One with nature: inside the classic family kitchen inspired by the natural world
Inspired by the lush greenery that surrounds their home, the Pavry family have created a calm and classic family kitchen
While renovating their five-bedroom Victorian villa in leafy South London, Dorcas and Justin Pavry strove to create a warm, friendly family kitchen that included as much useful storage as possible. After moving in, the couple – who have three children – spent a year living in the space before making any changes.
‘We wanted to work out how we used the different areas and where the natural light fell before making any improvements,’ says Dorcas. The property, which backs onto one of London’s most established parks, had remained untouched since the 1970s, so there was ample opportunity to refurbish.
‘The old kitchen had mustard Formica units and a hatch through to the dining room,’ explains Dorcas. ‘We extended into the loft and to the back of the house, incorporating the footprint of the old conservatory into the new kitchen space. We also added two side extensions, creating a kind of apse design around the central building, which now houses a laundry room, cloakroom and boot room.’
Having used Roundhouse for the kitchen in their previous home, the couple had their eye on the company’s Classic range for this new space. ‘Jane Powell, the kitchen designer at Roundhouse, had lots of great ideas,’ says Dorcas.
The new kitchen, which has an adjoining pantry room that’s accessed through a discreet walkway, features a mixture of green painted cabinets and veneered cabinets in Rough Sawn Oak. A Classic quartz Olympia composite stone worktop adds freshness to the design, as do the brass handles, knobs and lighting.
While the main focal point of the kitchen is the island – which features a hob and barstools ideal for socialising – a Fulham larder with breakfast zone and plenty of storage helps to add wow factor. The modern floor-to-ceiling glass box extension also helps to bring the outside in and provides the ideal space for the family dining table, as Dorcas confirms.
‘We’re delighted with our new kitchen space, which makes the most of the uninterrupted views
of the garden, sky and park beyond, all year round.’
Project profile:
Q&A with Jane Powell, design consultant, Roundhouse
How did you decide on the design and layout? I started with the main focus of the central island, where Dorcas wanted to include the induction hob. Dorcas liked our Classic range and also wanted a Fulham larder – its position allows the doors to be opened and not get in the way of any other cabinets when in use. Each section now works independently with the island as the cook zone, the sink area for prep and washing up, and the larder – with a work surface inside – for the breakfast zone and dry goods area.
How did you decide on the colours and finishes? The green was a perfect way to add warmth, while the oak features are a great pop against the paint. Dorcas was using oak elsewhere in the house, including on the floor, and although she opted for porcelain tiles for the kitchen flooring, we used the Rough Sawn oak on the island back panel and oak interior of the cabinets to link the rooms. The handles and knobs in burnished brass add a touch of luxury.
How did you choose the units for the pantry kitchen? In order to define the separate spaces of the main kitchen and pantry kitchen, we chose different cabinet doors. The Rough Sawn oak in the pantry kitchen cabinetry balances with the main kitchen island’s back panel so the spaces flow from one room to another.
What is your top kitchen design tip? Bright sunlight in a large kitchen with white cabinets can often feel washed out with little personality, so be bold with colour.
Photos by Darren Chung
