The Nottingham kitchen that honours a home's remarkable 19th century resident
The owner of this former lacemaker’s house in Nottinghamshire enlisted the help of the team at deVOL.
Tucked away in a pretty Nottinghamshire village, this house was built by a lacemaker who helped to transform Nottingham’s city centre into the global hub of the trade in the 19th century.
The owner approached Emma Wraithmell of deVOL to help create a kitchen that reflected that history. ‘She was adamant that it was about restoring, rather than renovating the space and that would start with using unfitted furniture,’ explains the designer.
During preparation work, an old floor covering was removed to reveal the original Victorian red-and-blue quarry tiles that were once the standard choice for kitchens, sculleries and entrance halls. They informed the colour of the cabinets, which are from deVOL’s Shaker-inspired range and painted in the company’s Refectory Red with worktops in black granite. These are set against lime-washed walls in a warm burnt sienna to give a raw and unfinished feel. ‘The idea was to make it look as if this kitchen could’ve been there for decades,’ says Wraithmell.
A two-oven Aga stands in the chimney breast, behind which is a splashback made in tiles from the company’s Lace Market Tiles in sepia. By the window is a double sink with taps in aged brass. The lace café curtain is another nod to the past; it was sourced by the owner. A plate rack from the company’s Heirloom range, also painted in Refectory Red, displays collections of plates. In the centre of the room is a Victorian prep table, which was also the owner’s discovery.
The Real Shaker Kitchen by deVOL starts from £12,000.
This feature originally appeared in the July 15, 2026, issue of Country Life. Click here for more information on how to subscribe.
