When it comes to designing a kitchen for a period home, a classic design in neutral colours is sure to create a timeless and elegant space. Introducing a focal point with one stand out design element will add individuality and character and help direct movement.
Rachy Turner, who lives in an Edwardian villa in Chester and shares her renovation story on Instagram @ohmyedwardian, opted for a soft beige colour on Shaker style kitchen units with a white worktop, practical Karndean flooring and a spectacular reproduction wallpaper featuring a saffron yellow floral pattern to highlight an informal dining corner.
Rachy told us: “The second I laid eyes on this antique French wallpaper I knew I had to include it in our kitchen. It was the first thing I picked and I knew it would make a great feature. I designed everything else around it: the kitchen cabinet colour, the brass hardware, the natural oak design floor and the worktops with gold veining.”
Having restructured the rear half of their Edwardian house to form a large open plan kitchen, dining and family snug area with an adjoining boot room come utility and cloakroom, Rachy wanted to create a warm and comfortable feel that complemented their period home. She opted for a Shaker style solid wood kitchen that was hand-built by local craftsmen, finished with polished brass handles and on-trend white quartz worktops.
Having chosen Beau Geste warm neutral beige for the kitchen units, complemented by Snowdrop white on the walls, both by paint specialists Fenwick and Tilbrook, Rachy turned her attention to selecting the perfect flooring. After trialling samples of her favourite designs in her home, taking care to move samples around the room at different times of the day to see how light conditions altered the colour and textured effect, Rachy uploaded a photo of her kitchen to our room visualiser Floorstyle and experimented with laying patterns to find the perfect one.
Rachy said: “We want our friends and family to enjoy coming over here and spending time with us. Our kitchen’s aesthetic is very classic to suit our Edwardian property, but we also have the very latest conveniences such as a boiling water tap and a wine fridge. Choosing Karndean flooring has given us a traditional wood floor aesthetic but with all the practicality of a modern material.
“Croftmore Oak from the Van Gogh range was the perfect warm, natural oak without any orange tones. We loved the slightly rustic, lived in feel of this design and the fact that it was inspired by real planks found in the Scottish Highlands. The plank size is exactly what I was looking for in this larger space. I felt like a very small plank size would look too busy but I still wanted to create the iconic herringbone laying pattern. So the medium plank size was perfect.
“The result is amazing and has transformed our daily lives. The Karndean floor is so durable and simple to keep clean. The kitchen and especially the ‘bootility’ room gets stomped around in with muddy wellies daily but the floor easily withstands the constant mess!”
To follow Rachy’s Edwardian home renovation journey, visit her Instagram channel @ohmyedwardian.
