John Lewis of Hungerford
Kitchen & bedroom designer
Rebecca Nokes gives an
insight into the thought
process behind one of her
fabulous kitchen designs.
The Project – A large Victorian semi-detached property in
Wandsworth, with a classic side return and back extension
The client’s initial brief came from her inspiration of the front
of our Fulham showroom. She wanted a really grand space that
also retained an underlying homely feel. The client was keen on a
contemporary feel but it was important to keep some traditional
features that sit well with the Victorian property. Our original
Shaker door suited this space perfectly. The door is simple but still
retains the Shaker detailing, which ties in with the original features
of the house.
The client’s brief made it easy to pin point locations for appliances
quickly. This is the usual driver for the start of any space. The
client had clearly defined some areas that were a ‘must have’. An
American-style fridge freezer was one of these, alongside a range-
style oven. Having these two areas defined allowed me to build the
design simply around them, whilst keeping in mind the practical
side. The client was also really keen to incorporate a built-in bench
on the island. We adapted our cabinetry to incorporate this into the
design. I think this really sets our cabinetry and design away from
typical London spaces.
We used our own cabinetry and ‘Flash Blue Honed’ granite for the
worktops, which was chosen for practical and aesthetic purposes.
Granite is incredibly hardwearing and creates a real statement
within a space. This particular stone has a honed matt finish, which
softens the overall look.
The colourways, symmetry and practical placement of appliances
have all contributed to the success of this space. The cabinetry in
particular shows the flexibility we have within our product.
This was a large building project that lasted over the course of 6
months, we liaised directly with the build team, architects and the
clients to bring this project together.
Rebecca’s Advice
When planning a new kitchen researching the final look of the
space you want to create is always a great way to start. Clients that
bring in some imagery of a certain ‘look’ they like are really helpful
in order for us to meet the brief quickly. It is also a really good idea
to start early on, possibly even beginning with us. Even though
we have a relatively short lead-time of six weeks there are a lot of
decisions that need to be made early on in order for the build team
to complete preparatory works ahead of our installation
John Lewis of Hungerford design, manufacture and install,
exquisite hand-made, painted kitchens, bedrooms and furniture.
www.john-lewis.co.uk
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