Gravesend Bespoke Kitchen & Utility

The Design

We recently completed this gorgeous bespoke kitchen and utility project for a client near Gravesend. This project was a lot of fun to work on, as the space is not your typical rectangle, there was room to come up with interesting ways to maximise space and style.

We asked our clients why they wanted a bespoke kitchen, they said:

“Mainly we wanted local and ideally a small business, the bespoke just gave us the freedom to make the most of a narrow space. We have tired to keep a country home feel throughout the house but also with a modern vibe, so when it came to the kitchen we had the same in mind but because we was truly starting with a blank canvas we could add more details, and we love the idea of country modern - most importantly covering what we love to do cook, eat, entertain and drink.”

The design includes a long run of cabinetry, creating an extended L shape housing the double Belfast sink and gorgeous range cooker, with a few wall units at the end of the room. Directly across from the sink, sit four tall units including an American fridge / freezer, a magnificent wine cooler, a double pantry larder hiding away the microwave, as well as some open shelving in front of the original beam, perfect for displaying the clients favourite cook book selection. At the opposite end of the kitchen, you’ll find bespoke banquette seating in a large L shape, wrapping around the kitchen table.

The Details: Colours, Hardware Etc

We love this kitchens colour palette! The units were all painted in a dark, moody green-blue-black colour taken from the Mylands 900 range. We use Mylands paint for all our kitchens, we made a conscious decision to only use water-based low VOC paint, which is very rare in this industry. While it was not the easy option, we felt true to our ethos. We have worked tirelessly to come up with a method that makes using water-based paint both practical for the kitchen and eco-friendly.

In keeping with the kitchen’s classic style, our clients chose to use the Bakes Pull Handles in a variety of sizes to suit each unit best, all in a gorgeous burnished brass finish. These warm toned handles, not only bring a warm glow to the otherwise blue & white cold toned space, but the slight curvature and rounded heads of the handles add a different shape around the rectangular units.

The decision to match the wall paint to the units made for an incredibly striking and stylish space. The dark colour carried on between the top and bottom cabinetry really makes a statement and creates for a cosy but glamourous environment.

We absolutely love this counter top hot drinks station next to the clients’ stunning pro coffee machine! By painting the inside of the cabinetry the same colour as the outside and walls really allows for it to blend in seamlessly, while the reeded glass cabinetry doors add a subtle elegance as well as additional textural interest to the space. Continuing the worktop underneath this unit is a smart move in a drinks area as the quartz is easy for wiping up any spills. This gorgeous polished quartz worktop is a Silestone quartz in the colour ‘Calacatta Gold’.

The Workshop & Making Your Kitchen

The Herringbone Workshop

The double larder features two painted spice racks with brass rails to match the cabinetry handles, as well as a gorgeous array of oak drawers and shelves, housing the clients’ microwave and dry ingredients.

We believe the ingredient to long lasting kitchens is using considered materials that have been well cared for. Every material used in your kitchen cabinet is from companies with strong sustainability records. In that way, we know that our kitchens are not just valued by our customers but are good for the earth and future generations. Our timbers are sourced from well managed, responsible forests where the cycle of clearing and replanting has been continuous for many generations.

Bespoke Banquette Seating

When asked what their favourite part of their new kitchen was, our clients said:

“Has to be the seating, so lovely having breakfast there every morning as a little family (I also bloody love my wine fridge lol). This (The banquette seating) was Dawn idea from the start, she wanted there to be seating in the kitchen actually inspired by a post of Fearne Cottons’ kitchen on Instagram, and with the back drop of our exposed brick work it gives off a really cool modern looking seating area that ties in with the rest of the exposed brick work in the other rooms, the cheeky little buster & punch lamp finishes the space off perfectly.”

More and more of our clients are asking for bespoke benches and banquette seating, and we completely understand why. As well as being a beautiful bespoke addition to a kitchen, they are also incredible for extra storage, and are very comfortable! Whether it’s cupboards near your feet like in this Gravesend kitchen or even a seat lifting storage solution, it is a clever and stylish way of storing things you’re less likely to reach for on a daily basis (or maybe even Christmas decorations?)

The Utility

In the last year, we have seen a huge increase in demand for bespoke utilities along with kitchens. Much like your kitchen, it’s a space you will inevitably spend a lot of time in so it’s just as important that this space functions well for you (the fact that they are beautiful is the cherry on top!) This corner of the property houses a double larder unit, big enough to store cleaning products, ironing boards, hoovers etc, as well as the washer and dryer under a gorgeous slab of quartz, making any laundry liquid really easy to clean up off of. Two painted shelves sit on top which the client has decorated with lovely little wicker baskets as well as their dustpan and brush.