Square footage: 15 square meters, or about 160 square feet
Budget: £140,000 for exterior and interior scope (approximately $194,000)
The objectives of the renovation were to open the kitchen up to views of the rear garden to introduce natural light and to create a new kitchen and dining area where the homeowners would want to spend their time.
FRENCH+TYE / FRENCHANDTYEMain ingredients:
Cabinets: Custom designed and fabricated by the contractor
Cabinet cladding & backsplash: Formica laminate
Kitchen floors: Rubber flooring roll from The Colour Flooring Co.
Countertops: Corian
Kitchen wall & ceiling cladding: Birch plywood
Exterior furniture: EWI Pro Silicone Render & Paint
Exterior lighting: Custom designed and fabricated
Exterior stucco render: EWI Pro Silicone Render
Exterior flooring: Conica from Outdoor Wet Pour
Exterior floor paint: Johnstone’s Stormshield External masonry paint
Pop art, with its themes of challenging traditions and use of bright colors, along with the sensuous forms of furniture design, were touch points of inspiration for the project.
FRENCH+TYE / FRENCHANDTYEMost insane splurge: The custom cabinetry in the kitchen. “This was designed from scratch and built by the contractor to be super functional in a small space. Every pot, pan, and spoon was accounted for and designed within the space,” Richard says.
Sneakiest save: Painting the ground at the rear yard area, which created a dynamic pattern that stylistically connected the garden to the extension and the interior of the kitchen. Richard describes it as “the most impactful intervention at the least cost.”
The best part: Working with clients who are willing to explore design opportunities and push boundaries. “Our best projects are working with clients that are part of the design team,” Richard acknowledges.
What I’d never do again: “Not hold back on design,” Richard says. It’s critical for the firm to fully understand their clients: the things they love, who they are as people, and what makes them unique.
Final bill: “The final bill was £125,000 (about $173,000) including all professional fees,” Richard says. Exterior work was about £12,000; the kitchen came in at about £26,000; windows and glazing was about £9,000; and electrical work was £10,000.