Richard Davonport, MD of Colchester-based bespoke kitchen company Davonport, reveals how he and his team designed an incredible kitchen for a space with cathedral-like proportions.
Q: What type of property was it in and who was the project for?
A: The client is a high-end small property developer that concentrates on small developments (under 10 homes) but with a high specification that sell for at least £2-3million.
Q: What was the brief from the client for this project?
A: The brief for this development was to design 7 unique kitchens, with this home (The Lakes) being the star of the show. They wanted to create a unique kitchen for this that wasn’t like anything that we had previously done, but that was rooted in its handmade, premium, luxury feel. Following discussions, the final brief was to create a modern twist on Shaker-style cabinetry with a heavy moulding finish on the doors the look they wanted to go for.
Q: How did you go about meeting the brief?
A: Taking inspiration from our newly launched kitchen range, the Sparkford, as a starting point, we worked with the developer to design this kitchen, taking several design appointments to get it right. With an expected valuation exceeding £4million, the property needed a kitchen that warranted the valuation. The house eventually sold for £1million over the asking price!
The client wanted a kitchen that encapsulated the light and airy space. This was reflected in the colour choices, from our own unique colour palette, with Flagstone chosen. This warm neutral colour worked in harmony with the features of the home, such as the oak beams. Made by hand, the cabinets are solid wood made from hidrofugal and high density MDF, with the mouldings made from hybrid tulip wood.
The heavy moulding on the doors required several prototypes to be designed and made, as the moulding, door thickness and handles altered how the doors could open and how to ensure function and aesthetics worked together. This level of detailing and craftsmanship is synonymous with our handmade philosophy. This was especially true with the walk-in pantry, where the moulding on the doors created a particular headache that took 4 different protypes to ensure the quality was where I wanted it to be. Add in magnetic catches to keep the doors open and stop them banging – they were a particularly challenging part of the project, though look quite simple. Each door and its moulding was done by hand on the Davonport Beaulieu Door.
Conscious of the size and scope of the room, along with the mezzanine floor that looked over onto the kitchen, careful consideration was given to how the top of the cabinets would look and how they may collect dust. We designed dustboards, including the mantle, that would ensure that a build-up of dust didn’t happen and that they could be easily cleaned and maintained.
With coloured marble/quartz set to be one of the big kitchen trends of 2025, this kitchen is ahead of its time. Featuring a white quartz worktop with gold veining, along with a matching porcelain splashback with the same detailing, it is very much on trend. The warm veining also adds a softer touch and brings richness and depth to the space. Standing at the back of the room, your eyes first hit the view, before being drawn into the worktops which highlight the Davonport cabinets. Matching the style and craftsmanship of the cabinetry, the developer chose high-end appliances – a Miele dishwasher, Liebherr integrated fridge and freezer, Wolf Dual Fuel range cooker.
Ensuring consistency with the rest of the home, I also designed the pantry and utility room to match the kitchen. The pantry was designed to be concealed behind matching cabinetry doors to ensure that there wasn’t a break in flow that distracted from the cabinetry styles.
Lighting played a crucial role in the kitchen, with ambient lighting used as downlighters and where the fluted glass cabinets were. Using lighting in this way, and with fluted glass, would create interesting shapes and shadows that gave the kitchen character, especially at night-time.
Q: Are there any design elements that you’re particularly proud of?
It would have to be the moulded cabinet doors because they took a lot of prototypes to get to the finished result, but it was worth it in the end!
Q: What is the client's favourite part of the finished project?
The client loved the island design and the use of quartz but also how we were able to match it to the porcelain splashbacks so it almost looked like the same material!
