A Kitchen Peninsula in Cambridge

Kitchen islands are now a frequent fixture in many modern kitchens, but have you heard of a peninsula? That’s exactly what Refresh Renovations incorporated into this kitchen design and install – and the results are truly stunning.

A modern traditional kitchen renovation

What is a Kitchen Peninsula?

A kitchen peninsula is similar to a kitchen island in terms of layout in a kitchen, but is attached to the wall of the room at one point. In this case of this Cambridgeshire kitchen, the original design saw the kitchen worktop space run along just one wall of the room in an open-plan fashion; so the installation of a lengthy peninsula had the purpose of not just increasing practical and functional space but also in zoning the room nicely. The new peninsula unit overlooked a dining room area, allowing for socialising and conversation between diners and chef, and onwardly looked out into the garden through large sliding doors.
Kitchen peninsulas are often used as additional seating areas, much like their island equivalents, and although at this time, this one isn’t being, the option remains for the homeowners to pull up appropriately-sized stools to either side of the unit.
In this case, a utility room was installed at the end of the kitchen peninsula to square off what was otherwise an oddly shaped room and to provide more practical function for the homeowners. A simple white door separates the two.

Letting in light with patio doors and a skylight

Incorporating Additional Light Sources

Installing a new kitchen peninsula would technically remove floorspace from the room and increase the feeling of crowdedness within, despite adding practical countertops for use. This meant the Refresh Renovations design team avoided dark colours (which have a tendency to close rather than open the aesthetics of a space) and instead flood the room with light.
This was achieved through the installation of new skylights adjacent to the kitchen in the extended roof space above the dining table. These skylights allowed natural sunlight to flood through the room even on a cloudy day and was immediately reflected off from the white interiors within. Furthermore, spotlights were installed in the kitchen above the newly created ‘alley’ between the primary kitchen units and the peninsula. All light sources were then firmly complemented by the large glass doors leading out into the garden, bringing a real sense of the ‘outside, in’.
The result is a stunningly vibrant, bright room – that despite appearances, really isn’t the huge kitchen-diner it seems. No matter the size, this renovation delivers a fantastic prep, cooking, dining and socialising area for the homeowners and will undoubtedly have added significant value to the property overall.

A modern take on the traditional shaker style kitchen

The Finishing Touches

As new owners of the home, Refresh’s clients were keen for an entirely new remodel of the kitchen to modernise, brighten and inspire in their new living space. Taking the bull by the horns and running with this fresh opportunity to shine, the Refresh Renovations kitchen design team set to work.
Choosing to install white units with chunky light-coloured wooden worktops gave a country chic feel that kept things bright; with integrated lighting under the upper cupboards to reflect back from the countertop surfaces. Vertically-installed ovens make great use of available space with smart storage offered through cabinets and cupboards both above and below head height.
The kitchen peninsula has a full range cooker installed as well as varying sizes of drawers and cupboard for an impressive amount of storage throughout. The fixtures and fittings were all installed to match the door handles in a rose-hued copper, further complemented through appliances and utensils throughout. The result is a cohesive design statement that remains smart and contemporary yet classical – not a ‘trendy’ design that is likely to go out of style any time soon, but rather something considerably more long-lasting.

A Risk Taken

The entire kitchen refit project took just six weeks of the Refresh Renovations’ team time, from start to finish – managed throughout by Renovation Consultant, Simon Kelliher. However, the homeowners were so keen to get started and begin sculpting the home of their dreams that they briefed the team for the design phase of the renovation without even having exchanged on the property purchase! Thankfully, this risk paid off and the homeowners were able to complete, move in and realise the benefits of their new kitchen within just weeks as a result. A risk, but one well worth taking.

Onward Issues with another Renovation

The kitchen sits directly below the home’s main bathroom, which was designed and installed by another renovation company and their plumbers. While the room looks great, and the homeowners are certainly pleased with it, several leaks from the new bathroom have occurred since – leaking directly through onto the new kitchen.
This has seen some disruption to the new kitchen, with the ceiling having to be repaired and redecorated several times since its renovation (which is clearly visible on photos). However, the kitchen remains in use daily and the leaks did not impact on Refresh’s project timeline; with the whole renovation delivered on-time, to budget and with fantastic results.

End-to-End Project Management

You know what they say: moving into a new home is as stressful as divorce or death… and that’s before homeowners embark on full remodels and renovations, and have their kitchen ceiling as a result of faulty plumbing! The Refresh Renovations approach to full end-to-end project management left the homeowners assured of a second-to-none service and allowed them to apply their attention to settling in, unpacking and dealing with the unexpected consequences of another company’s remodelling-gone-wrong. Project Manager Simon Kelliher and his team of expert renovation specialists and contractors were able to design, source, install and build this new kitchen and utility room with minimal disruption to the homeowners.
If you’d be interested in learning more on how your oddly-shaped rooms could be redesigned, a kitchen remodelled or an island or peninsula installed, get in touch with the Refresh Renovations team. The possibilities are endless – you’ll be surprised what can be achieved even in a small or difficult space!
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