DESIGNER Robyn Gifford, Roundhouse,
020 7297 6220, roundhousedesign.com.
THE PROPERTY A five-bedroom,
late-Victorian townhouse in south London.
DESIGN BRIEF To improve the layout,
update the decor and generally create an
all-round glorious family kitchen that is as
light-filled and entertainment-friendly
as possible at basement level.
DIMENSIONS 4.7 x3.4m
LAYOUT
The old kitchen was on the same
lower-ground floor but at the front
of the house, facing the street, with
the living space enjoying all the light
and garden access in the existing
extension at the back. Designer
Robyn Gifford persuaded the owners,
Lucy and Tom Woodhouse, to switch
positions, pushing the kitchen
towards the light. ‘The amount of
full-height space is fairly limited so
we had to be clever, but it was worth
it to gain access to the skylights and
bifold doors,’ says Robyn. In addition,
this meant that the space at the front
of the house was freed up to become
a fabulous snug with woodburner,
soft seating and bookshelves.
‘There was a large space under ahalf-landing that the couple had been
using as a reading area for their two
young children – primarily because
it was only 1.8m high,’ recalls Robyn.
‘It was too low for regular kitchen
units, but I knew it would make an
excellent walk-in pantry.’ Installing
sliding Crittall-style doors stops the
main kitchen from feeling too narrow,
while providing a tantalising view
of beautifully arranged storage and
decorative floor tiles within.
CABINETRY
On the one hand, Lucy and Tom
wanted to make a statement – their
aim was ‘soft industrial’ with warmth
and passion. On the other hand, they
don’t like clutter and wanted an
overall streamlined, pared-back feel.
‘So the main kitchen is the sleek side,
where the finishes are minimalist and
everything is shut away, and the
pantry interior has been fitted with
the industrial and vintage surfaces
that the couple like, with all their
appliances and food supplies on
display,’ explains Robyn.APPLIANCES
Though minimalist, this kitchen is
fully-equipped to entertain large
numbers. Alongside two full-size
single ovens, a steam oven and
combination microwave cover all the
cooking bases. The induction hob on
the island is a wide but narrow-depth
model to leave space for a downdraft
extractor. ‘The island isn’t very wide
so we had to be careful to keep the
hob safely away from any children sat
at the bar stools, but the steam oven
takes care of all the vegetables so it’s
really only needed for frying,’ explains
Robyn. ‘The Quooker 3-in-1 boiling
tap is another time-saving feature
that is just so practical,’ she adds.
‘Personally, I’d choose instant boiling
water above a dishwasher if I had to.’SURFACES
The mirrored glass splashback, which
frames the wall unit over the sink for
maximum impact, reflects the garden
into the kitchen, introducing texture
and movement. ‘The glass has also
been subtly antiqued to create more
interest and also blur the reflection- Lucy was keen not to have to watch
herself washing up!’ explains Robyn.
The sink area has a no-nonsense
stainless-steel worktop that brings
an industrial touch, while the island
unit is topped in a man-made ¤