Natural and painted walnut kitchen for a contemporary kitchen redesign
We speak to creative director Mark Brook to discuss his McCarron & Co kitchen for clients Paul and Silvana; from zoning the space to Miele appliances
Paul and Silvana were sold on their Victorian terrace in west London from the moment they took in the park view from the upstairs window. In fact, they loved it so much that when their family grew, they decided to re-build rather than move to a bigger abode to accomodate their two young daughters.
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Here’s how they redesigned their kitchen.
The project in a nutshell:
Who lives here? Paul and Silvana and their children
Location: West London
Approximate budget: McCarron & Co Ltd kitchens cost from £35,000
Designer: Mark Brook, Creative Director at McCarron & Co
“It was rare to find a house with such a view and privacy in London,” recalls Paul, “so we drew up plans to increase the house from 1300 to 3000 sq. ft, over four floors, including a basement running the length of house and under the garden, a loft conversion, pod and terrace.”
Keeping just the original façade in place, they were able to re-configure the layout to their lifestyle, with a spacious kitchen diner becoming the hub of the home.
A visit to McCarron & Co’s Knightsbridge showroom revealed a design which would not only fit into the space, but matched their style, too.
“The minute we saw the combination of walnut cabinetry incorporating Wolf, Sub-Zero and Miele appliances, we knew it was exactly what we were looking for,” says Silvana. A zoned layout makes for a practical space for the everyday, as well as for entertaining.
Bespoke in-frame cabinetry from McCarron & Co’s Modena collection creates a blend of traditional and modern design in painted and natural walnut with granite and mirrored splashbacks creating further contrast. The Caesarstone London Grey quartz worktop brings the scene together.
“We love cooking for ourselves and entertaining friends,” Paul says.
He adds: “The divided sections of cooking and refrigeration with a working island in-between, as well as a dining and media area, provides us with everything we need – maximum functionality without having to compromise on design.”
Large appliances create their own contemporary focal points among the ample cabinetry, designed to to cater for all the family.
“We looked at everything we had in our old kitchen and sectioned off where it would all go: from food to crockery, glassware, electrical gadgets and items we don’t use on a regular basis,” explains Silvana.
“The layout and design of the kitchen enables us to store all of those things and more, including the children’s school books, our coats, shoes and bags so they are visible and easily accessible too,” she adds.
The result is a timeless design which caters very personally to the family’s needs and their style, both now and in the future too.
We spoke to designer Mark Brook about the project.
What was the initial brief from the client?
The kitchen had to be multi-functional on many levels, with casual and more formal dining. options. The appliance brief was very carefully considered, with practically every possible option of cooking and cooling – a designer’s dream list!
How would you describe the style of the cabinetry you used?
For an in-frame, traditional style of furniture, our Modena collection has a subtle nod to a more contemporary aesthetic. The sharp angle detail of the framework plays with the light and shadow. By juxtaposing the whole walnut run of cabinetry it elongates the length of the room and anchors the space creating a rich contrast.
How did the space dictate the design?
The entrance position gave a clear indication of the layout from the start. Walking into the house, you get an uninterrupted view right through to the end of the garden, I wanted to keep the cooking zone and sink out of that initial view line.
Can you talk us through the materials you used?
The clients very much wanted a wow factor splashback behind the range cooker, and we continued the resulting Madagascar granite to the TV cabinet to create a real talking point. I wanted the quartz worktop to be a neutral option and the London Grey Caeserstone works perfectly.
