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“The owners had met Barry Wade of Wade Furniture at an interiors show. The couple soon realised they had found the man who could realise their vision.”
Built in 1910 in Hampstead Garden Suburb, this home is an impressive product of the Arts and Crafts movement, of which Edwin Lutyens was one of the most influential proponents. The owners already knew the location’s background, having lived in the area for more than 20 years, so when the property came up for sale, in a state of disrepair in 2001, they jumped at the chance to buy a piece of local history Irene explains: “It was crying out for sympathetic restoration, so we took the house on as a major renovation project.”
As the building is Grade Il-listed, obtaining permission to carry out the renovations necessary to reinstate the house to its glory, was time-consuming. So much so, the family had to move into rented accommodation and when they did finally take up residence, the house was far from completed, including the kitchen. Irene admits: “I had a sink, a cooker and a shelf. I thought I’d go crazy, but we didn’t want to rush things.”
The kitchen now integrates with the rest of the house with cabinetry designed to resemble furniture rather than units. Tall, elegant dressers have been customised with legs; a last-minute request for a homely feel in-keeping with that found in a reception or drawing room.
The central island blends in with the traditional wooden wail units when viewed from other rooms. However, step inside the kitchen and you discover the opposite side of the unit houses an ultra-modern microwave and plate-warming drawer, which are vital extras for those who enjoy cooking. The couple requested cream-painted walls and units and have had a retro-style Mercury range cooker installed.
“There are so many individual quirks that make the kitchen really feel like it’s ours,” says Irene. “People were always sitting on the radiator that runs underneath the window, so Barry designed a long wooden bench to slot over it and protect it. He made matching stools for a table which pulls out of the island, giving us somewhere to sit for a cup of tea and a piece of toast and for our younger daughter to do her homework.”
The couple feel the time and effort they have put into creating their dream kitchen has been worth every minute. “We had so much input that I feel like I gave birth to this room, after an 18-month gestation and a long, hard labour!” jokes Irene. “Our expectations and specifications were very high and we really never could have dreamed that it would work out so perfectly”.
