YEO combine lean and contemporary lines with unique accents, including a spectacular Caesarstone 5031 Statuario Maximus island, to create a head-turning kitchen space in a five-bedroom Victorian terraced house in Surrey.
YEO, founded by James Yeo and Adam Hodgson, is a bespoke cabinet maker specialising in creating unique kitchens and luxury furniture to suit a range of contemporary and classic styles.
The homeowners, a couple and their two children, enlisted YEO to design and fit the new kitchen as part of a ground-floor reconfiguration and full refurbishment. This included a rear extension, as well as the removal of an interior wall to allow light through from the front to the back of the house, as well as to accommodate a large island without compromising the walkways on either side.
“The walkways on either side of the island are generous and allow free movement around the kitchen,” explained James Yeo, of the ergonomic design for the space.
The owners had a clear vision for the new kitchen. “They were a joy to work with as they knew the key elements they wanted to use from the get go,” explained James. “These included Gaggenau appliances, Caesarstone Statuario Maximus worktops and a sintered stone splashback, which gave us a great idea of the type of style they wanted to create.”
The bespoke oak cabinetry was constructed from the oak veneered birch plywood cabinetry, and spray finished in a semi-matte “Railings 31” from Farrow and Ball. The deep colour of the units was contrasted by the marble aesthetic of the Statuario Maximus worktops, a quartz worktop design from Caesarstone’s Ultranatural collection, featuring a soft, white base colour and billowing grey veins that sweeps across the worktop surface.
The cascading veining of the design is dramatically showcased on the island. “The Statuario Maximus quartz worktops were fitted to create a waterfall island whereby the material is carried down to the floor to stunning effect,” explained James.
The durability of Caesarstone quartz and its opulent finish were key factors in the choice of worktop surface, said James: “The Ultranatural range looks as close to marble as you will find in a quartz, with the added value that it is hardwearing and heat resistant”
The contrast of the monolithic kitchen island with traditional-style beaded frames and classic profile detail on the cabinet fronts demonstrates the modern twist on classic styling.
To complete the kitchen’s luxurious feel and to add the ‘now factor’, Gaggenau appliances, a sintered stone splashback and distinctive Buster & Punch handles were chosen.
In addition to natural light that flooded in from the external full-height windows, a combination of downlights, pendants over the Caesarstone island and LED lights around the splashback and the dropped ceiling, provides a great range of options and flexibility within the space.
When asked what makes a successful kitchen design that is both stylish and welcoming, James replied: “Do something different to the norm. We look to create at least one element in every design that sets it apart from anything else you’ve seen before.
“Also, lighting is key, luckily on this project we were blessed with heaps of natural light, simple and clever lighting can make or break your project. Spend as much time as needed to make sure the materials work in harmony and test them in different lighting.”
