This Interior Designer’s Victorian Kitchen Extension Is Full Of Old-Meets-New Character
When we first discovered interior designer Leanne Killroy via Instagram (find her @goodboneslondon – she’s a must follow), we fell head over heels with her Victorian home. She has, amid the chaos of London, achieved a sort of light-filled haven, all white-washed woods and whisper soft neutrals steeped in history but with none of the heaviness.
It was the kitchen – a dark and narrow sliver at the back of the house – that needed most of Leanne’s attention and skill when she first moved in. Despite completely gutting the original space and installing a brand new extension, it looks as if it has always belonged.
This knack for designing in tandem with the heritage and history of a home has informed many of her design choices – the space is full of handsome antiques and the pantry is fronted with reclaimed doors from eBay.
Below, we speak to Leanne about the renovation process, which contained, in her own words, moments of absolute mayhem…
Tell us a little bit about the original kitchen and why you chose to renovate
LK: The original kitchen was very dark, very cold, and full of mould. It lived in the original outrigger part of this old Victorian terraced house – so stuck on the end of the house with a little side return and a garden to the back. The cupboards had probably been installed in the late 90s and was made entirely of unpainted MDF, which had warped and started to rot after 30 years.
As a family we spend nearly all our time cooking, eating and hanging out together, so we knew we’d be completely gutting and extending this space as a first priority when we bought the house. The only things we saved from the space were a very large gas range (which we only just replaced) and the floorboards, which we repurposed upstairs.
The kitchen before and after
Take us briefly through the process.
LK: We had a very good sense of what we wanted in terms of layout. We hired an architect to draw up plans, present all the documentation to the council and tender to builders. We knew we wanted to extend into the side return, and learned that Permitted Development allowed us to also extend the original outrigger by three metres. I played around with potential layouts but always knew that I wanted the kitchen run to sit under a ceiling of glass and to incorporate as much traditionally-styled glazing and height as we could afford. So those were the anchors that guided everything else.
Did you update the layout or flow?
LK: Yes! We completely changed the flow. We achieved great ceiling heights in the two small extensions, so it made sense to make these the parts of the space where people linger. The part that formed the original kitchen (which has a much lower ceiling and less natural light) now houses our coat closet, WC, basement access, pantry, fridge, apothecary and island – essentially, the hardworking storage parts of the kitchen! Unusually, our island sits perpendicular to the kitchen cupboards; this was to accommodate our much-loved pantry which stores all of our essentials and small appliances.
We also connected the kitchen to the ‘middle room’ so there are two points of access between the kitchen and the rest of the house. Circular flow is really helpful from a practical perspective – no dead ends or traffic jams – and to give a sense of spaciousness. It was tricky to figure out practically, as there are five steps down from the entry level to the kitchen level, but this was a non-negotiable for me.
Get the look: the light-filled kitchen extension
Marble Queen pothos
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Le Creuset Signature Casserole Dish
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Unlacquered solid brass hanging rack
Jute Scalloped Runner
Woodhouse Check Cotton Fabric Navy
Edited Life Industrial LED Pendant Light
Did you face any challenges in the process?
LK: So many! But that’s par for the course with renovating these old townhouses. We had issues getting party wall agreements signed, trades going AWOL, our waste pipes blocking up, going spectacularly (terrifyingly) over budget, suppliers withholding install unless we gave them good reviews on Google, you name it! But renovating an old house like this is a huge privilege. My biggest piece of advice to anyone tackling a large project like this would be to stick to your guns, followed by, be prepared for moments of absolute mayhem.
What’s your favourite part of the transformation?
LK: Do I have to pick a favourite?! I would say the amount of natural light and sense of warmth our kitchen now has, and just the fact that it’s the place we all want to be all the time. But specifically, probably the walls of glass that lead to the garden. They’re pretty special.
Is there anything you would change if you were to tackle it again?
LK: I honestly (thankfully) have no big regrets, but I would (and one day will) change the swing of the fridge door! And I’d design a space specifically for charging laptops and mobile phones that’s really accessible but not in constant view.
What was your biggest splurge and best bargain?
LK: Our biggest splurge by far were the windows and doors to the garden. We figured that it was important to make sure the bones of the house were correct and everything else could follow later. As for bargains, I feel like most things were a bargain! Our vintage lighting from Agapanthus, our pantry doors – a lucky eBay find, and our wonderful bespoke island from Monkey & Bird stand out.
What are your favourite pieces in the space?
LK: Our antique apothecary is my very favourite piece of furniture we own, but I also adore our kitchen island and vintage wavy dining bench.
What were the main paint colours used?
LK: Our walls and ceilings throughout the kitchen are School House White by Farrow & Ball and our cupboards are their Shaded White. Our pantry is Muga by Paint and Paper Library.
See more of Leanne’s interior design projects on her website, Good Bones.
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Rachel Edwards is the Style & Interiors Editor for Country Living and House Beautiful, covering all things design and decoration, with a special interest in small space inspiration, vintage and antique shopping, and anything colour related. Her work has been extensively translated by Elle Japan and Elle Decor Spain. Rachel has spent over a decade in the furniture and homeware industry as a writer, FF&E designer, and for many years as Marketing Manager at cult design retailer, Skandium. She has a BA in French and Italian from Royal Holloway and an MA in Jounalism from Kingston University. Follow Rachel on Instagram @rachelaed
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