The designer: James Bodsworth at Daval Furniture

The story: Award-winning designer and manufacturer of British-made fitted furniture, Daval is based in Huddersfield, Yorkshire and delivers made-to-measure, made-to-order kitchens and bedrooms to independent retailers nationwide.

The Design Director, James Bodsworth, works in the family business alongside his brothers Simon, Managing Director, and Paul, Operations Director.  James was delighted to create a bespoke design for a newly renovated family home in West Yorkshire.

Designer Q&A:

Q) What was your brief from the client?

The brief for this project was to create a sleek kitchen that complements the large open-plan living space and clients’ love of modern art and abstract design pieces.

Q) How did you answer the brief?

As the client wanted to make a statement with a split-level kitchen living space in their forever home, we knew that the raw, contemporary nature of our Mayfair Bronze furniture would create the perfect foundation for elevated levels of interior design and finishing.

Contemporary by design, the main living area is designed as one large room, which is then split over two levels to create an independent kitchen and living space that remains open and benefits from excellent airflow and added light.

Q) Which products did you use and why?

We selected our Mayfair Bronze design, which is characterised by its sophisticated mineral-effect finish, adding a textured effect and a layer of luxury to the super-sized island and back run of cabinets.

As the homeowner wanted plenty of storage space without lots of wall cupboards, the design cleverly combines extra-tall storage and top units, which are made to measure to fit seamlessly under the awkwardly placed sloping roof.

Q) Tell us more about the island

The oversized island discreetly houses two dishwashers, which can be used on rotation as and when required. To not sacrifice valuable storage space, we designed the unit with four extra deep drawers on the opposite side to create new areas to store essential kitchen and cookware.

The island is topped with the client’s own choice of worksurface. However, we chose to fully illuminate the space under the countertop with bead lighting to create a floating effect. For the ultimate cook station, we also specified designer plug sockets by Bora into the island to create extra power outlets with industrial-style fixtures and fittings to perfectly match the raw nature of our Mayfair Bronze furniture.

Q) And the sink and hob?

To extend the main worksurfaces, the island accommodates space for a modestly sized wet zone complete with a Matrix R15 one and a half bowl stainless steel sink by Abode, along with a Chrome Fusion Round boiling water tap by Quooker.

The cook zone benefits from a Bora concealed extractor with flush-mounted cooktop, and either side sit two fully integrated ovens by Fisher & Paykel in modern black glass. To finish, integrated lighting illuminates the cooking area, all supported by a thoughtful arrangement of base units, drawers and top units for even more storage capacity.

Q) What interior fittings did you use?

Delivering on both style and substance, this modern kitchen provides a series of high-organisation storage solutions including the latest must-have item on everyone’s wish list – the day pantry. Contributing to daily family life, this full-height pantry features a sequence of shelves including one large middle shelf to house small appliances such as the microwave and food processor.

The perfect food management system too, the top shelves are for store cupboard essentials while beneath, sit two Blum Legrabox pull-out drawers with high load bearing capacity, making them perfect for storing heavier items such as bottles or tins.

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

The dark palette of the Mayfair Bronze creates a real statement kitchen and its textured appearance is brought to life beautifully by the light streaming through the kitchen roof lights.

The imposing design complements the open-plan living space and our client’s collection of modern and abstract design pieces including a bespoke ceiling pendant light and locally commissioned modern dining table.

In my opinion, the use of Mayfair Bronze in this modern kitchen has created a striking and standout space that is both sleek and cool yet warm and homely in equal measure.

Q) Any advice for someone who may be planning a new kitchen?

Take inspiration from your own personal style and the latest trends being highlighted online, in print and across our TV screens.

Let yourself be guided by a retail specialist, as they are experts at creating a signature style for their customers by offering a more custom design service from start to finish.

Make sure that you also consider the practical aspects such as ample power points and plumbing at an early stage of your planning, to ensure that any integrated appliances can be fitted in comfortably and can be maintained with minimum fuss. You will also want to make sure you have adequate ventilation to take care of any lingering cooking fumes and unwanted vapours.

Q) Any trend predictions for 2024?

This year will see a complete transformation in how we use our space downstairs, as new areas of interest are being introduced to add value and a greater sense of luxury in the home.

For instance, a second kitchen or walk-in pantry will become a new favourite in modest-to-large sized properties to become a worthy addition to the family cooking space by expanding the main kitchen and bringing an extra layer of privacy if open to the living room or entertaining.

The details:

Bespoke Mayfair Bronze Furniture by Daval Furniture

Appliances by Bora and Fisher & Paykel

Sink and tap by Abode and Quooker

Interior fittings by Blum

Hayley loves: the textural finish of the island and cabinetry, which brings an extra element to the whole look and feel of the space.