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THE BESPOKE MID-CENTURY KITCHEN
A sustainable kitchen designed for modern living, generous entertaining and everyday ease.
In Bishop’s Stortford, a previously cramped kitchen was thoughtfully reimagined for a professional couple who wanted their home to feel warmer, more sociable and more connected to the way they live.
THE KITCHEN DESIGN BRIEF
The client brief : To design a sustainable mid-century inspired kitchen for a young professional couple in their early 30s who enjoy socialising, entertaining friends, and making cocktails at home. The clients wanted the space to capture the warmth, character, and timeless appeal of mid-century modern design while supporting contemporary living.
A strong emphasis was placed on environmentally conscious design choices, with the clients seeking durable,sustainable materials and energy-efficient appliances that would stand the test of time. As passionate vegans, the kitchen needed to support fresh food preparation, while also incorporating a number of multi-use spaces within acompact layout.
A key feature of the brief was the inclusion of a dedicated bar area to encourage entertaining and create a sociable focal point within the room. The design also needed to seamlessly integrate modern appliances, including an induction hob, dishwasher, Quooker tap, and integrated fridge/freezer, without compromising the overall mid-century aesthetic.
The overall aim was to create a kitchen that felt warm, inviting, and practical for everyday life, while reflecting the clients’ love of mid-century design and sustainable living.
MEETING THE BRIEF
The project completely transformed a cramped and impractical kitchen into a warm, sociable mid-century inspired space tailored to the clients’ lifestyle. The original layout lacked storage, clear zoning, and safe circulation, with appliances crowded together and very limited usable workspace.
A complete rejig of the room was undertaken to improve flow and create a more balanced layout. The sink was relocated beneath the rear window, while the freestanding cooker was replaced with built-in double ovens, a
microwave oven, and an induction hob with an integrated extractor concealed within a faux chimney feature. This created a strong focal point and allowed the kitchen to feel more open and cohesive. The new layout improved circulation throughout the room and allowed the kitchen to feel wonderfully grander and more open despite the compact footprint.
entertaining area
To support the clients’ love of entertaining, the layout was extended to include a dedicated bar area with bespoke bottle storage. The clients also wanted to incorporate a dining area within the compact footprint, so a drop-leaf table became the perfect solution, allowing the space to flex and expand easily when entertaining guests. Deepdrawers, Le Mans corner pull-outs, integrated waste solutions, and a separate pantry dramatically improved storage within the room. The washing machine was also removed from the kitchen entirely and relocated into a newly created utility cupboard, freeing up valuable space within the main kitchen area.
a sustainable Approach
Sustainability was central to the design. Egger cabinetry was selected for its environmental credentials, while the bespoke doors were manufactured in the UK to reduce transport impact. Reclaimed oak shelving, cork flooring,energy-efficient appliances, and a Quooker tap supporting reduced plastic waste further reinforced the sustainable ethos. The terrazzo worktops,featuring multi coloured marble chips, tied together the cherry tones, garnet cabinetry, and playful red accents throughout the space.
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THE FINER CONSIDERATIONS
Additional considerations focused heavily on the finer design details and overall atmosphere of the space. To maintain the clean visual flow of the splashback tiles, an all-in-one appliance switch was discreetly concealed within the pantry, reducing the visibility of fuse switches and avoiding unnecessary visual clutter.
lighting considerations
Lighting was also a key consideration throughout the project and played an important role in creating different moods within the kitchen. Strategic spotlighting was carefully positioned above food preparation and cleaning areas to support everyday use, while the central feature lighting introduced an additional mid-century focal point withinthe room.
Layered lighting was used to subtly shift the atmosphere from practical daytime use to evening entertaining. Under-shelf LED lighting helped soften the main kitchen area, allowing greater emphasis on the bar space to create a warmand uplifting atmosphere. Within the bar area, a glass wall light was selected to visually blend amongst the bottlesand glassware, while softly illuminating the mirrored splashback tiles to create warmth, depth, and ambience.