Creating a kitchen to suit the period of your home means appreciating the building’s bones.
For a kitchen to feel truly comfortable in a home, it needs to work with the architecture of the space, respecting the features for a harmonious result.
Chichester kitchen in Snow with Charlecote island in Cobble
Georgian
A traditional Georgian kitchen would have been in the basement, the domain of servants. It’s still possible to capture that period elegance by focusing on symmetry, grand proportions, and a sense of light and space. The Georgians loved balance and harmony, and paid attention to the hidden details and craftsmanship in hinges and dovetail joints. Kitchen cabinets and walls were hand-painted in pale shades with a matt finish. Think Powder Blue, Lily or Old Chalk. Ornate cabinetry pieces such as the Suffolk cooker hood will echo the grand detailing of the period.
Victorian
The Victorian kitchen was divided into workstations – a food prep area, the scullery where the sink was housed, and a cool larder. For a modern interpretation, you could consider the Suffolk larder with its cavernous storage space. The dresser was another key element of the Victorian kitchen, and with the period’s classic high ceilings, it could reach up to seven feet tall. The Chichester dresser would be a good alternative today. Most Victorian kitchens also featured a central wooden table where food prep happened and the family (or servants) ate. Usually made of pine, it was scrubbed clean with sand, soda and water giving it the distinct matt finish we appreciate today.
Edwardian
Edwardian architecture tends to be airier and roomier than its Victorian predecessor. Slightly wider with similarly high ceilings, it includes intricate patterns on floors and architraves, and is rich in detail. Unlike the darker shades favoured by the Victorians, Edwardian kitchens tended to be fresh and white (there was a new focus on hygiene during this period), so opt for pale colours on cabinets and walls such as Snow and Salt. Glass-fronted cupboards became popular during this period too, so you could also consider clear or ribbed glazed wall cabinets.
Chatwon cabinet in Snow with Charlecote island in Ink
Post-war
Parquet flooring was a style statement during this austere period, though many smaller houses still had basic floorboards and rugs. For a modern interpretation, you could try a parquet design using Honister black slate tiles or Savernake oak flooring. Kitchens in this period were the domain of the housewife and were compact and functional rather than social. Today, a sympathetic solution would be to knock through a kitchen and dining room but keep the areas defined by flooring or decor.
Contemporary
Modern architecture is all about the interplay of light. Windows tend to be large and wide; open-plan living is key. Details are minimal and unfussy – from plain skirtings to the lack of radiators thanks to underfloor heating. Go for streamlined cabinetry and linear hardware. True to the social nature of a modern property, the Buckland bench seating system is not only space efficient but gives a dining area a clean, uncluttered feel too.
Cottages
Cottage architecture is an evolution rather than a set period in time, but it shares characteristics such as low ceilings, exposed beams, uneven floors and awkward nooks. Historically, cottage kitchens comprised freestanding and un-matching furniture – a pine table would sit happily in front of an oak dresser on a stone floor. As cottage kitchens can be small, it’s best to keep the scheme pale, and you can’t go wrong with timeless Sage or French Grey in a kitchen that opens onto a country garden. A dresser and scrubbed wooden table complete the cottage vibe, perfect in its imperfections.
