This is a serious period home, so a standard kitchen would have looked lost here. The owners wanted a room that commanded respect and matched the scale of the building, but they were worried about it feeling like a museum exhibit. It had to feel like a home, not a showroom.
Every great kitchen needs an anchor. We installed an Aga and built a stage for it. The bespoke overmantle stands nearly three metres wide, a piece of architectural joinery in its own right. Behind it, we used an antique mirror backsplash to bounce the garden views back into the room, stopping the heavy furniture from feeling imposing.
We chose Van Cronenburg hardware – Belgian architectural “jewellery” that feels substantial in the hand. On the island, an Apothecary-style drawer unit breaks up the lines, whilst brass mesh in the pantry doors adds a metallic glint. These layers stop a grand room from feeling cold.
If the main kitchen is for living, the utility is for working. For this project we installed a second hob, extra extraction and a spare oven. This is where the “overflow cooking” happens – searing steaks or prepping for parties – so the main room stays pristine.
This project is full of big statements, grand mantles, brass and mirrors, but it never shouts. It’s a space that invites you to pull up a chair and stay a while.
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