The designer: Jane Stewart at Mowlem & Co (www.mowlemandco.com)

The story: A Chelsea family called in Mowlem & Co to relocate and revive their existing kitchen by the company to a light-filled new extension so they could re-purpose the former space as a teenager’s hangout. The extension also now enables easy access to and enjoyment of the outdoor space, which in turn inspired the materials and colours chosen for the both the refreshed and additional units.

Designer Q&A:

Q) What was your brief from the client?

The property is a four-bed Victorian terrace, envisioned as a modernised family home to keep up with growing and changing lifestyles. The owners loved their existing kitchen and wanted to keep what they could of it. Mowlem & Co were delighted to rise to this challenge of reinventing the whole space. The brief was to follow the light, to re-engage with and get maximum use out of the beautiful garden and not to waste anything.

Q) How did you answer the brief?

We decided to move the kitchen from one room to another. This allowed for a more private room as a teenage snug and a games room since the children had gotten older and needed their privacy. The kitchen itself was reconfigured using absolutely everything we could, since it was only five years old and was as good as new.

Q) Which products did you use and why?

A multi-purpose island is central to the design. Hand-painted tulipwood pale green cabinetry is paired with fresh white quartz worktops. Glass-fronted cupboards offer easily access to items on display while chic gold handles add both glamour and warmth. Every millimetre of space is used with plentiful, customised storage options keeping the kitchen clutter-free. Smart stainless appliances – most of them also re-used from the former kitchen – add a sense of sleek, contemporary functionality to this timeless scheme.

Q) Was there any building or renovation work involved?

Yes, the stairs, walls and doorways were all altered and the flooring was made good. We also had to work on plumbing and electrical services for the new position of the kitchen.

Q) What elements do you think make the scheme so successful?

I think the colour for the hand-painted cabinetry and the materials for the worktops were absolutely perfect, as they softly blended with the garden’s tones.

Q) Any advice for someone who may be planning a new kitchen?
As your life and the way you live it changes, don’t be afraid to take the new path. And don’t be afraid to take the things still of value and use with you – a kitchen definitely fall into that category. With bespoke design you don’t always have to give your old kitchen up and some things are definitely worth keeping.

The details:

Appliances by Fisher & Paykel, Siemens and Westin, www.fisherandpaykel.com, www.siemens-home.bsh-group.com and www.westin.co.uk

Sink by East Coast Kitchens & Bedrooms, www.eastcoastkitchens.co.uk

Tap by Franke, www.franke.com

Flooring by The Natural Wood Floor Company, www.naturalwoodfloor.co.uk

Pendant lamp by Hector Finch, www.hectorfinch.com

Hayley loves: how the storage is carefully planned with a space for everything, no matter how small.