Modern & Glamorous Handleless Kitchen

When they moved into a ground-and-first-floor maisonette, Gina and Roy inherited a long kitchen-dining room with glass doors opening to the garden at one end. The kitchen was at the farthest point from the natural light source, and the couple soon found its cream cabinets and black granite work surfaces seemed to soak up the limited daylight that reached it. Clearly, maximising light would be high on the agenda for their new kitchen.

 

Gina and Roy had several other ‘must-haves’.  Gina loves minimal, modern style, crisp lines and clutter-free surfaces, while Roy wanted a well-appointed bar area to produce a ‘wow’ moment for guests. They approached Gardiner Haskins, noticing the company offers Stoneham Kitchens, which they recognised as a quality brand. For comparison, they looked at another kitchen showroom too, but meeting our designer Alec, they quickly felt relaxed, and impressed by his expertise and creativity,

 

“The other supplier was quite pushy, but unwilling to personalise things for us,” says Gina, “Alec really knows his product, listened closely to what we wanted, and came up with ideas we wouldn’t have thought of.”  “His knowledge is encyclopaedic, and that really enables him to find solutions,” adds Roy, “I think he enjoyed the challenge too.”

 

Aiming for a clean, minimal vibe and aware of the need to boost light, Gina had simple, handless cupboards in mind, and she liked the idea of mixing different finishes to create interest. She was eager to buy a British-made product too, and Alec suggested Crown Imperial’s understated white furniture, which was ideal for the base cabinets. As a contrast, the wall cabinets are in Taupe Oak, a pale wood-effect, and the white quartz work-surfaces have a subtle marble-type pattern. Keeping the work surfaces clear is effortless, thanks to deep, soft-close storage drawers, roomy cupboards and nifty swing-out carousel trays that don’t let an inch of corner space to go to waste.

 

 

A small light-well above the sink draws some daylight from the upper floor, but extra ceiling spots have been added, as well as remote-controlled lighting above and below the wall units, and beneath the work surfaces. The stylish glow can be adjusted for a warmer or cooler effect, giving practical task lighting, or a softer mood for evening entertaining. Seamless, easy-clean white glass splashbacks bounce the light around too.

 

When it came to the separate bar unit, a substantial, double-door drinks cabinet on display in the showroom caught Roy’s eye. To his delight, Alec set about designing a similar four-door piece for him, using the same white Crown Imperial cabinets. The well-organised interior features natural wood fittings, elegant mirrored panelling, lighting and an undercounter drinks fridge. To accommodate the fridge, the left-hand doors are 60cms wide, while the right-hand ones are just 40cms. Open or closed, the bar looks beautiful, thanks to a combination of Alec’s design flair, and the joinery skills of Paul, the installer.

 

 

 

“I’m really pleased with the way it turned out,” says Roy, “Whenever we have friends over, I open up the bar, the lights come on and everyone just loves it.”

 

Gina and Roy’s new appliances include a sleek, Neff induction hob and two electric Neff ovens, so they have steam and microwave functions alongside conventional cooking. Lookswise, they went for low-key, black finishes, with stainless steel trims. Alec also suggested a matching warming drawer, something Gina had not considered, but now wouldn’t be without,  

 

  

 

“I use it such a lot,” she says, “It helps me with timing, keeping food warm until everything’s ready, and it’s so easy for heating plates too.”   

 

Gina knew she did not want a large extractor hood that might dominate the space, so Alec found a brilliant solution, concealing the extractor in a wall-cabinet above the hob. Tucked beneath, the touch-activated, flip-down, glass control panel is super-neat. The Quooker boiling water tap is another favourite gadget. Gina admits she was a little nervous of it at first, but now she is used to how it works, and absolutely loves its speed, convenience and the added bonus of a kettle-free surface.  

 

Fitting a new kitchen can be disruptive, so Gina and Roy were very appreciative of their installation team, who left the site clean and tidy every night. Roy particularly mentions the electrician, Mark, who spent hours re-routing cables in the ceiling to get the extra lighting they wanted over the sink,

 

“We felt everyone went the extra mile to achieve what we’d asked for, and any small snagging issues were quicky dealt with,” he says, “It’s been a very enjoyable experience.”

 

Looking to modernise your kitchen? Make it happen with Gardiner Haskins. Visit our Bristol showrooms for some inspiration or call us on 01179 292 288.

 

Book A Design Appointment

 

Kitchen Details

Designer: Alec Yull

Kitchen type: Modern - True Handle-less

Cabinetry: Crown Zeluso White & Textura Taupe Oak

Pantry Interior: Solid & Veneer Oak

Work top: Quartz 20mm Unistone Carrara Misterio

Glass Spashbacks – White & Silver Mirror

All imagery contained in this case study were taken by Colin, PhotoWord.