" Tamsin and team were great from start to finish . We found their designs , project skills and support invaluable throughout . We love everything from the small details to the overall look and feel . The kitchen really is the heart of the home and the extension has allowed us to have a wonderful family space that is practical and beautiful ."
PROJECT FOCUS
There ’ s a further bench seat within the kitchen , providing plentiful storage and creating yet another area for the young children to enjoy while their parents keep an eye on them while preparing meals . The kitchen bench was designed in the shape of a giant clothes peg . This lovely bespoke feature evolved out of a solid block of timber that the client was able to source from their family business – a builders ’ merchant .
With a fairly tight budget for the project , the family business came in handy in numerous ways . Offcuts and bits of unwanted wood were transformed into features , while doors were upcycled . There was an emphasis on not wasting wood . Inside the larder door , for example , the timber that was left over from the cut-out for hob was used to carry on the worktop within the larder .
Budgetary constraints also inspired some creative thinking about the window at the end of the kitchen . The client wanted a window that would open . However , glass is expensive , and moveable glass even more so . As such , the ABL3 team came up with the idea to flip the window around . They built a zigzag window with timber cladding and a cat flap , structured so that the timber is the part that opens – a far more cost-effective and imaginative way of meeting the client ’ s brief .
Tamsin Bryant , Architect , ABL3 , recalls : “ This was such a personal project , as the extension was built entirely around the family ’ s lifestyle . The budget inspired us to think creatively about design and materials , ensuring we delivered value at every turn , while creating a really special series of spaces with outstanding attention to detail .”
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