Cornish Cliff House
A kitchen atop a Cornish cliff, elevated both in situation and restrained detailing.
A kitchen with panoramic views of the horizon warranted a design response that connected to the rugged natural setting and the cool hues of the Cornish coast.
The Brief
The Cornish Cliff House, a modern property on the Cornwall Devon border. The brief called for a colour way that complimented the coastal setting, and made a statement confident enough to hold its own adjacent to the panoramic clifftop views.
Our clients wanted a kitchen-dining space that would set the tone for the ground floor living. The cooking area should be contained, offering the cook an uninterrupted area for stress-free cooking. The end result wanted to be contemporary, unfussy and driven by practicality.
The Design Concept
When a kitchen is placed on top of a cliff with far reaching views of the sky and ocean, it needs to support family life without detracting from the view. Our concept achieved this by creating a paired back, yet bold response, choosing a statement colour rather than picking a hue directly from the surroundings. When combined with natural materials the result connects the interior with the wild nature just beyond the expansive view.
Originally not part of the brief, the pocketed drinks area was a welcome addition that solved both the morning coffee ritual and entertaining refreshments, by creating an area that gently delineates the kitchen from the dining area.
Storage and Integration
The clients needed storage that worked without showing its hand. This handleless kitchen design stretches the full length of the room, deliberately setting the position of the dining table in line with the island. Behind those flush doors sits a full-height fridge, a freezer, a deep pan store, a pantry cupboard with a loaded door and tiered shelving behind, and a concealed drinks cabinet that opens to reveal a veneered interior with glass storage above and bottles below. The flush fronted cabinets create the block colour statement for the room and the boundaries for the cooking kitchen. The metamorphosis of the pocketed drinks area provides a transition from kitchen to dining and an ability to create warm mood lighting as the interior lights emit the warmth of the natural oak veneer.
Appliances
The clients love cooking with their two conventional ovens behind the island, where a Bora X Pure induction cooktop with integrated downdraft extraction keeps the sight lines across the room unbroken. Ducted directly to the outside, it clears cooking vapours efficiently and runs quietly enough that it never once interrupts the conversation.
A dual zone wine conditioner facing the living side of the island offers easily accessible refreshments for entertaining and quiet nights in alike.
SPECIFICATION
Collection: Horizon by Modern British Kitchens
Finishes:
Painted handleless doors and drawer fronts in Delft, natural Oak timber detailing throughout.
Worktop:
20mm Calacatta Composite Quartz
Appliances:
Two conventional ovens in Black glass and Stainless steel, Bora X Pure induction cooktop with integrated downdraft extraction, Stainless Steel American style fridge and freezer Black glass dual zone wine conditioner.
Key Storage:
Concealed pocket drinks cabinet with veneered interior and glass storage. Crockery cupboard with tiered shelving. Deep pan drawers with internal cutlery pull-outs to maintain the uninterrupted lines on the island.
The Details
- Project type: Refurbishment and open-plan extension
- Location: Cornwall
- Colour/Paint:
- Timber/Materials: Natural Oak
- Worktops: Calacatta Composite Quartz
- Range/Collection: Horizon handleless
- Cooktop: Bora X Pure induction with integrated downdraft extraction, matt black
- Key Storage Features: Concealed pocket drinks cabinet with veneered interior and glass storage, crockery cupboard with tiered shelving, deep pan store
