PROJECT: Rob & Jo’s contemporary kitchen | LOCATION: Farnham | YEAR: 2019

We spend so much of our time looking at other people’s kitchens that it was a real challenge to think about our own. Given the opportunity to design it from scratch, thanks to our own extensive house renovation, we had to think about what would work for our family of four, whilst being conscious that it needed to work hard in various other areas of our lives. 

Not only would this be our main family living space, our kitchen would be used as a show-kitchen for prospective clients, for business meetings, for cosy dinner parties as well as for larger gatherings of family and friends - we needed a flexible working space for any sized group. It needed homework space, lots of worktop space for cooking, entertaining and relaxing, and we wanted something that was clean, sleek and modern, but warm and cosy for just the four of us on a winter evening. 

The cabinetry uses the same solid wood carcasses as our Shaker ranges, but is paired with factory-painted, lacquered drawer and cupboard fronts, and oak handle rails and plinths for a sleek, yet warm and tactile look and feel. What’s more, the lacquered fronts can be painted in any Farrow & Ball or Little Greene colour. The design included a run of three lift-up wall cupboards in book-matched oak, which helped to soften the overall effect - a high priority for us. 

The appliances are mainly from Siemens and include an induction hob with flexi-zone, a single oven and a combi steam-oven. The integrated fridge is made by Liebherr, which has effortlessly handled everything from a Bank Holiday weekend’s provisions to an 18-strong family Christmas gathering.

Some of our favourite features? The Hotspot boiling water tap for Rob’s never-ending tea supply, and the bi-fold pantry which hides away all our coffee making paraphernalia, as well as the combination of light floor and worktops with dark units (painted in Farrow & Ball Railings), paired with the oak trim and wall unit doors which soften everything.