November 8, 2021

While the original kitchen in this Victorian home was colorful – the cabinets were fire engine red – storage was inadequate, and the space was confining. To fulfill the clients’ goals of having an open, eat-in kitchen as well as copious storage, Steven Andrews of Steven Andrews Bespoke in Oxfordshire, UK removed a wall that bisected the modestly sized room, creating a blank spatial canvas to rework the floor plan.

Cohesive, Compact Plan

Building a bench into the bay window allowed the island to be wider, which expanded the amount of usable counterspace. Shelving along the base of the five-sided island, which now centers – not separates – the space, increases storage capacity.

“To ensure the dining area wouldn’t be too cramped, we tapered one end of the island,” said Andrews. “The angled shape left more room for a dining space that we nestled neatly into the bay window. It also facilitated breakfast bar seating.”

The slab-door cabinets, a mix of base units and floor-to-ceiling pantries fitted with pullout shelves, are custom fabricated of durable, oak-veneered birch plywood.

Connection to Nature

It was important to the homeowners to create a stronger link to their garden in the back of the house. The design achieves this by increasing the glazed areas on the rear wall. The central casement window in the bay opens wide to give the sense of being outside when seated at the table. The color and material palettes are informed by the shades and textures of nature.

Visual Dynamics

“The client was keen on keeping some nods to the original home,” said interior designer Sam Patience of Patience Designs, who collaborated with Andrews on the project.

Traditional patterned floor tile in the galley acknowledges the architectural history of the house, while painting the exposed structural beam a vivid orange is a compelling contemporary contrast.