A Bespoke Kitchen Designed for Open-Plan Family Living
Cresta House Project
Gill and Eugine approached Chapel Lane Furniture as part of an extensive renovation of their home, which included a full-width rear extension designed to transform the way the family used the property.
The new extension created a generous open-plan space incorporating the kitchen, dining and living areas. The brief was to create a kitchen that would feel light, spacious and welcoming while combining the character of traditional furniture with the convenience and functionality needed for modern family life.
Our role was to design and craft a bespoke kitchen that would become the natural heart of the new space – somewhere to cook, entertain, relax and spend time together.
A Kitchen Island at the Heart of the Home
Central to the design is a substantial bespoke kitchen island, carefully proportioned for the new open-plan room.
More than simply a work surface, the island was designed as a multifunctional piece of furniture. It provides generous preparation space, integrated storage and an area for informal seating, making it an important part of both the kitchen and the wider living space.
Its position within the room also gives the kitchen a strong visual centre, helping to define the kitchen area while maintaining the sense of openness created by the extension.
For a busy family kitchen, this combination of practical storage, preparation space and seating makes the island an invaluable part of the design.
Traditional Cabinetry with Contemporary Functionality
The cabinetry was designed with traditional beaded detailing across the doors and drawer fronts, introducing texture and a subtle sense of heritage to the furniture.
The detailing gives the kitchen a classic character without making it feel overly formal. Combined with the generous island and open-plan layout, it creates a balance between traditional craftsmanship and contemporary living.
Every element of the cabinetry was designed specifically for the space, ensuring that storage, proportions and functionality work seamlessly within the new extension.
The result is furniture that feels both beautifully crafted and highly practical – a kitchen designed around the way the family actually lives.
A Bespoke Architectural Canopy
One of the defining features of the kitchen is the large bespoke built-in canopy, designed to house the extractor.
Rather than treating the extractor as a purely functional element, we incorporated it into a substantial piece of cabinetry that gives the kitchen architectural presence.
The canopy creates a strong focal point above the cooking area and helps to give the kitchen the character of a carefully considered piece of furniture.
This type of bespoke detailing is particularly effective in an open-plan setting, where the kitchen needs to look as considered from the dining and living areas as it does from within the kitchen itself.
The Result
The completed kitchen at Cresta House is a bright and welcoming centrepiece within the home's new open-plan extension.
The large island provides a practical hub for cooking, eating and socialising, while the bespoke canopy creates a striking architectural focal point. Traditional beading across the cabinetry adds warmth and character, bringing a handcrafted quality to the contemporary layout.
The finished space successfully combines traditional kitchen design with modern functionality, creating a room that feels equally suited to everyday family life and entertaining.
Above all, it is a kitchen designed to be lived in – generous, practical and beautifully crafted, with the character and individuality that can only be achieved through bespoke furniture.
Bespoke Kitchens by Chapel Lane Furniture
At Chapel Lane Furniture, we design and make bespoke kitchens and fitted furniture for individual homes, creating spaces that combine traditional craftsmanship with contemporary living.
Every kitchen is designed around the architecture of the property, the needs of the client and the way the space will be used – from open-plan family kitchens to more traditional country interiors.
Contact Chapel Lane Furniture to discuss your bespoke kitchen project.
