{"id":2371,"date":"2024-09-16T00:32:16","date_gmt":"2024-09-15T16:32:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/homeofmaterials.com\/2024\/09\/16\/kitchen-of-the-week-the-plain-english-power-in-numbers-kitchen\/"},"modified":"2024-09-16T00:32:16","modified_gmt":"2024-09-15T16:32:16","slug":"kitchen-of-the-week-the-plain-english-power-in-numbers-kitchen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/homeofmaterials.com\/fr\/kitchen-of-the-week-the-plain-english-power-in-numbers-kitchen\/","title":{"rendered":"Kitchen of the Week: The Plain English Power in Numbers Kitchen"},"content":{"rendered":"

When it comes to kitchen design, the team at Plain English are proud traditionalists. But they also have an inventive bent. Specializing in what they call \u201crooms defined by the dignity of utility,\u201d they don\u2019t stint on storage or clever detailing. Case in point, this two-toned remodel in a Dorset, England, farmhouse with a newly opened up ceiling and a simple but game-changing flourish: painted numbers on the doors of a bank of cupboards, decorative ventilation holes included.<\/p>\n

Photography courtesy of Plain English.<\/p>\n

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Above: Set in the footprint of the existing kitchen\u2014with the owners\u2019 white Aga left in its original location\u2014the room was transformed by removing not only the flat false ceiling but also a fireplace (which cleared space for a wall of cabinets).<\/p>\n

\u201cThe brief was to create a family kitchen with lots of storage and worktop space without overcrowding the room,\u201d Plain English senior designer Tracey Hyde tells us. Pale clapboard walls and cabinetry (Little Greene\u2019s French Grey Pale) give it an airiness that\u2019s offset by floor-to-ceiling cupboards and a library ladder in blue (Little Greene\u2019s Air Force Blue).<\/p>\n

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Above: How to create a kitchen island that looks as if it\u2019s always been there? By designing a \u201cpreparation table\u201d much like a dining room sideboard with antique Georgian brass knobs and pulls and a worktop of \u201cuntreated pippy oak,\u201d selected to work with the new rustic oak floor, which extends from the kitchen into a living room addition on one end (shown) and dining addition (see below).<\/p>\n

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Above: The cabinetry flanking the Aga has limestone counters that can withstand the heat of the stove. The inset copper sink (from The Copper Store) has Barber Wilsons untreated brass faucets. The dishwasher is to the left of the sink and the overhead sliding door cabinets hold the family\u2019s glasses; more tableware is kept in the \u201ccounter-standing\u201d cabinet on the other end of the counter.<\/p>\n

Another notable detail: As an architectural alternative to cafe curtains, Plain English introduced pierced wood shutters for privacy\u2014the windows overlook a public footpath\u2014while still allowing in natural light.<\/p>\n

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Above: The shutter design is echoed on the cupboards, where the holes provide ventilation for pantry items. What\u2019s behind each door? Number 1 has wood shelves for food and general storage. Numbers 2 and 3 form a \u201cdouble larder\u201d with slate shelving. Number 4 conceals the freezer and number 5 the fridge, and numbers 6 and 7 are for tableware and trays. The ladder hangs on a steel rail and provides access to the upper cupboards which serve as overflow storage.<\/p>\n

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Above: Each cupboard is tailored for use. This double larder has \u201ctwo baskets on wooden slips, two pullout oak trays, and reduced depth shelves on brackets,\u201d says Hyde. \u201cThere are also two electrical points for storing and using small appliances within the cupboard.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Above: The kitchen opens to a new dining area, which like the living room entry is framed by exposed beams. Practicality wasn\u2019t overlooked: Note the electrical outlets installed on the end of the island.<\/p>\n

Here are some more favorite Plain English designs:<\/p>\n