A London townhouse kitchen created for work, rest and play

This three-storey house in St John’s Wood was built during the 1930s and lies within the Eyre Estate development, acquired by Henry Samuel Eyre in 1732. Set back from the road, with a large front garden, the original layout was arranged as self-contained rooms. The kitchen redesign was part of a wider refurbishment. A priority was an open-plan ground floor that linked the kitchen, living and dining spaces, but which still provided an opportunity to close off a formal sitting room.

‘The couple has three young boys,’ explains Claire Sá, co-founder of architectural and interior-design firm De Rosee Sa, ‘so wanted a large, practical kitchen where the children could run around, in and out of the garden, but that would also look good for entertaining.’

Along the length of the rear wall of the house and connecting to the outside terrace are bi-fold doors from IQ glass.The kitchen and dining room fill the full width of the house, so everything is of a certain scale,’ says Ms Sá. The cabinetry was designed in house and painted white, with work surfaces in Arabescato Corchia marble that combine to create a fresh and airy space.

"The design brief was for something timeless, but not English country cottage"

The floors are in a herringbone engineered oak by Oak Artisans, bringing warmth and texture into the space. Above the island is a cone-shaped pendant by Rose Uniacke and below are gooseneck taps in burnished brass from Waterworks.

‘The design brief was for us to create something timeless, but not English country cottage, either. Our clients missed the sunshine of their native Australia and it was important to ensure the kitchen had a direct link with the outdoors,’ explains Ms Sá. ‘We often create bright and light rooms in these central spaces, focusing on character and texture instead of colour, but there are plenty of other rooms in the house that are packed with playful or rich hues.’

De Rosee Sa — 020–7221 5495; www.deroseesa.com

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