Saltdean, Brighton

Vittoria Oak Rustic & Oiled wood floors provide the perfect layer of warmth to white kitchen design in this Saltdean home

VIT107 Oak Rustic Oiled 190

When Michelle and her husband moved into the property some 14 years ago it was in dire need of renovation. Hardly touched for years, the couple could still see the potential to create their perfect family home so were happy to take on the work. Michelle explains, The house was crying out for some TLC and as soon as we moved in we set about renovating and modernising all of the spaces. With children following on soon after moving in, the one space we did put on hold was the kitchen. I remained patient, extremely patient, and it was 14 years later, and with our two boys now 10 and 14, that we finally got round to the much needed renovation of our kitchen space. The existing kitchen sat at the rear of the home where there was a series of small and quite boxy spaces that had been created from past extensions and configuration changes. We always agreed that whenever we did get round to doing the kitchen we had to open this all up. The best thing we could do would be to start again, add a new rear extension and knock through a few internal walls so we could create a large open plan kitchen area at the back of the home looking out to the garden. With the extension building work underway Michelle started to think about the interior design of the space.

“I had quite a clear vision in my mind from the start. I wanted a white shaker style kitchen and to keep the walls white and bright too. So that this approach didn’t feel too cold though, I wanted to contrast this with a real wood floor that would deliver a lovely layer of warmth throughout the room.”

Michelle contacted a family friend who specialises in the supply and installation of kitchens. Giving him her brief for a white shaker style kitchen he created the perfect design for space, maximising storage and work surface space and incorporating a large central island that all the family could socialise around. For the floors it was seeing a friend’s recommendation on social media that prompted Michelle to contact local flooring company My Wood Flooring. It was so timely. They had left a fabulous review just as I was thinking where do I start with sourcing our new wood floors. I was really keen to find a local company who could listen to my brief, see the space, recommended products and complete the installation. I wanted it to be a seamless process, just like the kitchen. Michelle’s brief for the floors was to find something that would feel quite classic and timeless, but also give a modern and warm feel to the space.

“I really wanted to avoid anything too fussy or ultra-modern, just something quite simple that would sit effortlessly with the shaker style kitchen and also our collection of wood furniture pieces. Of all the samples they brought along to show me the Vittoria Oak Rustic Oiled finish felt the perfect fit.”

Decision made the installation was completed by My Wood Flooring in under a week. My kitchen fitter had already done some work to level out the floors between new and old spaces so they just applied an underlay before the wood floors went down. They did a great job. The finished kitchen is testament to Michelle’s original design vision. The space feels open and bright with the white kitchen cabinets and crisp white walls. New windows and a large patio door running along the back wall of the extension enhance this even more, flooding the space with natural light. A layer of warmth is then added with the classic oak tones of the Vittoria wood floors. The oiled finish, created with UV cured Danish oil, also makes them hard wearing, requiring less maintenance than traditional oiled floors, perfect for the busy family room where two children and the family’s one year old Labrador all add to the footfall. I’m particularly thrilled with how well the wood floors blend with all the different tones of our wooden furniture. These are all unique pieces that we have found over the years visiting local flea markets and antique shops, and the wall art is from a local art dealer. We love finding unique pieces, but we have added a few mainstream touches. Our upholstered island bar seats and the pendant lights are both from Dunelm. I really like how they add some splashes of grey into the colour scheme.”

“We really are so, so pleased with the finished kitchen and absolutely delighted with the flooring. It sets the space off perfectly and is just what I wanted to contrast with the white elements. On a practical note they are really easy to keep clean too. I was worried about the upkeep with the dog and our boys constantly running through the space, but any dirt is so easily vacuumed up and they stay looking like new.”

“It was worth the 14 year wait. We now have the perfect kitchen space to enjoy as a family and I wouldn’t change a thing about it – I love our kitchen, I love our floors and I love our new family room.