I've seen the light: How a dark and gloomy kitchen in the Scottish Borders was reconfigured for 21st century living
When a family home passed to a new generation, Guild Anderson was asked to create a kitchen suited to modern living.
Despite the high ceilings, a combination of dark wood floors and worktops meant there was little light in the kitchen of this Borders home.
To better reflect 21st-century lifestyles, the planners agreed that the dividing wall and chimney breast could be removed to create one large, light-filled room. The design brief included retaining several existing features, such as the original oil fired AGA, a large, glazed dresser and a staircase leading down to the cellar.
The Guild Anderson team was led by Kate Lawrence-Parr, who designed a bespoke arched mantel over the cooking area with recessed, hand-painted wall cabinets on either side to include a vertical pan cupboard and drawers for baking equipment. A hob and a small sink sit on either side of the AGA.
‘One of the clients is a keen cook, so it was essential that this kitchen not only looks pretty, but functions well and has plenty of storage,’ explains Lawrence-Parr. ‘The cabinetry details take inspiration from the architectural features, such as the existing shutters.’
In the middle is an oak cook’s table with a marble worktop at one end. Traditional peg details and Georgian-style aged brass drop handles from Armac Martin belie modern elements, such as a charging drawer and extra-deep kitchen equipment drawers. On the right-hand wall is a washing-up area with a traditional drying rack hung to drip dry into the sink from Shaws of Darwen.
The cabinets are in Farrow & Ball’s Breakfast Room Green and the tongue-and-groove panelling is in a contrasting pink, Setting Plaster. The aged brass taps are from Barber Wilsons.
For more information visit Guild Anderson's website.
This feature originally appeared in the June 25, 2025 issue of Country Life. Click here for more information on how to subscribe
