Tetbury in Gravel and Seal Grey by Verome Okemo

The client wanted a bigger kitchen space and one that would bring out a modern look. Being an existing house, what they originally had in their old kitchen, was the glossy flat paneled type of kitchen. It was somewhat of a renovation of the old kitchen into a study but an extension/ new build space for the current kitchen in Tetbury.

This didn’t match with the general feel of the house. They were more drawn to Tetbury because of the beading on the doors and the classy yet traditional look that matched their house in Muthaiga estate.

The approach taken to best bring out the details from their brief was by doing a site visit and getting a feel of the space before drawing up the space.

At first, we designed the kitchen in Salcombe but then changed to Tetbury (due to the beading). From the onset we knew that the clients wanted a traditional but modern touch so something with color options to play with would definitely bring that out. We went with In-frame as they are not your normal looking cabinets (thus rare in Kenya) and also the fact that it offered a great range where colors are concerned.

The countertop color created a contrast from the Gravel look which is what we used on the base cabinets whilst bringing out a sleek finish with the beading detailing.

We used Blum soft closing hinges and runners, incorporated accessories within the larder units and carousels in the corner units for ease of access to food items. We used ceramic tiles which kept an intricately patterned blue design to blend in well with the Seal Grey color. To achieve the high end feel of the kitchen, we fitted in a Belfast sink and appliances which were all outsourced from the UK, ensuring quality and standard of this kitchen were in keeping with the complete design.

The client carefully thought through the new kitchen and had a sunroof over the dining area while still having wide windows that overlook the patio & swimming pool. It was imperative to keep ample lighting in the room, bringing out the kitchen to look so elegant and light set against the colors.

Designer Verome tips:

"My advice for someone planning their kitchen whether it be in an overseas home or local, I would advise that you know your own taste and style before approaching a designer, don’t necessarily go for what’s common & safe, research and know what the market has to offer both locally and internationally, engage professionals."