The Swifts

This modern kitchen with island is nestled in the heart of our clients development, an old chapel with an acre of land, ripe for development, spotted on an early morning bike ride. Four years later, they finally got the planning permission they needed for extending the building to fulfil their land-owning dreams. With both of them established landscape architects, they admitted that the house was a by-product of the land they wanted to develop, and not the other way around. By our standards, we’d say they’ve done a pretty amazing job on both! Now a book writer and food influencer, Claire Swift spends a great deal of time pottering between her kitchen garden and actual kitchen, creating all sorts of plant-based healthiness for adults and children alike.
You can Claire Swifts and Sarah Biagettis book here.

The Swift’s modern kitchen scheme stretches throughout the open-plan extension which connects the main entrance to the kitchen. At base level, multiple cupboards, a three-drawer unit and a pull-out condiment cupboard sit either side of a removeable double base unit fitted with Siemens induction hob above. The rationale for this is to provide the family with the opportunity to install a range cooker at a later date, without having to disrupt the whole kitchen installation. Finally, at its end sits the second of the family’s book storing areas. This is handily located next to a sunny yellow easy chair, which basks in glorious natural light from the huge floor-to-ceiling window that projects out past the kitchens exterior wall of the house.

Centre stage, a modern kitchen island begins with another book-storing location with open shelving at its side. This area occupies its full depth for maximum storage benefit, while opposite, the clean, unadulterated white Corian worktop – interrupted only by the silver tops of two flush-fitted pop-up sockets at either end – falls into a tapered waterfall allowing Claire maximum space to perfect her culinary creations. Kitchen-side, the island boasts two three-drawer base units and a large double cupboard, while bar-side, four white barstools sit in front of the additional accommodation of open shelving. The scheme is completed with a full-height dresser on the opposite wall, comprising multiple cupboards and a handy pegboard, providing a practical answer to the family’s varying shelving and hanging needs.

The colours for this scheme are minimal: black, grey and birch ply with pops of yellow throughout. Walls and ceiling match the white Corian worktops while yellow brick tiles echo the yellow of the cabinets and dining room seating. To finish, large grey mottled tiles cover the expanse of the space, adorned simply with a single black and white rug at the front door.

Kitchen Cabinets   -  Birch Plywood    |    Worktop  -  White Corian Kitchen Doors and Drawers  -  Black, Grey and Yellow Lamiate, Birch Ply    |    Appliances  -  Siemens