Essential Kitchen Bathroom Bedroom – April 2013

Open-plan living has come of age and there is no turning back. Advances in technology and state-of-the-art heating systems mean we can knock down walls, let the light flood in and create a living space that is fluid and works efficiently for modern family life. With a redesigned kitchen you really can create a renewed sense of family unity and wellbeing. It started with the construction of luxury apartments in our cities and then all of a sudden the back of large Georgian and Victorian country houses across the land adopted this new way of utilising space. Now, instead of just kitchen and dining rooms being knocked into one, we demand an area to relax in with a TV and a desk for our computer – but all stylishly put together with an overwhelming feeling of order. This month we look at an effective way to achieve this structural open-plan blank canvas for a new kitchen living space. By adapting the traditional conservatory to be part of the fabric of the house, we can create not only a vast internal living area, but a functional zone that seamlessly blends with the gardens beyond. Glass Sided Rooms (p97) showcases the myriad options available, from beautiful classical structures to the absolute latest in vast modern architectural glass structures that proudly announce their 21st Century heritage. Our real kitchen case studies this month continue the theme of open-plan living, yet each has its own unique character. Open House (p26) shows how effectively a classic Victorian house can be ‘opened up’ sensitively. Digging Deep (p50) showcases an Edwardian house that has utilised the space in the basement and The Art of It (p64) shows how it’s possible for an extension on an Arts and Crafts house to look original, and yet still fulfil all the modern functions we demand. Then we head across the North Sea to Denmark to see how the Chief Designer at Vipp (p38) has transformed a disused pencil factory into a stunning apartment overlooking the harbour for his family. Enjoy!