A new kitchen for an extended family in East Grinstead, West Sussex has been completed by David Haugh finished with Caesarstone 4130 Clamshell quartz worktops.
Retired couple Carole and Terry Heather were contemplating whether to simply replace outdated appliances, or invest a in a brand-new kitchen, when a change of family circumstances made up their mind.
Carole explained: “The advent of our son and granddaughters coming to live with us provided the catalyst to rethink what we were trying to achieve, which gave rise to the building of a bespoke extension to house the new kitchen.”
The couple knew the kitchen would likely be their last new one for their home, and having the extended family living with them, crystallised their thoughts on realising all their aspirations with the new kitchen.
A new six-by-four metre, single story extension was built to house their ‘forever’ kitchen, with a sky light and plenty of windows to take in the views of their beautifully landscaped garden.
An island for food preparation and family meals were near the top of Carole’s requirements, and as a keen baker, she knew she wanted a durable worktop that was easy to clean, and colder to the touch than the couple’s previous traditional oak kitchen work surface.
In researching their new kitchen, the Heather family identified Stoneham kitchens as a brand of choice, and after consulting Andrew Moore, designer at David Haugh, found their preferred style of handle-less cabinetry was available in recently introduced options.
Andrew worked closely with the couple to determine their final selection, ultimately settling on Fusion, smooth spray painted, combined with Mode, a flat veneered door in the colour, Cashmere, combined with Anthracite Oak.
Caesarstone quartz worktops were suggested by Andrew as the increased durability and ease of cleaning was a key requirement for Carole. Unlike natural stones such as marble or granite, the Caesarstone worktops are non-porous, meaning they are anti-microbial, crucial for a heavy traffic area used frequently for food preparation, and are stain resistant.
The 4130 Clamshell design was chosen by Carole and Terry, as the soft fusion of light grey tones with subtle white features complimented the neutral tones of the cabinetry and walls.
Andrew used his kitchen design expertise when providing feedback on the layout of the new kitchen, contrasting with the U-shaped kitchen and narrow island that the Heather family originally set on.
“I knew straight away that the U-shaped kitchen they had in mind with a long, skinny island wouldn’t work due to the lack of options to get the hob at the end of the island looking at the view,” said Andrew.
“I knew I wanted to do a clean tall, bank at the rear of the room creating an L-shape with a larger island with unique layout allowing for Mrs Heather to stand within reaching distance of hob, ovens, fridge and sink while still being able to socialise and face their stunning view.”
High-specification appliances, including Miele steam ovens and an induction hob with integrated extractor, and a Quooker boiler tap complete the Heather family’s kitchen.
The family were delighted with the new kitchen, thanking Andrew and David Haugh for “allowing us to change our minds a few times with great patience and tactful guidance.”
“The kitchen has now become the place where we all spend more time together,” summarised Carole.
