28 Apr Kitchens for period homes
If you’re the proud owner of an older home brimming with character, it can be hard to know how to update your kitchen appropriately. You’ll want to be respectful of the age of the property, whilst trying to create an environment more suited to modern living. We’ve got lots of experience designing kitchens for period homes. So we thought we’d share some of our advice, and hopefully give you the confidence to get your renovations underway.
Kitchens for period homes: Choosing your style
Whilst a marriage of contemporary styles and period features can make for really beautiful interiors, some styles just do work better with a period property. More often than not, a more classic, shaker style of kitchen will suit your home better than a high gloss, handleless style.
Choosing a classic style of kitchen however doesn’t mean you have to settle with making purely safe design choices or colours. Period properties tend to have strong features and characteristics such as ornate windows, exposed beams or high ceilings so the room can often take a bold colour choice or feature fixtures and fittings.
We love the pop of colour used on the pantry in this kitchen. The soft cream used elsewhere retains a classic look, doesn’t detract from the absolutely stunning bay windows and then the pantry really pops as a feature piece of furniture.
Exposed beams and how to deal with them
The answer really lies in how much of a feature you want them to be in the room. Do you want them to be the hero feature or more background character? If you have dark beams on your ceiling, they are a very dominant presence in the room and will always draw the eye. If your ceiling is low, the room is naturally dark, or there are other features in the kitchen that you want to make more of, painting them white is a great option. They become a point of interest and retain character but do not dominate a space in the same way.
In this beautiful old farmhouse, the brickwork and wooden beams are integral to the homely and character feel to this property. Therefore it was key to choose a colour scheme that complemented the warm tones in the brick and the wood and celebrate the wonderful features that they are.
Our clients choice of a glass dining table is also the perfect complement in this scheme, it again allows the characterful features to take centre stage rather than fight for attention.
However, In this kitchen, you can see the beams and woodwork have been painted white. This lifts the whole scheme and makes the kitchen feel light and bright and doesn’t detract attention away from the windows, which become the more dominant characterful feature.
Period cottages
The most common challenge with a smaller period property is a lack of light and how to introduce it. However, this again doesn’t have to mean you’re limited to choosing a white colour scheme.
In this petite kitchen, the bold blue colour scheme and exposed beams really work well creating a dramatic and contemporary space in this lovely old cottage. The important feature here and why it all works together so well is the use of light, reflective worktops and splashback, and the opening up of the room into the adjoining spaces. Increasing the natural light and reflecting that light around the room.
Get clever with colour and design
In this converted watermill, the previous unpainted oak shaker kitchen reduced the sense of light and space, despite the large windows and size of the room. By using a cool blue for the new kitchen coupled with a light, flecked granite worktop, the room is really transformed into a room that now feels flooded with natural light.
In addition, by incorporating a window seat into the design, this kitchen now features an idyllic spot for the homeowners to take a moment to enjoy the views out over the water. Think about what features outside your kitchen you’d like to appreciate and that will also dictate your design and colour choices.
If you’re planning a home renovation and looking at types of kitchens for period homes, book a free consultation with us. We can come to your home and together look at the potential in the space and what can be achieved to meet your budget and lifestyle. Book now at info@kitchensbespoke.co.uk or call us on 01342 313133. Do browse our Projects page and follow us on Instagram and Facebook for more inspiration and advice.
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