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Jewel Toned

20 Feb 20

Set in a glorious light-filled building and offering a wonderful multi-purpose space, this kitchen project was carefully planned for form and function. 

Previously a complex puzzle of little rooms between a beautiful Georgian country house and its oak framed barn, Martin Moore designer William Rudgard worked with the client, the architects and the builders to open up and configure a brand new living space - with the kitchen right at its heart.

Hand made in Martin Moore’s Yorkshire workshops, the cabinetry throughout is unfussy and elegant, with minimum detailing.  Perfectly in character with a Georgian house, this classic simplicity also sits happily within contemporary interiors.

The rich purple metro tiles of the kitchen splashback and the lilac painted island take their cue from the glossy, aubergine enamelling of the Aga which the client chose as the very first element of her new kitchen, even before the overall design was actually finalised. Combined with polished chrome knobs and characterful granite worktops with grey green veining, the cooking zone has a classic contemporary feel and is finished with a Cook’s Shelf, keeping everyday essential ingredients close to hand.

Framing the Aga, Martin Moore’s signature chimney piece defines the cooking zone and references the Georgian heritage of the house.  

This is a kitchen designed for large parties and multi-generation family gatherings, and everything is scaled appropriately. The original brief called for two islands of equal size.  By the time the design was finalised, this had become one extremely large multi-function island, with the second acting as an informal room divider providing additional storage, an extra ‘buffet’ or bar area and a social sitting and/or standing space away from the main cooking zone.

The central island features open storage on one side.  Filled with cookery books and pretty kitchenware, it brings a relaxed country house style to the kitchen, echoing the country feel of the beamed ceiling and comfortable open fireplace seating area.

Other ‘must-haves’ were the large state-of-the-art fridge/freezer and the steam oven, which provides a secondary cooking resource.

Dedicated storage and function are the keys to a well-organised kitchen, designed step by step around the client’s lifestyle.  Providing access to the space earmarked for the walk-in pantry posed a spatial challenge, as a hinged door opening in or out of the space would have either blocked off the fridge/freezer or significantly reduced useable space in the pantry.  The solution was a neat pocket door, keeping the floor area clear.  

Because Martin Moore design and build every element of their kitchens to order, their designers are used to working with and around the architecture of any space, using it to its utmost advantage.  Here, the walk-in pantry is fitted out from floor to ceiling; providing both short and long term storage for everything from party platters to cooking ingredients that don’t need to be in the main kitchen.  30mm thick Carrara marble worktops give the space real presence. 

Zoning was crucial in the design of this kitchen; an Appliance Cupboard directly serves the second island, allowing people to make breakfast and hot drinks without getting underfoot in the cooking zone and ensuring an easy flow throughout the room.

A Martin Moore Aged Bourgogne Clair limestone floor runs throughout the whole of the new space, uniting all the different areas with the same warm, honey-coloured backdrop.
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