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Project Name: Littlewood

Location: Surrey

Date Completed: 14/03/17

Interior Designer: Hill House Interiors

Architect: Octagon Developments

This beautiful country home in Surrey, owned by a high-profile couple and their family, was extended to add a third to the size of the home as well as being completely renovated to represent their current style, lifestyle and tastes. Extreme Design created a kitchen for this client for the first time 10 years ago, when they first built the property. 10 years later, having always seen Extreme Design as a company that offers the freedom and flexibility to explore their vision, they returned to go through the process again.

The principle for the space was to design exquisite furniture that complements the rest of the interior. However, rather than blending into the interior scheme and architecture of the property the kitchen would be a feature exuding the level of sophistication, style and design that reflects the character, success, and achievements of the owners. This was to be a beautiful, luxurious yet very functional environment in which the couple could entertain and cook for the family.

Materials less commonly associated with kitchens were used and whilst bevel mirror and high-gloss veneer are not unusual, the unique combination with textured liquid metal, leather and bronze reflected the extent to which this design was conceived specifically for this couple. The clients owned a shagreen leather dining table which would sit in the open-plan kitchen and dining area so a bespoke metal finish was chosen for the kitchen and is executed in a shagreen texture, subtly tying the two areas together. This metal texture is present throughout the design in various forms, resulting in a cohesive aesthetic.

Octagonal angles were a key part of the architecture of the building and this can be seen with the design of the boxing around the cabinetry. Conversely, the curves on the island offer a softer, more elegant aesthetic and overall form which juxtaposes the linear and angled elements within the rest of the design and surrounding space. Along the walls, a shadow gap frames the cabinetry creating a recessed area for a flexible lighting scheme which gives options to create the right atmosphere and mood for all occasions. Each recess is finished in the metal texture to continue the detail and throws a luxurious shagreen metal appearance which comes to life when the lighting is on.

As with all of their projects Extreme Design looked at the whole space, creating a design scheme that connects all aspects of the living areas. The kitchen furniture leads to a drinks display that then flows to the living area beyond. The drinks display area is a luxurious statement piece in itself, featuring a curved design to complement the island. The bevelled mirror provides an elegant backdrop to the exposed shelves which are finished with a textured metal inlay detail. For entertaining, the large adjoining prep-kitchen (hidden behind the main kitchen) allowed food preparation to be hidden away. The walk in wine room enhances the glamour of the space and the kitchen furniture creates the walkway from the kitchen and dining areas to the wine room. It was important that the wine room door felt like an integral part of the scheme, so the walls were designed with an angle detail. These angles then continue along the overall run on this wall.