Situated in a picturesque Grade 2 listed Arts and Crafts cottage next to leafy Hampstead Heath, this sunny kitchen sits within an established extension, a room built around 25 years ago and recently given a cosmetic revamp. The client requested an entirely new layout, a plan that made the most of the kitchen’s natural light while offering more space to cook and store.
Uncommon Projects worked with the client to reimagine the space and create a more practical layout with an emphasis on mixed storage. Key to the transformation: rethinking the area over the sink. Previously a small window with a door out to a shaded courtyard garden that was rarely used, Uncommon suggested removing this exit completely, a small but significant intervention that completely transformed the space. This new configuration allowed UP to extend the kitchen onto the wall where the hob is currently located, leaving the room with a single doorway leading out to the sunnier side of the garden. This kitchen is a great example of the Uncommon approach, working with the client to understand both the idiosyncrasies and the potential of the space first, responding witha bespoke design that works in harmony with its surroundings.
The kitchen is made from ash-veneered birch plywood, keeping the overall mood light, bright and contemporary. Simple open shelves stretch across the back wall over the Bora hob, an ideal spot to display the client’s eclectic ceramics collection. The ash is paired with two subtly different shades of pale green on the laminate doors, connecting the space visually with the garden as well as a growing collection of indoors plants. The mid-century feel of the cabinetry contrasts beautifully with the original terracotta chequerboard floor, while the off-white Caesarstone worktops tone perfectly with walls.
With more formal dining taking place in a designated room next door, a cosy, compact dining table opposite the sink area provides the client with a framed view across the garden, the perfect place for a morning coffee. A characterful home given an injection of energy, Uncommon Project's created a kitchen with daily life front and centre, a feel-good design that makes sense both on paper and in real life.
