We’re often asked what our favourite kitchen design project is. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to name just one because each bespoke kitchen design is entirely different. Our client’s needs, specifications and dreams determine how we approach each space, and as bespoke kitchen designers, each step of our process is unique.
Having given the ‘official’ answer, we do, however, have a few favourites that our design team loves. The following three kitchens are Papilio’s favourites for a hybrid of reasons. We’ve selected the Richlite, Bruton and Fulham kitchens because they are so distinctively different and exciting. Each kitchen design project is the result of innovation, the architectural structure of the home itself, our client’s wishes, and the materials that we use.
Fulham Kitchen
We worked in a Victorian townhouse in Fulham, London, in our most recent bespoke kitchen design. The kitchen extension was architecturally designed to maximise natural light, and contemporary triple glazed Crittall windows were installed to span the entire wall facing the garden. Our inspiration was the natural light, but also Scandinavian style. Clean lines with hand-laid oak veneers were chosen for contrast and paired with the vibrance of the centre cabinets in Francesca’s Paints Rebecca’s Red colour and a muted grey blues. We designed and produced bespoke cabinets with beautiful hand-cut joints with precision detailing. The Scandinavian style kitchen’s finishing touches included the extremely rare Grey Grigio Di Luna Marble, state-of-the-art appliances by Bora and Miele.
Richlite Kitchen
In our Richlite Kitchen project, we had the opportunity to work with a mix of engineered and natural materials. We used the rather wonderful Richlite, which is essentially made from paper. The engineered material is at the height of innovation, as durable as wood and comes in various finishes. Central to the design of this bespoke kitchen was the feature kitchen island. We like to think of it more as a sculpture than a piece of furniture. It was cut by hand from a single oak section, allowing the grain to weave its way along the entire length of the wood. The Papilio design team embraced using a hybrid of innovative and expertly sourced materials to make the Richlite Kitchen entirely unique.
Bruton Kitchen
Our Bruton Kitchen project is another favourite of the team at Papilio because we got to work with a lovingly restored family home in Bruton Somerset that dates back to the 1600s. Our brief was to create an atmospheric space bursting with character and warmth. The bespoke kitchen needed to be practical yet beautiful but with a contemporary edge. We designed a sizeable free-standing kitchen island and hand-painted it in a sunny yellow tone to highlight the original wooden beams and stone floor. Our kitchen design team sourced a huge ancient elm timber to accentuate the natural grain for the hand-finished worktop. Along the sink run, semi-glazed wall cabinets painted in Edward Bulmer’s ‘Lilac Pink’ with 1970s style sliding doors provide a retro feel to the room. The addition of a Belfast style sink and stunning brass Lefroy Brooks tap paired beautifully with the magnificent Belgium Blue Limestone worktop with million-year-old fossils.
To say that we’re proud of our bespoke kitchens would be an understatement. Every day we are amazed and challenged by our clients and are lucky enough to put our ideas, expertise and knowledge into every kitchen that we design.
