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When the homeowners purchased this Victorian family home, they immediately set about planning the extension that would create a more viable space for an open plan kitchen, dining and living area. Approximately two years later their dream home is now finished. The extension was designed off the original kitchen and has a large roof lantern that sits directly above the main kitchen and soft seating area beyond. French windows open out onto the garden which is perfect for the summer months. This is truly a classic contemporary space that feels so calm and collected when you walk in – the perfect antidote to the hustle and bustle of modern family living.

Carefully zoning the kitchen, dining and living areas was the key to the success of this project and it works perfectly. The classic Lacanche range cooker is housed in a false chimney that is designed to suit the proportion and scale of the room perfectly. The Lacanche oven is the 100cm Cluny model with two large ovens – one static and one dual function static / convection with a classic 5 burner gas hob. Finished in stainless steel with a brass trim, this classic French oven looks completely at home in this Humphrey Munson kitchen.

The main prep area is on the island positioned directly in front of the main cooking run, with a prep sink handily located to the left hand side. There is seating for three at the island with a breakfast bar at the opposite end to the prep sink which is conveniently located near to the banquette dining area. Delineated from the prep area by the natural wooden worktop finished in Portobello oak (the same accent wood used throughout the kitchen), the breakfast bar is a great spot for serving drinks to friends before dinner or for the children to have their meals at breakfast time and after school.

The sink run is on the other side of the L shape in this kitchen and it has open artisan shelves above for storing everyday items like glassware and tableware. Either side of the sink is an integrated Miele dishwasher and a pull out Eurocargo bin to make clearing away dishes really easy. The use of open shelving here really helps the space to feel open and calm and there is a curved countertop cupboard in the corner providing space for storing teas, coffees and biscuits so that everything is to hand when making hot drinks.

The Fisher & Paykel fridge freezer has Nickleby cabinetry surrounding it with space above for storing cookbooks but there is also another under-counter fridge in the island for additional cold food storage. The cook’s pantry provides masses of storage for dry ingredients as well as housing the freestanding microwave which is always a fantastic option when you want to keep integrated appliances to a minimum in order to maximise storage space in the main kitchen.

Hardware throughout this kitchen is antique brass – this is a living finish that weathers with use over time. The glass globe pendant lighting above the island was designed by us and has antique brass hardware too. The flooring is Babington limestone tumbled which has bags of character thanks to the natural fissures within the stone and creates the perfect flooring choice for this classic contemporary kitchen.

Victorian Family Home – Classic Contemporary Open Plan Kitchen