Retro Kitchen Dining Sets
Retro Kitchen Dining Sets
Photographs: Fiona Walker-Arnott
Clean lines and bright accents have created a stylish open plan kitchen.
HOW IT BEGAN
With their third child on the way, Jacqueline Harrison, and her husband Tim Taylor, moved into a detached Edwardian house in Hove, East Sussex. The property needed a complete renovation. It had been empty for 18 months and lived in before that by an elderly lady who had been there for 47 years. One key project was to extend the kitchen and living/dining room and knock them all together to create one large cooking, dining, living area.
Photographs: Fiona Walker-Arnott
ACTION PLAN
- Remove kitchen, dining room and lounge walls and extend the space into the garden
- Install bi-fold doors to open out onto the garden
- Fit streamlined kitchen
- Design open-plan space with concealed storage
Did you have a budget?In our heads there was a number but it rapidly increased when we were told the cost of the build. Once we'd agreed to it we actually did manage to keep to it. We had our kitchen built by a carpenter, which worked out at less than half the price of the kitchen we'd initially liked from a high street retailer.
Tell us about the interiorWe knew exactly what we wanted so after I designed the layout on a piece of A4 paper we discussed it with the carpenter and, taking into account his ideas, we agreed on the final design and look. No planning permission was needed as the extension is in a permitted development as it is only four metres out from the back of the house and single storey.
Photographs: Fiona Walker-Arnott
What were your ideas behind the scheme?Our dream was to create a space where we could all spend time together without being on top of each other. Plenty of kitchen storage was essential and we wanted a streamlined look with few appliances on the surface and units that looked furniture-like so it didn't stand out too much as a kitchen. We went for a neutral, Scandinavian feel and this led us to grey, cream and wood as the main shades to which we added touches of brighter colour.
Were there any particular delays or concerns?The floor took the longest time, as the concrete flooring in the extension needed more than three months to be dry enough for the wood to be laid on top. Our main concern, and that of our builders, was that the space would be too big. There was a point when the room was empty and it felt a bit like a village hall. However once the furniture was in, it felt welcoming.
Photographs: Fiona Walker-Arnott
How long did it take?Around four months. We moved out while the main work was done as we were having the whole house re-wired and re-plumbed. On our return, it wasn't quite finished so we lived on microwave meals and salads for a few weeks, all eaten upstairs!
Are you happy now with the space?We absolutely love it. There's enough room for us all to hang out together without being in each other's way. It all went to plan and we were lucky that the build was straightforward. We had fantastic people working for us and we couldn't be happier.
Photographs: Fiona Walker-Arnott
Final verdictWe've never lived in this open-plan way before, but it's meant that we spend so much more time together. In terms of quality family time, it's transformed our lives hugely for the better.
WHAT IT COST
Units, worktops and sink… £12,000
Appliances… £3,382.72
Tap… £650
Lighting and extractor… £1,570
Flooring (supply and fit)… £7,900
Total… £25,502.72
- Words: Clare Wallace
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Source: https://www.housebeautiful.com/uk/renovate/homes-makeovers/a56/retro-open-plan-kitchen/
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