Wandsworth resident Elaine Williams couldn’t be happier with her new and improved kitchen from bulthaup by Kitchen Architecture, story by Gabriella Werre The kitchen is the heart of the home. It is a space to revel in, to entertain and to prepare family meals in (which, if you ask me, is the best part.) In Wandsworth, you can find the Williams family doing just that, in their exceptional new kitchen from bulthaup by Kitchen Architecture.
What’s beautiful isn’t always functional, but project manager, Sam Povey, has harmonised the two to generate a unique space for Elaine and her family. ‘The kitchen should be a thing of beauty as well as a major investment in your lifestyle, and how you use the space,’ says Sam.
Previously, Elaine’s kitchen ‘was much smaller and darker’ than the ‘fantastic space’ they have now. ‘We wanted make full use of the dimensions of the extended kitchen space, both the length and height,’ says Elaine. ‘We needed the designers to accommodate the glass balustrade of the staircase down to the basement and also an existing Aga.’
A kitchen is more than a cache for all your old cookbooks; it epitomises the personal style of the family and personalities that cook within it. ‘We wanted simple, clean lines and a neutral colour palette,’ says Elaine. ‘The designers were chosen because they could provide the style and colour palette that we wanted, however the final floor plan was a positive surprise and provided us with a better use of space than we had imagined.’
The layout was achieved ‘through close consultation with the client, her family and her interior designer,’ says Kitchen Architecture’s Sam. ‘There were many different elements to be included such as the Aga, and the original beautiful period features of the home. Elaine wanted a practical, and multi-functional contemporary family kitchen and living space to meet the demands of everyday family life as well as being perfect for informal and formal entertaining,’ says Sam.
‘The bulthuap product is fantastic, she adds. ‘It is understated but it is Kitchen Architecture’s approach to design and the way we use materials that creates a warm and welcoming environment. If the materials are carefully balanced with the home and the belongings of the people who inhabit it, it will never feel cold. In this design we had a mainly white palette which was then offset by aluminium panels and smoked oak. Both the aluminium and smoked oak gave texture and warmth to this kitchen.’
Elaine’s favourite aspect of the kitchen is, ‘the long island which provides great storage.’ Interior lighting was sourced by Genevieve Hurley, who ‘interior designed the eating area, floors, and colour schemes,’ says Elaine but ‘Kitchen Architecture’s open-plan approach to design maximises natural light and, where possible, brings the garden in’, says Sam. In Elaine’s home, the sliding doors successfully pull together the kitchen and the garden, inviting the sun in to amplify the aesthetics.
‘The bulthaup product is stylish and unique but we really feel it was the layout and all it provides, that is truly unique,’ says Elaine. ‘There was no sense of pressure working with Kitchen Architecture as you had a real sense of their wealth of experience and expertise — it’s why we chose them. ‘In fact they made the whole process very enjoyable while ensuring that nothing was overlooked.’
bulthaup By Kitchen Architecture, 145-149 Lower Richmond Rd, Putney, SW15 1EZ; 020 8785 1960; kitchenarchitecture.co.uk
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