How to transform a Victorian kitchen with bold colour and Georgian-style joinery

A Plain English Georgian kitchen.

(Image credit: Antony Crolla)

This kitchen was created as part of the refurbishment of a Victorian farmhouse in the Shropshire countryside that had previously lain empty for a decade. ‘The owners wanted a room with an authentic feel, as if it’s always been part of the house, with a sense of warmth and homeliness suitable for a young family,’ says Tracey Hyde of Plain English.

‘I wanted to allow the beauty of the reclaimed herringbone floor to shine’

Rather than a classic island, the designer placed a work table as the central feature of the room:

‘I wanted to allow the beauty of the reclaimed herringbone floor to shine.’ Painted in Drab Colour SC231 by Papers and Paints and topped in untreated oak, reminiscent of a scrubbed farmhouse table, it provides the main preparation area of the kitchen.

‘Unlike a traditional overmantel, with sides that drop to the work surface, this has a floating appearance, designed to introduce a more modern feel’

Classic cupboards and drawers flank an Aga, with an extractor concealed in a chimneybreast. ‘The canopy makes a focal point,’ explains Tracey. ‘Unlike a traditional overmantel, with sides that drop to the work surface, this has a floating appearance, designed to introduce a more modern feel.’

'It pays to be brave with colour, because it always creates such impact'

Perhaps most important to the success of the scheme is that every-thing – including the cupboards, doors, window frames and walls – is painted in Army Camp, a deep olive-green from the Plain English paint collection. ‘It pays to be brave with colour, because it always creates such impact. Here, not only does the all-over colour produce a sense of calm, it also ensures that the eclectic mix of materials – such as the brass lights, copper pans and Arabescatto marble worktops – contrasts beautifully with the backdrop.’

Credit: Melanie Johnson

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Amelia Thorpe is a design and interiors journalist and regular contributor to Country Life. She spent the first half of her career book publishing, before jumping the fence to become a writer — a role that she adores. Amelia lives in London with her husband and two roguish dogs.