An industrial-style kitchen makeover
Alouisa Nawalkar, a PA, and her husband Suren, the senior vice-president of a credit card company, wanted to rebuild their poorly constructed extension. The goal was to transform it into an open-plan dining area with access to the back garden for their two young sons and labradoodle to enjoy.
Good Homes chats to them about their industrial-style kitchen project, and reveals the impressive before and after shots…
What didn’t you like about your old kitchen?
‘The previous owners hadn’t modernised it since the 1970s. It’s a detached Edwardian property and the kitchen was positioned at the front, along with a utility room and pantry; it had old blue cupboard doors that were hanging off, and ancient lino flooring.’
Tell us about your redesign
‘We wanted to move the kitchen to the back of the house for better garden access and to catch the south-facing sun. To do this, we had the rear reception room – an old, badly built extension – partially demolished by our builders, Cooper Design and Build, and rebuilt within the same footprint. It gave us the space to have an aluminium roof lantern to let in light from above, and a huge Crittall-style window.’
[twenty20 img1=”16014″ img2=”16015″ offset=”0.5″]
How did the scheme come together?
‘I have always liked the industrial look, and was inspired by a holiday we had in a cottage in Dorset with a very similar interior. The old reception room was taken back to brick, with new electrical points and lights fitted, as well as underfloor heating installed. We discovered the beautiful, dark metallic porcelain flooring in Fired Earth, while the builders created a chimney breast for our wood burner.They also fitted reclaimed Victorian brick slip tiles on the back wall to complete the look.’
An aluminium lantern-style roof light matches the rest of the glazing and brings additional light into the centre of the room. Photo: Fraser Marr
How did you choose your kitchen units?
‘We approached a local company in Kingston-upon-Thames with our ideas, and chose a Shaker-style design, painted black with aged-brass handles and quartz worktops. Suren and I decided not to have the classic central island unit, opting instead for a big, antique dining table, large enough to seat family and friends. We love it because it completely fits the industrial style of the kitchen, and suits our way of living.’
Were there any must-haves?
‘A woodburner was on our wish list, as well as a Bertazzoni range cooker with its two large ovens, barbecue plate and six gas hobs. We saved elsewhere though, as my mum gave us six old dining chairs, which we spray-painted with a matt-black paint.’
The exposed brickwork shows off the industrial look of the kitchen, which has a Bertazzoni range cooker with its two large ovens, barbecue plate and six gas hobs. Photo: Fraser Marr
Did you manage to stay in budget?
‘Yes. The only extras we incurred were additional items that we upgraded. The build took 16 weeks, including a side extension to house a new utility room and a boot room.’
What’s your favourite part of the room?
‘Our 18th-century French oak dining table was bought for entertaining family and friends. So far we have seated 12 people around it, but we could squeeze in 16. We all eat together as a family; the children do their homework here and we play games together.’
Alouisa and Suren chose a French oak dining table to take centre stage in the space, complemented by dark metallic porcelain floor tiles from Fired Earth. Photo: Fraser Marr
Project costs
Cabinetry £18,149
Worktops £2,880
Sink & tap £676
Appliances £8,460
Wall & floor tiles £4,567
Lighting £625
Total spend: £34,732
What do you think of this industrial kitchen makeover? Let us know by tweeting us @goodhomesmag, or via Facebook or Instagram. Use the hashtag #ThisGoodHome for your chance to be featured on the Good Homes feed.
