PROJECT IN FOCUS: SHEEN
At Blakes London, we believe the very best bespoke kitchen designs are about more than cooking. They are spaces that facilitate lifestyles and create opportunities to make memories. And in this case, a space created to bring people together, to gather, dance, entertain and enjoy the company of family and friends.
This luxury kitchen renovation transformed a post-war 1920s home in suburban London into an extraordinary open-plan kitchen, dining and living space. The result is a kitchen that feels warm, welcoming and deeply practical yet still impressive and deserving and proportionate to the new architecture that it sits within.
AN Extension Designed Around Entertaining
One of the great joys of this project is the sense of arrival envisaged by architects Richmond Bell Architects.
Descending a series of steps, into a foyer beyond which visitors are greeted by a magnificent pitched roof with exposed barn-style beams that bring warmth, character and grandeur to this vast open plan room. Beyond that lies an impressive garden and entertaining space visible through an expanse of modern glazing.
With this as a backdrop, it was important to ensure that the design for the kitchen didn’t compete with the impressive dining area and view beyond, but instead held it’s own within the scheme as a destination in its own right.
What was developed was an unpretentious, layered kitchen perfectly suited to servicing the needs of everyday family life as well as those of high-day and holiday entertaining.
A Statement Oak Kitchen Island
The centrepiece of the kitchen is undoubtedly the oversized oak island. Measuring almost three metres long and a generous 1.7 metres wide, it is crafted from warm pale oak. What really sets it apart, however, is the broad fluted detailing, which juxtaposes soft, undulating curves with crisp edges to create a look that feels both gentle and distinctly contemporary, at once soft and architectural.
Topping the island is beautifully veined Calacatta Monet Verde marble. Subtle green and grey tones run through the natural stone and are echoed throughout the scheme in the run of tall green cabinetry opposite the island, as well as the pantry and bar doors, creating a cohesive palette across the expansive open-plan space.
But we can’t discuss the island worktop without homing in on one of our favourite details: the quadruple-stacked edge profile. Formed from four offset 20mm layers of natural marble, it introduces a subtle yet luxurious detail that elevates the island beyond the ordinary.
And if that wasn’t enough to make the island sing, the pièce de résistance can be found at its base. A subtle material detail (excuse the pun – we couldn’t resist!), the island sits on an oversized brass plinth that has been intentionally left untreated so it will develop a rich, natural patina over time. By evening, the brass softly reflects the ambient lighting, giving the island a warm glow. Brass detailing continues throughout the project, reappearing in the elegant handrail details on the lower cabinetry and lending a quiet thread of continuity to the design.
ADDING PERSONALITY TO THE Kitchen Design
With generous storage provided in a dedicated walk-in pantry, we were able to keep the main kitchen elevation deliberately understated. To that end, a shallow floating display shelf runs the length of the main worktop, providing space for artwork, ceramics and treasured objects. Removing the bulk of overhead cabinetry lends softness and a sense of flow to the long runs of joinery.
We often incorporate display shelving as a key feature in kitchen design, as it allows the space to evolve over time. Styled seasonally or updated with personal objects, it brings ongoing interest and versatility, extending both the visual longevity and lived-in character of the kitchen.
The shelf continues into a fluted glass display cabinet. This creates a visual connection between the different elevations of the kitchen while echoing details found elsewhere in the space, such as the fluted glass within the pantry doors and on the dresser unit in the dining space.
A Contemporary Green Shaker Kitchen
Against a textured internal brick wall sits a run of tall cabinetry with a slim beaded profile detail that gives is the look and feel of a pared-back shaker style kitchen that is so popular and enduring. As with most Blakes London kitchens, the oversized fridge is hidden behind cabinetry to disguise it’s utility.
Painted in Harley Green by Little Greene, the cabinetry introduces richness and depth while remaining understated.
Yet the true showpiece on this elevation lies beyond.
Step up to the pantry
Dedicated pantry spaces have become one of the most sought-after features in luxury kitchen design. Beyond their practical benefits, they allow the main kitchen to remain beautifully uncluttered while providing exceptional storage for everyday life.
In this kitchen, two poured concrete steps lead up to a stunning walk-in pantry. Hidden behind bespoke double doors painted in RAL 7021, fluted glass panels obscure the view, while elegant ventilation slots at the base of the doors provide airflow and add architectural interest.
To add further interest and a touch of playfulness, the pantry features a monochromatic tiled floor, helping to distinguish it from the main kitchen. Complete with its own sink and worktop space, it also functions as a perfect prep kitchen when entertaining.
An Air Conditioning System Masquerading as a Home Bar and Dresser
A striking double-arched dresser and drinks bar positioned within the dining area pulls the scheme together, connecting the kitchen and dining space. Designed to feel like a beautiful freestanding piece of furniture, the bar features bifold reeded glass doors that conceal both decorative and functional storage.
Illuminated from within, the cabinet transforms after dark, casting a warm ambient glow across the room and creating the atmosphere of an intimate private members’ club.
Its hidden genius is that this hardworking unit was incorporated into the scheme primarily to house the air conditioning system for the kitchen area. Hidden vents in the top of the unit are not visible at eye level, and all the necessary ducting sits behind false panels within the unit.
This detail perfectly encapsulates what we strive to achieve at Blakes London: bespoke joinery that looks like it’s been built to be beautiful while enhancing a space into something entirely practical and more than it would otherwise have been!
Project Team
Architects: Richmond Bell
Contractor: Bygga
Interior Designer: LPE Designs