The Design Column - August/September 2007

Just because you have an old English house, doesn’t mean you have to have an old English kitchen, nor a trendy minimalist one that will date quickly and feel out of place. There is a modern English alternative exclusively from Simon Bray.

Like many people I have an interest in the property market and it seems to me that the majority of desirable English housing stock is still period buildings, whether that is Georgian, Edwardian, Victorian or older. Planning permission for new build properties is often dependent upon the new residence being built in a period style. The demand for good, period (or period style) family homes therefore usually far outstrips supply, not only pushing up prices but making it increasingly difficult for families to find a property that gives them the space and lifestyle they’re looking for.

And whilst the country’s housing stock may not have altered much over the past hundred years, people’s tastes certainly have. Younger couples who I meet definitely don’t want boring or traditional kitchens. My customers with growing families want to move away from typical period interiors of small rooms defined by specific function, to a more open plan living arrangement where larger spaces can be enjoyed throughout the day. However, in all cases, people are also sensitive to the needs of the property they own and realise that ultra modern will jar with the rest of the building and soon look dated. Their needs point to only one solution that combines traditional qualities with all the practical functionality of modern furniture. A solution they cannot get from any other kitchen designer.

A modern English kitchen.

To me, the way I started defining the modern English kitchen is by understanding the classic elements of a traditional kitchen that people still aspire to; the welcome of an old-fashioned range and breakfast table in a farmhouse, the warmth of an Aga kitchen with heavy panelled doors, the scale of a grand kitchen in a large manor house, and the comfort of a tongue and groove kitchen in a thatched cottage.

I take these aspirations and values and interpret them for contemporary tastes by taking out walls and opening up spaces for modern open plan living, introducing elements of minimalist interiors by replacing the definition of spaces into specific areas through architectural features with definition by curves and furniture, and adding more space and light through glass extensions and conservatories.

By designing and building large pieces of bespoke furniture, I can create a grand sense of scale so that my kitchens feel comfortable even in the largest of spaces. My unique style of connected freestanding also seamlessly integrates these pieces into the rest of kitchen so whatever size of space the kitchen instinctively feels right.

The modern English look is perfected by mixing natural woods which epitomise the sophisticated elegance of luxurious country homes, with high gloss lacquers that are practical and deliver a contemporary finish. Flexible curves create a warm, welcoming atmosphere and also cleverly guide people through the space, helping define distinct zones and unifying the design throughout the room as a whole.

I recently completed a kitchen for a client in a large barn conversion who told me that it looked like it had been in the building forever. I think that sums up exactly what a modern English kitchen should be: a beautifully practical and luxuriously elegant space that feels right at home.