The Loudwater Kitchen

Once in a while there comes a project that you really would love to do. Perhaps you get on really well with your client, they allow you to use your creative side, or in this case you just want to give a hard working couple a kitchen that they truly deserve void of all of the stesses and straines of project managing it.

( Hopefully we have achieved that at least! )

To some people I am sure, this kitchen does not look so bad. When I first saw it, I had the same thought. Spend some time with it however and nasty surprises spring up all over the place.

It is a very poor use of space, the wiring made us smile, the general layout showed little thought.
The only option, to pull it down and start a fresh.

The door arch and the very small opening in the wall had to go to. This room was crying out to be opened up. The wooden ledge was serving no purpose and was just taking valuable space out of the dining room.

So three acro props later and the remaining wall was removed giving an indication of the space to be.

With all of the brick work gone, most of the cupboards removed, we can start to see the full potential of this space. A light kitchen design with granite worktops and splash backs, complemented with natural stone wall tiles and slate floor tiles. It is going to look great.

Best get started....

With the kitchen re-wired to the new design and the walls getting a new splashing of plaster, we get to the bit that we enjoy. The putting together of all the new items. This couple like to entertain so on the far wall a new double oven, I think they call it a range oven or something. It's pretty big and weighs the same as a small family saloon.

I'll let them shift that one into place then..

Between the kitchen and dining room there will be a small breakfast bar to just give a small sense of seperation between the two rooms.

We have also decided to replace this dividing wall because of the poor way it had originally been constructed. The previous archway had been made out of chipboard flooring and was prone to continuing shrinkage and expansion causing cracks in the paint work.

With the walls now primed, the kitchen units can now be installed and the layout can now begin to reveal itself

What a difference, just by adding a few cupboard doors

Now to add the breakfast bar support

Now for the part that I know that Mel and Adam have been waiting for. The arrival of their new granite work surfaces. Complete with upstands and window sill they really were worth waiting for. They look fantastic.

I really do like this kitchen, I did have my doubts about tile choices, but I have to say that it looks truly amazing. I am pleased that Mel ( with a little bit of pushing from Adam ) took my advice and added a contrasting colour on the far wall. Great choice of colour blends in beautifully.

The tall door handles, the granite tops, natural stone wall tiles all add to the final finish. You can not deny, it looks top drawer.

I have to shake Dave by the hand on this floor, The natural slate looks beautiful and it really compliments this kitchen.
Not one tile was the same size, thickness or colour, Dave hand picked the best matching for colour, then cut them all to size with an angle grinder and then got the levels spot on with various depths of adhesive. A long patient job, but what a result. Fantastic job.

The Franke sinks look smart and blends in well. Fitted with brushed a metal tap with a pull out mixer is matches the rest of the fittings.

With just a few small finishing details to add, Dave and I are both really proud of this one. The more I look at this kitchen the more I admire the amount of work and care that went into it. It seemed to be along way away sometimes but it is always just a matter of time. Good results are worth waiting for, this is proof of that.

Mel & Adam, what can we say, your patience and enthusiasm has been of the scale. Mel, I know this because when you get excited you break the three hundred words per minute barrier and Adam says " fantastic " more that five times in a sentence!! It is this kind of enthusiasm that gives Dave and I the most rewarding feeling of a job well done.

I am not sure if you will be able to look at another ready meal for a while, but now that you have the oven you at least have a choice. I hear that Mr India is good this time of year if you consider your kitchen too good to use.

Thanks for the drink that you bought us, ( even if it did take too long to get the right stuff! ) must of cost a small fortune. Thanks also for that special day when we releaved you both of some choc chip cookies.

Thanks again for making all of this possible. We are truly delighted to of done this for you both, as I said before, If anybody deserves a " proper " job then you two do and I believe you have that and much more.

Thanks again, Dave & Ray the Twin & Earth team.




P.s Mel, I know you really like this kitchen and I know you like to spend alot of time standing in. Don't panic! it will be there tommorrow.