I had so much fun with this cottage kitchen refurbishment. My clients for this project were a busy, stylish professional couple living in a picturesque 18th Century cottage in Oxfordshire, England. Before the design work started the kitchen had a country vibe, with multicolour tiles, a bright red cast iron Rayburn cooker, half height tongue and groove panelling around the walls and yellow cabinetry. As cute and quaint as this was, it did not fit the customer’s minimalist style or reflect their personalities at all.

My clients were after something clean looking and current, but didn’t want to lose the character of their period property. Together we sat down and established the look and feel they were after as well as their likes, dislikes and budget.They were happy with the original layout and also wanted to keep the cabinetry if possible (as this was of high quality and was newly installed by the previous owner). Gaining all the relevant information allowed me to go away and put a design concept together for them, consisting of an updated color scheme, material choices, appliances, lighting, furniture options and more.

I was over the moon with the finished kitchen, as were my clients. The white washed hardwood flooring, with the neutral cabinets (upcycled by a local joiner) against the clean white walls and the slim line white quartz worktops creates such a gorgeous space for my clients to cook, eat and entertain in. Introducing ceiling spot lights and replacing the wall hung cabinets with downlit open shelves lead to a more spacious and airy atmosphere. Adding finishing touches, like polished chrome hardware, modern furniture, unique wall lights and styling accessories took this kitchen to another level.

I love how the kitchen now reflects the style of my clients with its pared back, modern feel, but is still very much in keeping with the age and period of the home itself.