PROJECT: Frensham Villa Kitchen | LOCATION: Frensham | YEAR: 2026

This project involved a full renovation and extension of the kitchen and dining area, with a new orangerie added to the south and the kitchen reconfigured on the northern side. A vaulted ceiling and new windows bring light and scale to the space, while original features have been retained to keep the room connected to the character of the house. The original pantry was also kept in place, refitted with new cabinetry and an undercounter fridge to make the most of the storage it already offered.

The brief was for a kitchen that would blend seamlessly into the Victorian style of the house while still delivering plenty of worktop space for a busy family. A floating island helps the room feel more open and sociable, and an integrated Fisher & Paykel fridge freezer keeps the range cooker as the visual centrepiece without compromising on fridge capacity.

The colour palette is deliberately muted, with the main run finished in Farrow & Ball Stony Ground and the island in Minster Green, one of their archive shades. Natural materials were chosen throughout for the worktops - the main run in a honed Zimbabwe granite and the island in an Arabesque marble, both soft to the touch and supplied and fitted with real expertise by Stoneworx.

Although the pantry provides plenty of storage, the client wanted a small amount of easily accessible food storage within the kitchen itself for everyday items. Her dedicated designer, Victoria, designed a bespoke slim pull-out to sit neatly to the right of the fridge, solving that need without disrupting the clean lines of the run.

Handles from Armac Martin add a slightly eclectic touch, mixing a variety of styles while keeping a consistent aged brass finish throughout. The result is a kitchen that works beautifully for a growing family, balancing period character with everyday practicality.

The Details