True Blue

This timber and brick cottage, nestled in a rural Warwickshire village, had been extended many times over decades of previous ownership, to a scale that conflicted with its humble beginnings and resulted in a long series of small rooms and a dysfunctional train-carriage style layout.

Professional cook, Anna, and property developer, Piers, set about a complete refurbishment of the home, with the aim of using the large footprint to create more open, welcoming social spaces that retained the character of the original beamed cottage but opened up the small rooms, to create large characterful ones, for sharing, entertaining and hosting their grown-up family. At the heart of the vision the homeowners wanted a kitchen that was filled with light and views of the garden, worked practically for large scale cooking, but most importantly created a hub for the home, drawing in family and friends to witness and share in the creation of meals, events and celebrations. The addition of a 30’ x 15’ contemporary glass box removed the side wall of the room and dealt with the requirement for light and views of the garden, whilst also creating space for a large dining table and relaxed seating area. The old kitchen, dining room and back hallway were amalgamated to create a space large enough for a family-sized kitchen, benefitting from the addition of two roof windows to improve the natural lighting throughout.

The centrepiece of this stunning kitchen was established first. The focal point took the form of a splendid nine foot long, bespoke made, aged oak chef’s table, complete with discrete but strong storage for heavy platters, and an overhanging marble-effect top offering space for eight people to sit, chat, witness and enjoy well-lubricated catch-ups, savoured against the backdrop of the creation of an upcoming meal.

An adjoining large pantry addresses the significant storage needs for the kitchen, allowing the L-shaped run of units to reflect traditional aesthetics, focused around the dominating Lacanche stainless steel range, with Burbidge colour-matched, tongue & groove back panelling and open shelves mounted high and wide for cooks’ ingredients.

A pair of tall and wide, two-doored wall cabinets, complete with cabinet latches, nod to historic kitchens with furniture placed as separate elements. Refrigeration is supplied plentifully and discretely in two full-height integrated Liebherr fridge freezers, complete with internal ice maker, whilst a three-bowl steel sink matches the steel door furniture and is equipped with a classic style Quooker and spray tap.

The colour of this kitchen was the focus of much debate (as is always the case) and the owners ultimately landed on cook Anna’s favourite colour of blue. Then they decided to properly own the colour, coordinating Burbidge’s Prussian Blue with strong blue walls (F&B Drawing Room), navy blue velvet sofa and blue painted kitchen table legs and coffee table (F&B Stiffkey) with pink, orange and teal accents in the soft furnishings. The result is a bold, welcoming and yet practical space, screaming pride in the cottage’s heritage, whilst exhibiting loyalty, faithfulness, and dependability – effortlessly delivering on the authentic meaning of True Blue.