a dream kitchen within the original fabric of the building and so seeing the end result is very satisfying and uplifting.” – Sarah Cooper, Senior Designer

As well as the relaxed seating area in the kitchen, our client was eager to have a more formal dining area for entertaining guests and so we decided to take advantage of two handy nooks, in which we built two bespoke pieces of handmade cabinetry.

The first of these was a small bar with open shelving above and a wine cooler, wine rack and cupboard for extra storage beneath the counter. On the opposite side of the elegant dining table, we handcrafted a large dresser with glazed doors, oak interiors and subtle LED lighting which glints beautifully off our client’s exquisite glassware.

To marry the two areas, we hand painted the cabinetry in the same tones as the kitchen, so creating a natural flow between the two spaces.