Clever design techniques brought heritage charm to this kitchen extension

Throughout the latter half of the 20th century, modernisation was in vogue. This trend saw hundreds of period properties stripped of their original features and filled with insensitive, and now very dated, decor.

Like so many prospective homeowners, this was the scene that greeted Sharon and Jim Hornsby when they stepped inside their 1920s lodge home. ‘Everything was very 1980s. We knew from the start that it was going to be a huge project,’ says Sharon. ‘But, it was the location that really sold it to us; it’s on a private lane, and surrounded by countryside. Everything else we could fix.’

And they did – especially when it came to their kitchen renovation.

Relocating the kitchen

Two kitchen extensions doubled the house’s footprint, with the previous kitchen – at the front of the house – being carved up to create a pantry, utility and home office, and the old living room was extended and stripped of its 1980s carpet and wallpaper to create a spacious kitchen-diner.

Navigating lockdown

February 2020 marked the end of six months of building work, leaving Sharon and Jim with an empty shell – ready to decorate and restore. However, that March brought lockdown.

‘We didn’t have any proper bathrooms or a kitchen,’ says Sharon. ‘Thankfully, we still had the 1980s shower and sink in the downstairs toilet, and I had also already ordered the kitchen cabinets, so they were on the way.’

Lockdown made hiring workmen impossible, so Sharon and Jim set about installing the cabinets themselves, with Jim also taking on the plumbing the kitchen sink and appliances. Lockdown brought financial implications, so the plan had to adapt and they had to work out how to do the kitchen renovation on a budget. ‘We fitted the cheapest quartz worktop we could find, hoping to make the kitchen functional for a few years, while we saved up to turn it into the space of our dreams.’

After four years of patience and saving, Sharon and Jim set to work making that dream a reality. ‘Having that break gave me time to actually live in the space. I realised that some things that I’d originally planned didn’t work,’ says Sharon. ‘The second stage of the renovation let me update my design. It was a real benefit of this way of working.’

One of the most significant changes was to the kitchen island. ‘It was originally three metres long, but it meant we couldn’t use the far wall,’ says Sharon. ‘We decided to remove the end piece and add an open shelf instead.’ Freeing up the wall meant Sharon could create a dedicated coffee station – using the island off-cut as the base and adding shelves and seating.

Returning period character

With the lodge’s original features lost in previous renovations and the addition of copious amount of steels demanded by building regulations, Sharon felt the identity of her 1920s home slipping away. ‘I didn’t want the space to look newly renovated. I wanted it to feel classic with a hint of something new,’ says Sharon, who let this concept guide her design.

‘I really wanted a standout worktop that would shine against the neutral units,’ says Sharon. With its rich veining, Caesarstone’s Mirabel porcelain worktop elevates the cabinets, painted in Little Greene’s Clay Mid from the Decorating Centre, and ties together the room’s colour scheme. Brass details, including the taps, drawer pulls, and rail – like this from Amazon – complete the look.

Dark wood kitchen flooring, chosen for its authentic feel, grounds the space, and is lifted by the light cream cabinetry. The green metal-framed doors – the colour echoed in the pantry interior (for a similar shade, try Lick's Green 18 at B&Q) – add vibrancy, while the fireplace was an eBay find. ‘Due to the age of the house, I didn’t want to put in a Victorian fireplace, but this one is a bit more Art Deco. It’s not authentic, as the house is just a lodge – but it works because it’s of the right era.’

Disguising unsightly steels

However, a major challenge remained: what to do with the exposed steel beam that ran the width of the room? ‘You could land a 747 on our house with the amount of steel that building control insisted on,’ jokes Sharon. Most got incorporated into the ceilings, but some, like those in the kitchen, were too large.

‘Originally, we just painted it with fireproof paint, but it didn’t work. It’s just not that kind of house.’ Instead, Sharon found a company that made pine beam casings – like these from Traditional Beams – and then spent days with a hammer and chisel putting notches into it to make it look more natural. A few layers of paint and wax later, and it looks as though it has been supporting the house for 100 years.

The finished result

Now complete, was the kitchen renovation worth the wait? ‘Undoubtedly, we’re so happy with the kitchen now. It’s such a sociable space, and we often find ourselves just staying in here all evening.’

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