How PAD London designed a calm, functional kitchen with seamless flow

Rachelle Haddad, designer & project manager at London-based kitchen company PAD, reveals how she went about creating a soothing space with clean lines, clear surfaces and an intuitive layout. Photos by Chris Snook.

Q: What type of property was it in and who was the project for?
A: This contemporary kitchen space was designed for a homeowner who lived in South East London who lived in a heritage-style detached home. The original layout featured a divided space between the kitchen and the dining room which is still positioned where it is after our design work but had been separated from the kitchen with a partition wall, which meant that original access to the dining room was only possible through the kitchen.

To begin the process, the clients reconfigured the space by extending approximately one metre into the garden, to create a wider, more open room. Large Crittall-style bifold doors were added to significantly improve the natural light.

Q: What was the brief from the client for this project?
A: The original kitchen layout did not function well for the homeowners as they loved to socialise and flow together in an open space. The cabinetry had been grey and old-fashioned, and the kitchen island was too small and positioned too far from the hob, resulting in inefficient use of the space and poor workflow. The original utility room, while equipped with a sink, washing machine and tumble dryer, lacked sufficient and well considered storage.

Once the building works were completed, the brief to PAD London was to create a kitchen in the new open-plan space with a large island, an integrated coffee machine, a social bar area on their wish-list alongside a design that would bring a ‘place for everything’. There was an existing utility space but it needed remodelling and updating and formed part of the brief.

The homeowners wanted the space to have function, colour cohesiveness to suit her taste and keep everything off the worktops to keep the space clutter free. The coffee machine was essential to be hidden, the client likes to cook a Sunday roast from time to time, so two ovens was the preferred route with one of them having a microwave function. The clients do not freeze food so a single fridge for daily fresh food was their preference so we were able to keep their existing one.

They also wanted the island to be kept clear for food preparation and entertaining, whilst having a separate section for a bar for their drinks and wine fridge.

Q: How did you go about meeting the brief?
A: We decided to keep the island clear so it would be a place for food preparation, serving and social seating showcasing it as a statement in the space with an attractive waterfall design feature. We then created an attractive bar area in the same space as they liked to host parties and integrated the dining room joinery to match the kitchen. Initially the client wanted the cabinetry to be in a modern in a neutral tone, but they saw examples of how we could create elegant green cabinetry, they decided that a vibrant pop of colour would add character.

We kept the tall run on the right of the run where the existing sat previously to keep the rest of the space open and to not block the light and function. We placed the hob central to the same run which sat centrally and the sink was placed central to the window to create the wet zone. The island was filled with drawers for ample storage whilst creating L-shaped seating for socialising. We designed a bar to sit between the utility room and the garage door to house their new wine fridge and drinks display.

The appliances were carefully considered to balance performance with a clean, streamlined aesthetic. We included a Bora venting hob to eliminate the need for overhead extraction and two Siemens ovens were incorporated to provide flexibility when entertaining. A Caple wine fridge was integrated within the bar area, while a Quooker boiling tap and Franke tap combination enhances everyday functionality at the sink. We designed a dining table to match the worktops to keep a cohesive look which sat on a brass table leg keeping everything uniform.

Internal storage and making sure everything had a home was a key design consideration. We placed a pull-out cabinet besides the hob to house all of the cooking oils, 2 large sets of drawers on the island which was excellent for all serving-ware. The tall larder was designed to place all dried foods which was easily accessible from the cook zone and close to the fridge.

Q: What type of cabinetry did you choose and what made it the perfect choice?
A: For the cabinetry, we choose PAD’s handleless Slab in a Eucalyptus Painted Finish from our Belgravia range adding touch of subtle sophistication with our brass handleless rail system. The Quartz 20mm Calacatta Gold worktops complemented the cabinetry. The clients wanted a handleless kitchen as they preferred the sleek look.

Q: What were the particular challenges that you faced?
A: We wanted to ensure that the dining room furniture matched the kitchen joinery without it looking like a kitchen. For example, we designed  dining table made from quartz with attractive brass legs that matched the kitchen worktops. As the clients liked harmony in the space, and for everything to be intentional without feeling overwhelming, we had to consider there was a lot of space to fill whilst maintaining the clean aesthetic. The blueprint of the space was clear when you see the space and it really helped create the zoning along with keeping the function and aesthetics to what the clients wanted.

Q: Are there any design elements that you’re particularly proud of?
A: The overall aesthetic and flow of the design – I love the dining table, the walk in utility cabinet and how the balance of the colours and materials really complement each other to ensure a harmonious, social space.

Q: What is the client's favourite part of the finished project?
A: That there is a sense of calm when they walk into the space – and everything has its place. They also love the balance of the colours and the how the open space overlooking the rear garden when you walk in keeps everything feeling serene.