Guildford is an open-plan kitchen and utility room project featuring a pink drinks bar and Carrara marble worktops.
Working with an older building near an old mill, there were lots of low ceiling, wonky walls, and deep window reveals to consider. The space was for a family, therefore during the design process we collaborated with the client to ensure that it was a fun and welcoming space for all.
Due to their being a limited amount of wall space, there were no wall units in this project. To increase the space and provide as much storage as possible, the tall units for the fridge, pantry, and oven stack were maximised. Everything else was low, except for the lovely feature bar, adding to the sociability of the space.
To add interest and to allow the client to add their personal design touches, marble shelves were added in the kitchen to create feature areas. Playing with the choice of stone, a soft monochrome Carrara marble worktop was specified to compliment the darker cabinets painted in Farrow & Balls ‘Railings’
The marble is the true feature- making it chunky at 50ml. This was dropped this either side of island, creating a waterfall effect, to enclose the central element and make it a real statement piece. Also, the fascia of the sink unit was dropped to imitate a Belfast sink in a more contemporary way to compliment the client’s style and to contrast against the architecture of the building.
The bar was a very important feature within this project, designed to be easily accessible from the dining area to entertain guests. Highlighting the cabinetry in a feature colour, the bar was painted in Farrow & Ball’s Nancy Blushes, allowing it to stand out and be a ‘wow’ factor. The same Carrara marble was used inside the bar as a worktop to make drinks, adding continuity across the space. To exaggerate this, an antique mirror was installed at the back to enhance the space and to make it look less solid when opening it up. To top it off, pink neon was added (just to remind everyone that it is a bar!)
