Steal This Look: A Verdant London Kitchen with Vintage Inspiration

When creative director Charlotte Simpson and her partner, Gavin, tackled the renovation of their first house, a Victorian terrace in southeast London, they began with the kitchen. With a manhole in the center of the floor, a corrugated plastic roof, and waste plumbing directly through the middle of the room, it was the obvious starting point. Working with Darren Oldfield Architects, they integrated vintage inspiration from hotel interiors, antique potting sheds, and Victorian butcher shops. Here’s a look at the key elements—lime-colored paint included.

Above: The backsplash is made up of zellige tiles: “The ‘Forest’ tile stripe was inspired by images of Victorian butchers,” says Charlotte. Photograph by Belle Daughtry from Kitchen of the Week: A Zesty Combination of Old and New by an Aspiring Interior Designer.
Above: The core kitchen cabinetry is from British Standard with a custom brass rail that runs the length of one side for hanging copper pots and kitchen implements. Photograph by Belle Daughtry from Kitchen of the Week: A Zesty Combination of Old and New by an Aspiring Interior Designer.

Materials

Above: The kitchen cabinets are from British Standard, painted in Citrine (71) from Little Greene.
Above: The kitchen worktops are made from reclaimed Iroko sourced from Retrouvius. Shown here is Iroko wood; read more about the wood as a countertop material in our post Remodeling 101: All About Butcher Block Countertops.
Above: 10 Inch Square Zellige Tiles in 1018 (white) from Mosaic Factory are £124 per square meter.
Above: 10 Inch Square Zellige Tiles in 1003 (green) from Mosaic Factory are £124 per square meter.
Above: The floor tiles are Terracotta Hexagon Tiles from Handmade Terracotta Tile Company; £42.95 per square meter.

Faucets & Fixtures

Above: A similar faucet? The deVol Aged Brass Mayan Taps , a collaboration between deVol and Perrin & Rowe; $880 from deVol. For more options, see 10 Easy Pieces: Traditional English Kitchen Taps.
Above: The Rejuvenation Fireclay Kitchen Sink starts at $1,150. For more options, see our post: 10 Easy Pieces: Apron Front Sinks.

Lighting & Hardware

Above: The the antique cafe lamps seen in the kitchen were sourced from Vinterior. For something similar, try the Luna L-Sconce from Schoolhouse for $299. (To really replicate the look, install it upside down.)
Above: The Small Oval Cupboard Latch is $28 from Rejuvenation.
Above: The Massey Round Cabinet Knob is $14 from Rejuvenation.