At the heart of every home lies its kitchen, a space that is as much about making memories as it is about enjoying meals. A professional couple and their three young children living in Sussex knew this too well. Their kitchen wasn't just a place for cooking; it was the centre of their bustling household, and as such, the design had to reflect this. Tasked with this challenge, interior design studio Arior and kitchen design specialists Openhaus Kitchens embarked on a mission to blend practicality with elegance while transforming this key space with the enduring quality of Caesarstone 5171 Arabetto.
Set in a Regency townhouse, the open-plan kitchen, lounge and dining room had to evolve into a multifunctional space, serving as a cooking hub, entertainment area and family room. As the sitting room on the first floor of the property had been repurposed into a home office, creating a hardworking space for the whole family to use and enjoy on the ground level was crucial.
To bring the family’s vision to life, Openhaus Kitchens connected the former sitting room and dining room to create a large open-plan layout, with the new kitchen as the main focus. Philip Bacon, Founder and Director of Openhaus Kitchens, explains, “We wanted to retain the lovely original features including the fireplace, but we also created double French doors leading to the garden off the dining room – you would never know these weren’t original.”
In addition to the kitchen transformation, Arior and Openhaus Kitchens designed a bright and inviting playroom for the family's three young children. Part of the original kitchen space, the playroom was redesigned to accommodate the children's activities while maintaining a connection to the outdoors with its direct access to the garden. The beautiful Caesarstone 5171 Arabetto surface, seamlessly integrated into the playroom desk, adds an element of sophistication to this vibrant and playful space. Highly resistant to scratches and stains, Caesarstone surfaces are perfect for withstanding the demands of everyday family life without compromising on style. Whether enduring years of homework, art and crafts projects or afternoon snacks, the surfaces will remain beautiful for years to come with minimal upkeep.
In line with the Regency architecture of the property, the kitchen features exquisite Shaker-style joinery, with smooth fronts and subtle frame details. The scheme boasts ample storage solutions, including closed cupboards on one side for keeping kitchen essentials neatly tucked away, a central island, reeded glass cabinets on the other end to display cherished dishware and decorative items, and even a bi-fold breakfast dresser for easy access to cereal, tea and coffee. The cabinetry, hand-painted in Farrow & Ball’s Studio Green for added drama and depth, is enriched by brass handles, and perfectly contrasted by the brightness of the Arabetto worktop. Featuring a crisp white base with dynamic grey, jade and copper veins threading through the design, Arabetto is a striking, standout surface, which will instantly uplift the space. Philip says, “We chose Arabetto as it has an excellent marble look and feel, which is timeless but also very practical.”
An additional element further elevating the kitchen's aesthetic is the seamless continuation of 5171 Arabetto onto the splashback. This design choice not only enhances the visual cohesion of the space, but also adds a touch of luxury. By extending the surface vertically, the kitchen has a more uniform and integrated look, making a striking impression. Jonathan Stanley, VP of Marketing at Caesarstone, comments, “The right surface offers a sense of elegance, even in a busy family household. Consider opting for a splashback that matches your worktops, creating a seamless flow that pleases the eye but is also incredibly practical. This is a rising trend we’ve noticed lately. A matching splashback creates the stunning visual of a single surface that continues from your worktop up onto the wall. Heat and stain resistant, a Caesarstone splashback makes clean-up easy after your hob-cooked family dinner has splashed behind the hob.”
Reflecting on the finished space, Philip states, “We have used Caesarstone in many of our projects, we love the quality of the products and particularly that the surfaces look like natural stone. In this project, we used 30mm thick material to complement the traditional, period-style kitchen cabinetry, the twist being the slim Shaker door edge bringing the scheme into a contemporary, current style.”
Caesarstone’s dedicated design team is renowned for their meticulous approach, spending thousands of manhours analysing natural materials to achieve the same organic and textural appeal in their surfaces. Through advanced technology and craftsmanship, Caesarstone’s designs feature the same depth and variation found in nature, providing homeowners with the beauty of natural stone combined with unparalleled durability and practicality. This dedication to long-lasting quality and authenticity is what sets Caesarstone apart, allowing the design team to create surfaces that elevate any space with timeless elegance.
Are you inspired to transform your own kitchen? Explore Caesarstone's surfaces catalogue today to discover a range of striking designs to suit any interior. Order a free sample of your favourite surface to experience Caesarstone’s quality firsthand.
Photography by Philip A. Bacon
