A New Build Family House, Surrey

The Vision

The key to it’s success lay in creating furniture that utilised the complex shape of the space, giving each function due emphasis and pulling it all together to create a beautiful dayroom.

Too much furniture would compromise the functionality of the space, too little furniture would make it empty and cold.

The layout consists of 4 blocks of kitchen furniture together, a lounge zone and an informal dining area at the garden end. The sink run houses large sinks for washing up, 2 dishwashers, large bins and some storage. With the coffee machine at the end of the run and a dairy fridge on the end of the island it also serves as the hot drinks bar. The tall central cooking block behind the island houses 2 ovens, steam oven & combination microwave with plenty of storage for cooking pans etc. The tall end block houses the fridge and larders to keep all the food in one place. The fourth block, the island, is for preparation and hob cooking. With sink and induction hob either side of the preparation work surface the cook stands centred in the zone facing the sofa, table and TV so that they never feel left out.

The curved sofa and low coffee table create the family space. By attaching the sofa to the island the length of the kitchen is drawn together. The sofa is large but of a simple coordinating design and hence it fills the space but does not overcomplicate it. This design of island and sofa together, wraps furniture around the bar seating making this a cosy place to sit and chat with the cook. Very often kitchen bars are positioned in corridors and hence feel uninviting. The table is centred under the pitched roof with the TV rising out of the cabinet in the bay window. The height of the seat on the sofa allows the occupant to easily see the TV and not feel hemmed in by the table and chairs.