Mr & Mrs Oliver

Set within a beautifully renovated Georgian townhouse in Edinburgh's West End, the brief was to create a contemporary kitchen that would make the most of the room's generous proportions while remaining sympathetic to its original character.

With soaring ceilings, intricate cornicing, detailed wall panelling and tall sash windows, the room already possessed a strong architectural identity. The challenge was to introduce a substantial, highly functional kitchen without allowing the cabinetry to compete with these existing features.

The design also needed to respond to the way the homeowners use the space. Cooking and preparation required a generous, well-organised working area, while entertaining called for a dedicated drinks and serving zone. The kitchen needed to accommodate both functions comfortably, allowing them to work independently while remaining connected through the central space.

At the heart of the brief was the desire for a kitchen that felt contemporary and sophisticated, but not overly stark or disconnected from the warmth and character of the home. Materiality, colour and texture would therefore be central to the design, creating a considered relationship between the new kitchen, the original architecture and the wider interior.