A new kitchen for a long-lived family home has been completed with Caesarstone 4230 Shitake worktops in a stunning refurbishment from Hamilton Stone Design.
Alan and Julia Tinker’s five-bedroom Victorian house in West Sussex has been the couple’s home for 26 years, with the original structural work completed when they initially moved in. Whilst the kitchen has seen regular repainting, it was time for the kitchen to be overhauled.
The couple chose Hamilton Stone Design to plan and install their new kitchen, as Julia explained: “They are a local company and co-ordinated everything for us. We used the trades people they recommended to us, including the electrician and plumber, which was convenient and made sure the job ran smoothly”.
Looking for inspiration, Alan and Julia visited the Hamilton Stone Design showroom, and met with owner Claire Homer to determine a colour palette that suited the couple’s tastes.
“We initially thought we’d like white units, especially behind the Aga as it can be quite dark there,” explained Julia. “On visiting the showroom we changed our minds to go for a warmer, pale sand colour”.
Claire described the process she goes through with clients like Julia and Alan to identify their preferences: “I always start in the showroom mixing colours, samples, tiles and worktops so the customer can get a real feel for the look we can achieve together”.
The new kitchen combines Rotpunkt Lucido HL Power Gloss lacquer units in a Sand finish, with Urban Oak handle rails, wood grained frames and Caesarstone quartz kitchen worktops to create a bright, light and streamlined aesthetic for the kitchen.
The brick walls and woodgrains, alongside the 4230 Shitake worktops, installed by local Sussex fabricators World of Stone, provide a stylish contrast to the gloss lacquer cabinetry, and gives the completed design scheme a contemporary feel, whilst retaining the traditional styling of the property.
Caesarstone’s Shitake is a neutral design, with an organic blended light taupe colour with the look and feel of a classic limestone, that offers an excellent complement to the pale cabinetry chosen for the renovation.
A trio of silver gloss pendant lights help to add balance to the overall design and serves to highlight the Caesarstone worktop beautifully.
Other priorities in the couple’s brief for Claire, was to ensure the new cabinetry not only looked good but included ample storage. On opting for drawers rather than low-down cupboards, Julia explained:
“We tried to utilise every bit of space available, so this new design is much less maintenance than our previous kitchen. We love the two tall larder cupboards. One has pull-out drawers for electrical equipment, and the other shelves pull forward as you open the door; which is great for food storage.”
Open shelves also feature, housing cooking books, breaking up the scheme and adding visual interest.
The zoning of the storage was important in Claire’s design for the kitchen: “We worked really hard on making sure all preparation cabinets including the food tandem, larder and fridge were close to the hob area.”
This attention to details ensures that, in Julia’s words, “the kitchen is easy to use and keep clean.” It’s also become the hub of their home when their children and grandchildren come to visit.
This ease of maintenance across the kitchen is highlighted in the choice of Caesarstone, as Julia emphasises: “We love the Caesarstone worktops – they’re extremely hard-wearing and stain, scratch and temperature resistant”.
