{"id":2287,"date":"2024-04-04T00:53:58","date_gmt":"2024-04-03T16:53:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/homeofmaterials.com\/2024\/04\/04\/kitchen-of-the-week-a-zesty-combination-of-old-and-new-by-an-aspiring-interior-designer\/"},"modified":"2024-04-04T00:53:58","modified_gmt":"2024-04-03T16:53:58","slug":"kitchen-of-the-week-a-zesty-combination-of-old-and-new-by-an-aspiring-interior-designer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/homeofmaterials.com\/it\/kitchen-of-the-week-a-zesty-combination-of-old-and-new-by-an-aspiring-interior-designer\/","title":{"rendered":"La cucina della settimana: Una stuzzicante combinazione di vecchio e nuovo da parte di un aspirante interior designer"},"content":{"rendered":"

In quest'ultima settimana di agosto, rivisitiamo storie estive dagli archivi, come questa:<\/em><\/p>\n

When creative director Charlotte Simpson and her partner, Gavin, moved into their Victorian terrace in southeast London, the kitchen was \u201cby far the worst part of the house.\u201d The roof was constructed from corrugated plastic, a manhole was positioned in the center of the floor, and the bathroom waste pipe ran directly through the middle of the room. Clearly, something had to be done.<\/p>\n

They lived in the makeshift space for four years whilst saving up for the overhaul it so badly needed. \u201cI\u2019m glad we had four years of living in the house to really think about how we wanted it to be and how best to utilize the space,\u201d Charlotte reflects. \u201cPreviously, we\u2019ve always lived in rentals, so when we bought our first house together, I knew this would be a great time to experiment with different styles and ideas.\u201d<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s take a look around:<\/p>\n


Above: Vibrant, customized British Standard cupboards sit atop tiles from Handmade Terracotta. <\/p>\n

The couple worked with Darren Oldfield Architects to create a space that is \u201cloved, worn, and rustic\u2014only with modern elements.\u201d Adds Charlotte: \u201cWe wanted the room to feel as though it had been there for years.\u201d An admirer of the laid-back restaurant interior at The Pig Hotel, which gives \u201cthis feeling of being in an antique potting shed\u201d, Charlotte assembled an earthy cast of materials including vintage apothecary dressers, handmade terracotta tiles, graffitied Iroko work surfaces, and wonky zellige tiles. These are held in balance by the clean, simple lines of British Standard Cupboards, which have a fresh snap of Citrine by Little Greene.<\/p>\n


Above: The apothecary cabinets\u2014sourced from Splendid Antiques\u2014sit comfortably alongside British Standard\u2019s floor-to-ceiling units, which house integrated Samsung appliances and have been customized with reclaimed hardware. <\/p>\n

\u201cAt first I had in my head that the kitchen units were going to be fully reclaimed,\u201d Charlotte recalls. \u201cBut, in reality, we knew we wouldn\u2019t be living here forever, so we had to look at the budget carefully.\u201d The solution was to invest in two forever pieces that the couple will be able to take with them when they eventually decide to move on. \u201cI found two beautiful Ukrainian apothecary cabinets dating from the 1930s. We had to keep them in storage for over 18 months until we could get them into the house. Our initial instruction to our architect was to design the space around these two pieces.\u201d<\/p>\n


Above: The backsplash is made up of zellige tiles from Mosaic Factory. \u201cThe \u2018Forest\u2019 tile stripe was inspired by images of Victorian butchers,\u201d says Charlotte. The sink and tap are both reclaimed purchases from eBay; the antique cafe lamps are from Vinterior. The addition of a narrow roof light floods the work area with natural light.
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Above: The kitchen worktops and shelf are made from reclaimed Iroko sourced from Retrouvius: \u201cThese were originally school science lab tops, still retaining in places the scrawls from years of use,\u201d says Charlotte. \u201cWe got rid of the chewing gum, though!\u201d The French shop sign is from the Marche Aux Puces de St-Ouen.
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Above: A stained-glass window connects the kitchen to the living room beyond. The brass hooks on the underside of the shelf came from a Victorian train carriage. The walls are Little Greene\u2019s Slaked Lime. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe tried to put as much thought into the smaller details as we have the bigger decisions,\u201d says Charlotte. The stained-glass window is a bespoke design that replicates an antique pattern Charlotte admired. \u201cI thought it would be a great way to re-utilize an old window that had been bricked up sometime in the past,\u201d she says. \u201cIt also helps to bring some much needed light into the back of the lounge.\u201d<\/p>\n

Above: The range cooker is from Smeg; the discrete ceiling extractor is from Luxair Hoods.
\nMelon Eater<\/em> by the artist Jonathan Schofield hangs on the main wall in the light-filled dining extension. The canvas is lit by a brushed brass spotlight by Rose Uniacke. Above the table hangs a Venini chandelier in sherbet shades of glass, sourced from Vinterior. <\/p>\n

\u201cMy interest in interior design has always been there,\u201d Charlotte says. \u201cIt\u2019s been a constant niggle!\u201d The completion of her own home has now prompted a professional pivot. Charlotte has recently enrolled at KLC School of Design and now spends her evenings studying interior design. \u201cIt\u2019s pushing the thought and experimentation process that I find the most creatively fulfilling,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

And for more colorful kitchens, see:<\/p>\n