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Past & Present

We’ve always loved kitchens, but never actually got around to planning one of my very own before,” says Natalie Phillips. But, after many years spent living and working in both Hong Kong and London, the newly bought home in the Cotswolds countryside gave Natalie and her husband, Adam, an ideal opportunity to create something rather special.
First, though, it was a matter of restoring the Grade II Listed property, built in 1715 but with parts predating 1640. “The house had been well-loved, but, by the time we moved in, it was in a state of disrepair,” explains Natalie. “Really, everything needed to be re-done, and we also had to replace most of the original features that had been ripped out in the 1960’s. Most importantly, it was crying out for some freshness and soul to be put back in,” she adds. Some extensive renovations followed, as full-time mum Natalie and Fund Manager Adam set about making a comfortable and luxurious family home for life with their children Amber (six), Mati (five) and Rafe (two), plus not forgetting their much adored Silke, the Burmese Mountain dog.

Working alongside Peter Yiangou Architects plus Designer and Space Planner Baden O’Connor of BOC Design Chelsea, the couple thought through each room to make it really suited to their lifestyle. Turning their attention to the kitchen, they were able to enlarge the L-shaped area by moving a staircase, to allow for an impressive rectangular room, measuring nine by five metres. “I wanted to feel space, plus have plenty of light,” says Natalie.
Then it was a trip to Lanhydrock, a late Victorian Cornish house, which provided inspiration for the design of the kitchen. “They knew about practicality then,” says Natalie. “I really loved seeing the huge proportions of the furniture: there was a massive table where the food was prepared, and a gigantic range oven,” she recalls. It was the basis of her brief to Bruce Hodgson, MD and Founder of bespoke kitchen company Artichoke. “Although the cook zone was to have modern overtones, I didn’t want

it to seem overly fitted,” explains Bruce. “The idea was to choose furnishings that hark back to the 19th Century, down to the heavy duty look of the chopping block with its straight struts,” he adds.

There was one other important consideration for Bruce to build into his design: the La Cornue range cooker, something that Natalie spotted in a Flamant Interiors book. “I love the way it looks and it’s large enough to allow me to cook for lots of people,” she says. Steel worktops and detailing on the surrounding cabinetry create a semi-industrial feel, while a sense of openness is further enhanced by the lack of wall cupboards.

With the work on the space underway, Natalie and Adam were in for a surprise, however. Their builder lifted a flagstone by the kitchen entrance, only to almost disappear way down a 20ft. hole!
He’d uncovered the original well, fed by a natural spring. So, what to do with such a fabulous find?
Now restored, beautifully lit and topped by safety glass to prevent any more near accidents, it has become quite an attraction in the house. “Everyone is really drawn to looking down it,” says Natalie.
While this discovery emphasised the ancient origins of the beautiful property, it also re-confirmed the couple’s determination to plan their new rooms in keeping with its history. This went right through to the practical pantry and laundry rooms. “It was important to design joinery that related back to the past, without creating a pastiche,” explains Bruce. Natalie agrees, “We wanted a new version of what might have once been here, as well as something robust enough for family life.” Has she got it? “Yes, we absolutely love it!” she smiles.