It was an delight to support our client in the restoration of a Listed Elizabeathan Manor house in East Sussex. We were invited to start with the kitchen and back of house design design but ended up staying for a couple of years and working closely alongside the client who was driven and full of design vision, for the refurbishment of the main residence.
The brief was to create a welcoming family home, to preserve and respect the original Listed fabric of the building whilst updating the interiors to suit modern living suited to the surrounding countryside setting. The client also had an extensive (and growing) collection of existing furniture and artwork to house within the property.
Gallery
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The large entrance hallway accommodates several seating areas including this cosy fireside spot for guests to warm-up. Every surface of the building was carefully restored to comply with Listed requirements including the application of breathable paints and lighting plans to accommodate existing cable runs.
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Our first job was to work with the client to design the kitchen layout and specification. We provided layout drawings, joinery elevations and material palettes to compliment the existing architectural details and to work with the retained stone floor.
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The kitchen is nestled within a network of back-of-house areas, including this newly formed Butlers Pantry. The original dumb waiter remains in service in the rear corner of the space. Increasingly we work in homes with 'show' or 'front' kitchens and working 'back' or 'staff' kitchens to provide practical and beautiful solutions. The main kitchen incorporated both an Aga and gas range cooker and we combined the contemporary, industrial kitchen extractor with the more traditional joinery details and marble worktops.
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The simple antique ladder-back chairs and gate-leg table are located off the kitchen for less formal dining and breakfast. High-level bar stool seating has also been accommodated around the kitchen island and low-level armchairs and window-seats provide a mix of relaxed seating option within the kitchen space. More formal dining occasions can be accommodate in the main, panelled dining room.