This couple decided to modernise the rear of their Brighton home, so we borrowed a few minutes of homeowner Lisa’s time to discuss the warm and cosy kitchen makeover…
Just a pebble’s throw from Brighton’s iconic Palace Pier, down a relaxed residential road, sits the home of Lisa and her husband (plus their Bengal cat Snoops); a 1930s property where they’ve lived happily for more than 30 years. While their two grown-up sons left home a while ago, they recently decided it was time to modernise the rear of their home – which had a separate kitchen and dining room, complete with the classic hatch connecting the two spaces.
“We wanted a larger kitchen with more preparation space as we both enjoy cooking, so took the plunge to embark on an extension and a remodel of the back of the house,” Lisa tells me.
To do this, they turned an existing double-length garage, which was too narrow for modern cars, into a separate utility room and new study. They also extended out into the garden to create a new conservatory and open-plan kitchen-living-diner, which includes a cosy reading nook, too.
The kitchen design
When it came to the kitchen design, the couple turned to Harvey Jones. “Anna Marksén-Roche, our design consultant who is based in Harvey Jones’ Bournemouth showroom, was excellent in guiding us with the layout, which was quite tricky as the room has lots of doors in it,” she says.
The solution was to create one long run of cabinetry, painted in a soft neutral shade, which incorporates a fridge, storage, as well as a large range cooker and butler sink. A beautiful marble splashback in green and grey tones creates another layer of interest. Opposite sits a sociable island, with a contrasting white worktop and bright blue cabinetry. Reeded glazed fronts then face the dining area, creating the appearance of a sideboard from this angle.
“I didn’t want the kitchen to seem too clinical or look like a showroom,” says Lisa. “Our old kitchen had Shaker cabinets (installed 20 years ago), and we wanted to go for something similar and timeless as we still liked them. We also had some existing Swedish antique furniture, artwork, and ceramics – so the colours and style were chosen to tie in with these.”
Looking back…
Now the project is complete, Lisa likes to think her kitchen is ‘homely, unique and welcoming.’ “The process was stressful at the time, as we lived at the property for the entire build, except for a few days when the ceiling in the hall had to be removed,” she reminisces.
“It was made easier by having a lovely builder and his son, who managed the project very well. We had a temporary kitchen put in a bedroom, complete with a mini dishwasher and washer dryer, and at one stage wondered if we should keep it that way; it was very cosy and we had a lovely view of the back garden,” she laughs.
Now that it’s all complete, I’m sure she’s glad they didn’t follow through with that idea.
Photography: Anna Stathaki | Styling: Louise O’Bryan
This house tour was featured in the June 2025 issue of Kitchens Bedrooms & Bathrooms magazine.
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