The designer: Paul Everest at Langstaff-Ellis

The photographer: Lucy Butler-Walters

The story: The best-kept secret in luxury interiors. Langstaff-Ellis is a high-end, tech-forward designer and manufacturer of beautiful bespoke furniture for the kitchen and beyond, working with architects, interior designers and directly with prestige homeowners in London and the Thames Valley.

Designer Q&A:

Q) What was your brief from the client?

An extraordinary property with original Art Deco styling, this hillside villa in Oxfordshire recently underwent extensive renovation and modernisation to create a sophisticated family home. The brief was to create a generous kitchen that was minimalist, modern and functional but wholly sympathetic to the property’s period and great for entertaining. A vastly extended footprint, plenty of natural light and far-reaching hillside views gave us plenty of scope for something dramatic.

Q) How did you answer the brief?

The design was a real collaboration between us and the owner. In order to avoid a period pastiche, we took classic Art Deco cues such as monochrome black and white and contemporised them with an industrial brushed steel worktop and splashback. Matte black floor-to-ceiling cabinetry maximises storage while also creating a dramatic backdrop that looks completely at home in a room of this scale while brushed brass Buster + Punch handles are used sparingly to add a touch of warmth and glamour.

Q) Which products did you use and why?

A high-end kitchen demands the very best appliances. We were pleased to specify Gaggenau appliances for this commission together with a Bora cooktop and Quooker hot water tap.

Q) Was there any building or renovation work involved?

Yes, this was a significant extension that allowed us to place the ducting for the Bora cooktop directly into the floor before it was completed.

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

The striking contrast is very dramatic but the most exciting aspect is the stainless steel island, which changes appearance from every angle, reflecting dark cabinetry from the front, lush green gardens from the back, and whichever mood lighting has been selected from above. Far from being clinical, the subtle brushed finish softens reflections and gently diffuses light for a sophisticated feel. An overhead ceiling beam adds a pleasing overall asymmetry.

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

If your kitchen will be part of an extension, it’s worth considering which appliances you’ll need in advance. Ducting for the Bora cooktop could be hidden in the floor for this commission, meaning no recirculation was needed – and therefore no compromise on the final finish.

The details:

AVENTOS lift system in cabinets by Blum

Handles by Buster + Punch

Tap by Quooker

Appliances by Gaggenau and Bora

Hayley loves: the sleek simplicity of this black and white design, which lets the architecture of the property shine through