Pluck

This bright basement kitchen is in a Grade II* listed early Victorian townhouse in central London. Hang on…is that an oxymoron? Bright plus basement…not in this case. The use of colour, materials and natural light sources means this room does indeed feel airy and bright. Patalab Architects negotiated strict planning laws respecting the heritage of this building, whilst modernising the home for family life. The challenge for us was working with the shape of the room to include enough storage without overwhelming the space. The lower cabinets are Atlantic Blue, a dark hue that grounds the design, whilst shallower London Plane wall cupboards sit above on one side. These incorporate fluted glass fronted cupboards, a playful alternative to solid doors. The only tall cupboards are Market Mustard yellow and they are located opposite the window, thus reflecting this bright sunshine hue into the room. The glossy white Silestone quartz worktop and splashback reflect light too, whilst a terrazzo floor runs through the kitchen and dining room to the green courtyard garden uniting these areas together. The architects sum up the impact of this kitchen’s renovation perfectly ‘whilst preparing lunch you now can chat with family members gathered around the dining table and enjoy views onto the green courtyard bathed in sunlight.’ Heaven!
Photographer: Julian Abrams

This is the home of interior and graphic designer Celine Da Silva, who upon the purchase of an Art Deco house in South East London, took on renovating her own home with the intention of creating a location house. Celine cleverly created a more practical and beautiful kitchen without increasing the footprint by tweaking the internal walls. Our design includes a narrow island that suits the space, in Celine’s words you had to ‘shimmy around’ the previous one and the bookshelf on the end viewed from the living room, which softens the transitions between the spaces. The cabinetry is London Plane and Bonnington Green and Celine explains why she opted for this rich hue having played with Pluck samples: ‘I loved how it changed throughout the day. It looked almost black at certain times, which made me feel like I was getting two colours at once.’
Photographer: Chris Snook 

The grandeur and drama of the Georgian architecture in this kitchen is sublime and provides the most beautiful setting for our cabinetry and furniture. Featured in House Beautiful magazine, our lovely client was asked what she had learnt during her renovations and her reply ‘create a kitchen for the way you want to live and don’t compromise – you’ll only regret it’. Sage words! The building is listed so Method Architecture were on hand to guide the project through meticulous planning stages. The soft pink of Ritzy and Brockwell Moss green cabinetry make an impact without dominating and the hues bring a welcoming warmth to the room. Storage was important, so the design has plenty, including drawers and cupboards on both sides of the island as well as a larder for consumables. Open shelves were a must for displaying collected treasures, so we incorporated a set of Spoke shelving and a tall bookcase for cookbooks.
Photographer: Malcolm Menzies

This Victorian terrace in South East London is home to a professional foodie couple and their young children. Architects Stefan Shaw Studio  designed a new side and rear extension for the house to create a light and bright family friendly kitchen. The space feels layered with colour and texture thanks to the bold combination of green Fenix laminate, which has a tactile, soft touch; the worktops are terrazzo from Diespeker and the island is natural cork that has been mixed with recycled rubber. Given their passion for creating delicious food, it is no surprise that this kitchen includes some serious cooking kit – a Bora Professional 3 hob which includes both induction and gas rings with integrated extraction and there are electric and steam Fisher and Paykel ovens.
Photographer: Andrew Youngson