1. Realsolutions
140 October 2008 Real Homes
THEOWNERS
JenniferAngless,whoworksas
anestateagent,andherhusband
Michael,abusinessman
THEPROPERTY
Atwo-bedroom,16th-century
Cotswoldstonehouse
THELOCATION
Witney,Oxfordshire
WHATTHEYSPENT
Creatingthekitchencost
£34,832
factfile
whitE kitchenJenniferandMichaelAnglesshavecombinedstoneworkwithgloss
unitstocreateastrikingspacethat’sasleekcontrasttotheirperiodhome
Transformed!
after
Thispageand
oppositeOpening
uptheatticareahas
createdastunning,
cathedral-likespace
withlightfloodingin
throughtheskylights.
Theoversized
pendantlightinthe
middleoftheroom
actuallydoublesup
asahigh-techcooker
hood.Themustard-
yellowbarstoolsand
diningchairsfrom
HerbertDirectlend
astrikingaccent
colourtothewhole
room,whileJennifer’s
much-lovedRayburn
cookerretainspride
ofplaceinthehearth
THEPROBLEM
ThekitcheninJenniferandMichael
Angless’scharming16th-century
Cotswoldstonehousewasdated,
gloomyandcold.Thecoupletriedtheir
besttoignorealeakinthepitchedslate
roofthathadbeengraduallydripping
intoanenclosedatticareaabovethe
kitchenforacoupleofyears.However,
whenrainwaterfinallystartedcoming
intotheirclutteredkitchen,theyrealised
drasticactionwasneeded.
THESOLUTION
Re-roofthekitchentomakeitwatertight
andremovetheceiling,openingupthe
atticareatogivethekitchenmoreheight
andspace.Installskylightstoletlight
floodinandcreateadoorleadinginto
theprettywalledgarden.Fitglossunits
andalargekitchenislandtoenhance
thespacewhilebeingsympathetic
totheperiodcharacteroftheroom.
HOWITWASDONE
‘MichaelandIhadbeentoyingwiththe
ideaofrevampingourtiredkitchenfor
agesandwhenrainwaterstartedcoming
inthroughtheroof,weknewwehadto
getstarted!Ihadbeenlookingatkitchen
showroomsandmagazinesforideas
butfounditextremelyfrustratingas
nothingappealedtome.Thetraditional
stylesdidn’tinspiremeatalland
nothingelsestruckachord.
‘Aftermentioningmyproblemto
afriend,herecommendedIcontact
Eastbourne-basedinteriordesigner
MartinSwatton.WhenMartincametovisit
ustodiscussideashewasreallyfriendly
andenthusiasticandweinstantlyclicked
withhim.Hecompletelyunderstoodour
desiretocreateasuccessfulblendof
good-qualitymoderndesignwithina
periodbuilding,particularlyretainingthe
flagstonefloorandprettyGothic-style
windows.Alittlewhilelater,hesent
before
TOPTIP
A ceiling-
mounted cooker
hood is great over an
island unit where
a bulkier design
would be too
obtrusive

2. Realsolutions
Find shop contact details on page 184142 October 2008 Real Homes
‘Itwasawonderfulopportunitytodosomething
verydifferentandwethinkthecontemporarykitchen
worksextremelywellwithinourfinestonebuilding’
total£34,832
UNITS&FITTINGS £23,355
APPLIANCES £9,096
FURNITURE £2,190
WALLS £191
Units&fittings:unitsanddoors,
£9,167;Caesarstoneworktops,
£8,650;sinkandmixertap,£845;
ElicaGracependantcookerhood
andfilter,£1,279,allAndreLeGros.
Conservationrooflights,£2,213,The
RooflightCompany.Radiator,
£1,200.85,RadiatorCentre
Appliances:Neffwasher-dryer,
dishwasher,fridge-freezer,hob
andcookerwithbuilt-inmicrowave
andwarmingtray,total£4,536,all
AndreLeGros.Hitachi42inTVand
Bosesoundsystem,total£4,560,
Overture
Furniture:Diningtable,£580;
diningchairs,£170each(total,£680);
barstools,£310each(total,£930),
allHerbertDirect
Walls:OffWhiteemulsion,£38.20for
5L(total,£191),Farrow&Ball
costs throughsomecomputer-generated
imagesshowinghisdesignideasforthe
room.MichaelandIweredelightedwith
thesuggestions–theywerestunning.It
wasawonderfulopportunitytodo
somethingverydifferentandwecouldn’t
waitforourroomtobetransformed.
‘Thesuggestionofremovingtheoldattic
togivetheroomextraheightwasagreat
plan,particularlysinceitwasanunusable
spacefullofcobwebsandmice.Healso
suggestedremovingtheplasteratone
end,revealingtheoriginalstonetovisually
separatethesocialdiningspacefromthe
workingkitchen.Re-roofingtheareawas
amajorprojectinitself.Weonlymanaged
tosalvageabout60%oftheoriginal
Stonesfieldslaterooftilesand,asthe
houseisGrade-IIlisted,wehadtodoan
extensivesearchtofindreplacements.
‘Whiletheroofwasoffduringthe
summerof2007,westOxfordshirewas
oneoftheareashitbydreadfulflooding.
Torrentialrainpoureddownintothe
kitchenandtheprojectwasputonhold
forseveralweeks,buteventuallyitwas
completedandwecouldgetonwith
kittingoutthespace.Whenitcameto
choosingproductsforourstylishnew
kitchen,wewereverymuchledbythe
designer,whoseknowledgewasreally
helpful.TheRayburncookerwastheonly
itemIreallywantedtokeep.Ilovecooking
onitandit’sattheheartofthehouseand
keepsitreallywarm.Weaddedinanew
Neffovenwithabuilt-inmicrowaveand
handywarmingtray,plusadishwasher
andwasher-dryer.Theislandhasbeena
hugesuccessandeveryonecomments
onthebeautifulsparkleoftheCaesarstone
worktops.Ididn’tthinkitwouldbefeasible
toputanislandonourflagstonefloorbut
ourbuildersdidanamazingjob.They
evenwax-polishedthefloorafterwardsto
revealthenaturalhoney-colouredstone.
‘Weabsolutelyloveournewspace.
MichaelandIarecustodiansofthislovely
Cotswoldhouseandthissleekkitchen
notonlyworksextremelywellwithinafine
stonebuilding,italsolookswonderfuland
hasgonealongwaytowardstransforming
ourhouseintoacomfortablehome.’
AboveIntherelaxed
diningarea,the
couplehavemade
useoftheroom’s
originalfeaturesby
creatingawindow
seatand fixinganold
crumblingfireplace
touseasstoragefor
thetelevisionand
Bosesoundsystem
wordsjanetmcmeekinPhotographscarlpendle
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