Fashion and lifestyle journalist Louise Roe chose Caesarstone quartz worktops for her English Country Kitchen on her return to the UK after eleven years of living in Los Angeles.
For Louise Roe, a celebrated writer and television host, returning to England after more than a decade of living in California, was primarily focused on being closer to family and a return to her roots. Having found the perfect 200-year-old property in the countryside, this sense return carried through to Louise’s design concept for the home, with the aim of restoring the home to its original country farmhouse style.
The new kitchen is emblematic of this focus on heritage and authenticity. The panelled British Standard cabinetry, by Plain English, was precisely the aesthetic that Louise sought for the furniture. The cabinetry was finished in the Little Greene’s Sage Green, a traditional and quiet tone with classic vintage appeal.
For the worktops, Louise always had Caesarstone in mind, having previously worked closely with the leading quartz brand when renovating her bathroom in her LA property. As well as being a fan of the beauty found within Caesarstone, durability was always a key consideration for Louise:
“I’m so glad we went with Caesarstone quartz for the counters; it’s incredibly durable (more so than marble or granite). Caesarstone finishes are also heat (and cold) resistant for any haphazard cooks. Having a toddler as sous-chef means we needed something hard wearing, and being a fan of red wine, the stain-resistance is a winning factor”
As a admirer of Caesarstone, Louise knew the design flexibility that the brand offers, and that at a change of finish would suit her country home aesthetic, as she explains: “'I went straight to Caesarstone without even looking anywhere else, as I had worked with them before in LA, on two other houses. I love their colours, textures and quality. On my last two properties I had chosen a polished finish but opted for a honed countertop for the farmhouse kitchen, in 5000 London Grey”
The understated luxurious appeal of London Grey combines beautifully with the Sage Green cabinets, offering a soft, muted counter to the dependable green hue, furthering the classic atmosphere of the kitchen. The gentle opaque base of London Grey is topped by soft charcoal veins for a design that is effortlessly timeless, perfect for the country kitchen style.
Continuing with the sense of revitalising period details, Louise used reclaimed floorboards, stained to a rich, dark brown, for the flooring, and commissioned a local carpenter to craft a freestanding island and wine-station from the remaining floorboard material. The result is a new focal piece within the kitchen space yet carries the desired authentic appeal, with the natural imperfections of worked hardwood.
Open shelving, finished in the same Sage Green paint, showcases glass food jars, whilst Louise’s mismatched collection of pottery, plates and platters, amassed over the years, are amongst the decorative accessories on show within the kitchen, whilst the prior owner’s black Aga has become a fond go-to for the family.
Of the final result, Louise comments: “The room is warm and cosy, bright and busy – true to its English country farmhouse roots. I'm so thrilled with how it turned out.”
