Journal
As our client’s family has grown their needs have changed, and so this Georgian country house kitchen in Dorset has recently been enlarged. An orangery style extension to the kitchen space has been added to accommodate modern family life. It has squared off the existing room, flooding natural light in to the space, and has given enormous atmosphere to this classically Georgian home.
Our long-standing clients have meticulously renovated their house over a number of years. As Guild Anderson’s team had previously designed their laundry and boot rooms, our client now looked to us once again to design their new bespoke hand made kitchen, walk-in-pantry and principle dressing room. A wonderful opportunity to enhance the fabric of this stunning building, with the Georgian period being such an influence on Nick’s designs.
Nick designed several very distinct areas, enhancing a restful atmosphere by designing a clutter-free space. Creating zones within the kitchen allows it to work to its best advantage.
A cooking zone with an AGA, Miele hob and oven, sitting close to the preparation area with Miele Mastercool fridge and pull out larder cabinet. A washing up area with butler’s sink, integrated dishwasher and hidden waste bins. A breakfast cabinet, with space for a toaster, kettle, tea, coffee and bread bin. Finally an illuminated glass fronted cabinet to house glassware, incorporating a pull-out shelf for the preparation of drinks.
To ground this Georgian country house kitchen design, and to create atmosphere and natural texture, an impressive feature European walnut island sits perfectly central in this new square space. Our skilled workshop team hand selected each piece of walnut to ensure that the grain matched perfectly along the front of the drawers. The warmth of its colour gives layers of interest to the infinitely calm colour palette. This calming room is now enhanced through the use of natural materials; the walnut will age, soften and a patination will form over time.
Many of us now accept that creating a calming atmosphere in our homes is beneficial to our health and our overall well-being. Our home is a place where we rest and re-charge, it is our own personal sanctuary, but can often feel more chaotic than calm. Creating a calm space is very personal, and what may seem calm to one person, may be entirely different for the next. However, colour shades found in nature have been proven to have a positive calming affect.
The colour green symbolises nature. When used in interiors it can create calm and harmony, whilst allowing us to feel refreshed. The particular use of beige toned greens are known to be the most stress reducing, while natural light helps support productivity and our mood. Little Greene’s beige toned ‘Portland Stone’ is used in the main kitchen cabinetry, the tone of which works perfectly against the limestone ashlar masonry of the Grade II building itself.
Flashes of Sir Lutyens sage green paint from Little Greene are seen in the interiors of the glass fronted and breakfast cabinets, all tied together with the green soft furnishings, bringing nature right in to the kitchen itself.
The last castle to be built in England, Castle Drogo was designed by the architect Sir Edwin Lutyens. Sir Lutyens wanted the colours of the panelled Drawing Room, from which this is taken, to reflect ‘sky and meadow in a Cuyp picture’, although the original scheme was in fact more muted than it appears today.
Nick’s favourite building is Castle Drogo and Lutyens architecture in general because of the sheer scale and diversity of detail and execution.
The overall ambience of the kitchen is restful, with the cool calm use of a soft paint palette and the textured grain in the walnut island. Grandeur is created through the use of tall cabinets and the long burnished brass handles draw attention to the elegant height of the room.
This is an example of how through our bespoke kitchen design service and a formal understanding of period buildings, Guild Anderson can bring a contemporary functionality and sense of style to a Grade II building while retaining the classical beauty and harmony that these elegant buildings possess.
To view some of our bespoke kitchen and cabinetry commissions please visit our portfolio.
To arrange an appointment please contact Nick Anderson or Kate Lawrence-Parr
Guild Anderson Furniture, 22 Grosvenor Drive, Tisbury, Wiltshire, SP3 6GS
