Seaside kitchen – real reveal
“I only check on your blog to see if you’ve put up any Real Reveals yet.” So spoke our friend Charlotte, who can always be relied upon to give it to us straight. Perhaps that’s why this week sees not one but two Real Reveals… yesterday was Jill’s gorgeous armchairs, and today it’s the unveiling of my seaside kitchen. It’s (as near as dammit) finished! I took some terrible wobbly photos stood on a chair!
The look I was going for is what I’d call Scullery-chic. Think Downton Abbey’s kitchen but in a 2m square space. I don’t have to hand any pictures of what it used to look like, but suffice it to say it was fugly. White units hanging off the walls and the sink built out from the alcove and 1 meter into the room. Where there is now a table was a fridge sat taking up space like a lowering troll.
Once we’d ripped them out and fumigated, the space was actually ok – there is a huge window which comes down to your shins, through which you can observe goings on in the pub garden next door, and the rest of the town beyond. It faces south so I was confident that the black units I was Jonesing on would not make it too dark. They are just from Ikea, and perfect. The sink units are their skinny 38cm deep ones, intended for making sideboards up, but they are a perfect fit into the slim alcove. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so proud as when my builder finished fitting this bit and said, “Ros, you designed it good.”
The taps we have covered elsewhere (they work a treat) and the worktops were a length of old school lab top. As I don’t trouble myself to cook I felt fine about getting a cute two-burner hob from Ikea – mainly used for making endless pots of coffee. Under this main worktop run is the oven, fridge and washing machine. So yes, if you’re a store-cupboard kinda cook then this space isn’t for you. All dry food squeezes into the little cupboard next to the sink. A wine cupboard has been fashioned from an old museum cabinet (currently* held shut with Blutac) and a weird 80s shelving unit thingy holds all the cups. Boom.
The open shelves still need to be painted, but they are just right for stacking all Grandma’s gorgeous plates. The plinths also need painting black – the 1853 floorboards are so wonky that the one I got from Ikea didn’t fit. Other than that it’s pretty much done. I picked Farrow & Ball’s Setting Plaster for the walls – a great compliment to the weathered copper pipes under the boiler that may look unfinished to you but scream ‘Below-stairs sass’ to me. The colour is just as promised – the exact colour of setting plaster. Very useful for the bits of plaster that the paintbrush wouldn’t reach. Now all I have to do is give it a coat of decorator’s varnish to coffee-splash-proof it all and we’re good.
*And let’s face it, probably forever
You’ve done a grand job of it, Ros! I love it; the black units are beautiful and that shade known by F and B as Setting Plaster does indeed provide the perfect backing for both the wooden worktops and black units. Obviously a lot of thought and work has gone into it, so now you can enjoy it. Time to get out into the sunshine!
Sorry I didn’t get to see it at the press preview last week but I think it looks really great. Glad to see the drinks cupboard’s well stocked!
thank you – thought the well stocked drinks cupboard might be a positive…
I must say, that is the most adorable sink I’ve ever seen. Love all the combinations of colours and materials – what a beautiful bespoke job. Look forward to seeing more pics of life by the seaside! x
i am liking scullery-chic very much and I think you should coin that phrase.
your builder was right and you have ‘done good!’
as for your friend Charlotte. love that she can be so honest as let’s face it…..we all love the real reveals ! 🙂
Wow, doesn’t look like 2 sq meters at all, that was my first thought. I’m still in love with the brass tap and now I love the way in which all kitchen appliances are stacked and shown, so that the kitchnen-ness is out there in the open. I’d love to see the photos of the outside, of the seaside!
thanks Mosaical! Yes my measurements are approximate but I’ve defo made the best of the space and it doesn’t feel cramped. Will take some pics of the outside – it is certainly the view of the sea that makes the house enchanting. Stay tuned and I’ll post some next time the sun shines…
Glad to see you have the same £8 kettle as me from Sainsburys. Went everywhere to try and find a nice kettle and they were either horrible or sold out then found this one for the interim but actually like it a lot.
yes I’m not one to spend big on a kettle! Jill had a massive trauma when she invested lots in a stove-top kettle – read about it here: http://www.myfriendshouse.co.uk/oxford-shop-objects-of-use-plus-a-small-rant-about-kettles/
I like the simplicity of a kettle that just looks like a kettle. Living in London as I did, you can never keep them free of scale marks anyway. x
Hi it looks great!
Can you tell me how you cleaned-up and treated the worktops? Did you sand them or just give them a good clean? And did you use a varnish or oil?
We’ve just purchased a very scruffy iroko lab worktop (complete with drainage groove) and would love some advice.
Also any advice about maintenance.
Many thanks
hi and sorry for slow reply – Christmas and that. Yes I removed the old varnish painstakingly with a blade (it was very satisfying) but then I think my builder sanded it anyway. I then gave it a few coats of danish oil, and that needs redoing with a single coat every six months to a year I think. Hope your worktop works out well – I’m sure it will. Would have loved on with drainage grooves. The oil will take care of protecting it no problem. x
Hi thanks for the advice. I’m guessing that the sanding removed any scratched graffiti? We’ve a load on ours which were keen to keep so thinking of just giving it a good wash for now. Will try the Danish oil tho. I’ll try and send you a pic when it’s done!
Hi Ros/Jill, this is really beautiful kitchen work.