Kitchen Designer of the Year: project cost £30,000 – £50,000
Kitchen Designer of the Year: project cost £30,000 – £50,000
AND THE WINNER IS…
[vc_row equal_height=”yes”][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]
Al Bruce, designer, Olive & Barr, London
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column]
[vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]
Project cost: £38,700
Cost includes: Installation, appliances
Olive & Barr were tasked with creating the “ultimate open-plan kitchen” that would match the clients’ personality while being practical and usable. The bakers table was used to divide the kitchen and living areas while providing plenty of storage. Stools are arranged to provide views over the countryside. The four-metre island is raised on legs to help show off the parquet floor and add a feeling of space.
A range cooker and butler sink pay homage to the period charm of the property while open shelving and antique brass hardware add decorative touches. Bespoke green wall cabinets provide more storage and the ceiling-high splashback adds a feeling of a traditional cook’s kitchen. The various statement elements in the design come together to create an eclectic mix. The pantry was designed to be seen and uses reeded glass and bespoke shelving. The kitchen uses sustainable timber and was designed with longevity in mind.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column]
[/vc_row]
VIEW THE FINALISTS:
[vc_row equal_height=”yes”][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]
Daniel Allen, designer, Evie Willow, Witney
Project cost: £40,625
Cost includes: VAT, installation, appliances
The client wanted a kitchen that would sit well in their 200-year-old property in the Cotswold but were adamant they did not want a traditional English Cotswold shaker design. To create a welcoming and warm space, the island was designed more as a piece of furniture with fluted walnut to add texture. Tall larder units provided practical storage solutions.
Marble shelves to match the island worktop and splashback provided extra storage options and helped to maintain a tight materials palette in the room. Rejecting the idea of pendant lights, the design opted for DCW fittings that complemented the island’s walnut fluting. The fact that the kitchen is manufactured locally also ticked the boxes for this client’s sustainability requirements. Packaging was kept to a minimum, and the furniture was blanket wrapped and delivered it straight to the client.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column]
[vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]
Francesca Froggatt, designer, deVOL Kitchens, London
Project cost: £44,895
Cost includes: VAT, installation
‘Fun, functional and timelessly beautiful’ was the brief for deVOL for this family kitchen in the clients’ new Hertfordshire home. DeVOL used mainly furniture from its Haberdasher’s range with Shaker base cupboards either side of the Aga stove. This was originally blue but didn’t feel right against the colour of the furniture, so in the end the Aga was re-enamelled to match the green of the shaker units. The bespoke wall cupboards were a focal point and provided functionality too.
Large tambour doors were used to hide dishwashers and bins. The L-shaped breakfast bar allowed everyone to pull up a stool and sit together. Arabescato marble was chosen for worktops and splashbacks that extends almost a metre up the wall behind the cooker. Handles used were a mix of brass and matt black bronze. Lighting was provided with amber glass pendants over the dining table.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column]
[vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]
Georgie Robbins, designer, Brandt Design, Stevenage
Project cost: £32,000
Cost includes: Installation, appliances
The brief from the client was to add some intensity of colour to this period seaside property to reflect the owner’s love of being creative. Brandt chose a parallel design to work alongside a series of freestanding appliances. Bespoke painted in-frame furniture in a deep Farrow and Ball purple made a bold statement. The client’s love of French cuisine is echoed by an eclectic mix of colours, country-style décor and antique hardware. Shaker style doors were chosen as a perfect way to unite the old and new in an older property such as this.
While needing to be sensitive to existing architectural features, a redundant space behind the kitchen wall was used for three custom shelves that provided extra storage space and enough room for a toaster. A large still life balances the overmantel and splashback above the Aga bringing symmetry to the wash zone on the opposite side of the room with its Provincial ceramic sink with Victorian-style Ludlow Bridge taps in antique bronze.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column]
[/vc_row]