IMPROVING NOT MOVING
A stunning country kitchen was installed at a home owned by a family, who decided to improve instead of move
A family in the Ribble Valley had always dreamed of living in a barn conversion but after viewing multiple properties for sale in the area they realised that the house they currently had could be the perfect home – it just needed renovating.
Every property they viewed had something the family liked but not the complete package. One thing that they especially loved in many of the properties they viewed were Simpsons kitchens: “We saw several houses with beautiful Simpsons kitchens and I knew early on that I wanted to buy a property that had a Simpsons kitchen. The problem was that there were other things that weren’t right in the houses we viewed.
“After a huge search we came to the conclusion that we loved where we were and that we could make it the perfect house by renovating it. A major way we could do this was by extending the kitchen and having a Simpsons one installed.”
The family visited Simpson’s showroom at Greenfield Mill in Colne and were immediately blown away by the large range of displays: “The showroom is just amazing. We couldn’t believe it was on our doorstep and we’d never been. It’s so easy to get to at the end of the M65, with free parking. We got so much inspiration from the displays there and loved the fact it is a family-run company.”
The Grantham display immediately caught their eye and Phil Simpson started designing a kitchen that had elements of this and other displays. He made several visits to the house and together with the family, he created a stunning country style kitchen area.
The design process took time and the family believe the true bespoke nature of Simpsons’ kitchens came into play here – every drawer and cupboard was individually designed with a sole purpose and everything that was to fit in cupboards and drawers was individually measured to ensure the perfect fit. The attention to detail was incredible and in some cases, elements were altered upon fitting to ensure it was perfect.
Instead of just a ‘kitchen’ Simpsons created a beautiful kitchen and living area. In addition to the stunning island painted in Farrow and Ball’s French Grey, a large larder cupboard was included together with a bespoke dresser in contrasting European oak. The intricate design on this dresser is simply breathtaking and evokes the wow factor from all who see it.
A quirky element to the design included a sub-zero Wolf wine chiller, which is housed in the supporting brick work pillar and a beautiful curved drinks cupboard.
The truly bespoke nature of the design and fit can be seen in the care and attention that was taken to create areas for the family’s beloved cat Tom. Simpsons created a bespoke seating area for him in the utility room, based on his measurements and even made distinct made to measure areas for his food and cat litter.
The whole renovation was a mammoth task and Simpson’s experience of working with multiple contractors came into play ensuring a smooth process and a speedy turnaround. The whole house renovation took just nine months in total – including building work.
The kitchen area had a large orangery extension that involved removing the supporting back wall and the resulting large space needed careful consideration to ensure it worked and flowed.
The end result is a stunning country kitchen and living space that makes the most of the views of the beautiful adjacent garden. Every millimetre of the space was carefully considered and not only is it a space that is perfect for cooking, it is the perfect family space. The feeling in the room is incredible – it is peaceful, homely, beautiful and cosy. It really has become the heart of this beautifully renovated home.
Simpsons
Greenfield Mill
Colne BB8 9PF
01282 863988
www.simpsonsfurniture.co.uk
