Sunlight Streams Into an Elegant Green-and-Wood Kitchen
Natural tones and surfaces complement period details in this calm family kitchen and dining area
The owners of this Victorian terraced home in London wanted to maintain access from their living room to their backyard through the kitchen, located in the rear of the house. So interior designer Chantel Elshout suggested some clever tricks to make the room feel lighter and to maximize the space. The result? A beautiful, bright kitchen-dining area that feels wonderfully connected to nature.
After: The solution was to replace the large sash window with two smaller versions. “They bring in a lot more light, and the whole feel of the room has changed,” Elshout says.
The smaller windows allowed for a run of units along the side wall with a banquette seat at the end.
Kitchen cabinets: Davonport; cabinet paint: Sage Green, Little Greene; Shaker 600 single sink: Shaws of Darwen; faucet with hand spray in aged brass: Perrin & Rowe; wall paint: Drop Cloth, Farrow & Ball; Cottage Character oak herringbone flooring: Havwoods
The smaller windows allowed for a run of units along the side wall with a banquette seat at the end.
Kitchen cabinets: Davonport; cabinet paint: Sage Green, Little Greene; Shaker 600 single sink: Shaws of Darwen; faucet with hand spray in aged brass: Perrin & Rowe; wall paint: Drop Cloth, Farrow & Ball; Cottage Character oak herringbone flooring: Havwoods
Drawers beneath the bench seating provide useful extra storage. Elshout also had some seat cushions made from an oatmeal-toned herringbone fabric.
9 Green Paint Colors to Consider for Your Kitchen
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“The banquette seating makes good use of the space, as the dining table can be placed opposite to allow a better flow to the garden,” Elshout says.
Dining chairs: Perch & Parrow
Dining chairs: Perch & Parrow
After: Elshout’s team designed new French doors to match the one that already led from the living room into the side return.
A pendant light made from antique brass and reeded glass ties in with other elements in the kitchen and helps to zone the dining table.
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A pendant light made from antique brass and reeded glass ties in with other elements in the kitchen and helps to zone the dining table.
Shop for kitchen lighting on Houzz
Here’s the door that leads from the living room and the row of calla lilies that brighten up the side return.
The kitchen units wrap around the corner at the back of the room, where they incorporate a large range with a double oven and warming drawer. The wall cabinets are fitted with reeded glass fronts.
The countertops are made from white Macaubas quartzite, which has the look of marble but is more durable.
The owners already had the artwork, so Elshout illuminated it with an antique brass light to match the cabinet handles elsewhere.
Dazzle ivory subway tiles: Blueprint Ceramics
The countertops are made from white Macaubas quartzite, which has the look of marble but is more durable.
The owners already had the artwork, so Elshout illuminated it with an antique brass light to match the cabinet handles elsewhere.
Dazzle ivory subway tiles: Blueprint Ceramics
A pantry cupboard with bifold doors and an oak-veneered interior is positioned in an alcove. Sockets allow small appliances to be plugged in and hidden away when not in use.
“The clients only had a fireplace recess, so we sourced a new limestone surround and some green tulip tiles, and cut down their existing hearth, so it doesn’t protrude into the room as much,” Elshout says.
The large refrigerator-freezer has storage above. Alongside this, a bar area is perfectly placed for easy access from the dining table.
Architectural antique brass shelf brackets: Corston Architectural Detail
Architectural antique brass shelf brackets: Corston Architectural Detail
Shortly after the project began, the pandemic prompted a national lockdown, so the design team had to put the renovation on hold.
“They were so lovely and relaxed about it,” Elshout says. “We did everything we could to move things along afterward and the project was finished six weeks later than scheduled.” The homeowners love their new kitchen and say they appreciate it even more because they had to wait a little longer to get it.
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“They were so lovely and relaxed about it,” Elshout says. “We did everything we could to move things along afterward and the project was finished six weeks later than scheduled.” The homeowners love their new kitchen and say they appreciate it even more because they had to wait a little longer to get it.
More on Houzz
Read more kitchen stories
Browse kitchen photos
Hire a kitchen remodeler
Shop for kitchen products
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with their young daughter
Location: Southwest London
Size: 245 square feet (23 square meters)
Designer: Chantel Elshout of Chantel Elshout Design Consultancy
The garden was the starting point for the color choice in this kitchen. The homeowners knew they wanted a mossy green color for the cabinets to complement the brass and the countertop, but also to reflect the outside. From the kitchen, the windows and doors are framed by the wisteria and garden plants.
“The green also ties in with the front door, which is a similar color,” says Elshout, who combined the natural shade with a warm-toned oak herringbone floor.
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