Icon - Arrow LeftAn icon we use to indicate a rightwards action. Icon - Arrow RightAn icon we use to indicate a leftwards action. Icon - External LinkAn icon we use to indicate a button link is external. Icon - MessageThe icon we use to represent an email action. Icon - Down ChevronUsed to indicate a dropdown. Icon - CloseUsed to indicate a close action. Icon - Dropdown ArrowUsed to indicate a dropdown. Icon - Location PinUsed to showcase a location on a map. Icon - Zoom OutUsed to indicate a zoom out action on a map. Icon - Zoom InUsed to indicate a zoom in action on a map. Icon - SearchUsed to indicate a search action. Icon - EmailUsed to indicate an emai action. Icon - FacebookFacebooks brand mark for use in social sharing icons. flipboard Icon - InstagramInstagrams brand mark for use in social sharing icons. Icon - PinterestPinterests brand mark for use in social sharing icons. Icon - TwitterTwitters brand mark for use in social sharing icons. Icon - Check MarkA check mark for checkbox buttons.
You are reading

Kitchen of the Week: A London Architect’s Sky-Lit Compact Kitchen

Search
Kitchen of the WeekIssue 5 — International Style

Kitchen of the Week: A London Architect’s Sky-Lit Compact Kitchen

July 16, 2020

We love every inch of this compact 14-by-10-foot kitchen in the Peckham neighborhood of London. Designed by architect Jonathan Nicholls and his partner, Alex Randall, a lighting designer, it occupies the rear extension of their Victorian home. While many architects find the experience of designing their own home an existential nightmare, Nicholls found it be quite the opposite:

“As an architect, working on your own house is great fun. Because of time constraints, I didn’t get a chance to do full, proper drawings, so a lot of the time I’d scribble some plans on the wall at night for the builders to interpret a few hours later,” he told The Modern House. “Because it was our own house, I could experiment a lot more with things I wouldn’t risk at work.”

Nowhere is that playful spirit more on display than in their artful kitchen.

Let’s take a tour. (To see the rest of their house, see the listing at The Modern House.)

When the couple moved in five years ago, the kitchen was on the top of their list of rooms to redesign as they both love to cook.
Above: When the couple moved in five years ago, the kitchen was on the top of their list of rooms to redesign as they both love to cook.
The cabinets are one of Nicholls&#8
Above: The cabinets are one of Nicholls’ “experiments.” “We weren’t entirely sure how it would turn out, but it’s beautiful,” he said of the engineered-ash plywood joinery.
The most whimsical feature in the kitchen, though, may be the skylight that not only funnels in natural light but also offers a glimpse at the wildflowers growing on the roof garden.
Above: The most whimsical feature in the kitchen, though, may be the skylight that not only funnels in natural light but also offers a glimpse at the wildflowers growing on the roof garden.
In lieu of upper cabinets, a single wall-mounted shelf holding cooking tools and decorative touches extends across the length of one wall.
Above: In lieu of upper cabinets, a single wall-mounted shelf holding cooking tools and decorative touches extends across the length of one wall.
A stainless steel sink with an integrated draining board. (See The New Art Gallery: loading=
Above: A stainless steel sink with an integrated draining board. (See The New Art Gallery: 12 Favorite Kitchens with Paintings on Display.)
Steel and glass doors by Crittal usher in even more natural light from the patio.
Above: Steel and glass doors by Crittal usher in even more natural light from the patio.
Limestone tiles extend from the entrance, down the hallway, and into the kitchen. The rest of the house enjoys oiled-oak floorboards.
Above: Limestone tiles extend from the entrance, down the hallway, and into the kitchen. The rest of the house enjoys oiled-oak floorboards.
The patio just beyond the kitchen has a surprisingly tropical feel thanks to a palm tree and bamboo. (See Things Nobody Tells You About Bamboo.)
Above: The patio just beyond the kitchen has a surprisingly tropical feel thanks to a palm tree and bamboo. (See 10 Things Nobody Tells You About Bamboo.)

For more plywood kitchens, see:

Explore Deeper Into These Areas

Previous Post

10 Easy Pieces: Shoe Storage Cabinets

July 15, 2020
Next Post

Just-Right Beds: Three Modern Heirloom Designs by Pinch of London

July 16, 2020

Have a Question or Comment About This Post?

Join the conversation

Related Stories

Read all recent posts

join us on Instagram Logo

remodelista

Sourcebook for The Considered Home

Remodelista

v5.0