Down At The Mill
A colourful, contemporary kitchen brings this restored 17th century water mill back to life.
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When it comes to period features, a 17th century water mill has got it all – history, charm and character. It’s so old, in fact, that the site of Charlie and Avril Payne’s stonewalled home is even listed in the 1086 Domesday Book!
The Grade II listed building had been used to grind up grain until the last century, before falling into neglect. Set in the beautiful Cotswolds countryside, the mill was practically derelict in the 1960s until a local resident lovingly restored it. The mill was then sold on and in August 2003, Charlie and Avril Payne became the proud new owners. ‘Whilst the building itself had been perfectly restored, the interior wasn’t quite to the couple’s taste. The kitchen was very dark and heavy feeling with slate flooring, maple cabinets, dark granite work surfaces and green range cooker. ‘It was done well but not to our taste,’ adds Avril; ‘We either do very old or very modern, so we’ve combined our modern taste with the fabric of an extremely old building.’
Before the kitchen was remodelled, the couple designed a slick new bathroom and sourced their sanitaryware from Swindon company Hobsons Choice, so when it came to designing the new kitchen, Avril and Charlie knew where to look. ‘We liked the people there and they were intrigued by what we were doing,’ says Avril. ‘Our previous home was decorated in really bold shades, so this time we went for a more neutral palette, but with big splashes of colour.’
Their themes for this room are a warm cream called Greige and the aubergine tones of Eggplant, which work perfectly on Bulthaup’s modern b3 cabinetry. The idea was also to create a practical space, as designer Richard Carter explains, ‘The brief was to achieve a space that offered modern, functional cooking and dining. We used matt lacquer as a finish to the furniture fronts, as this always achieves a far softer look to a Bulthaup kitchen.’ The tall furniture was manufactured to a special height to maximise storage and fit the proportions of the room. ‘The wall that the tall units are against runs at quite an angle, so we designed a shaped breakfast bar in elm veneer to help site the tall run to the island, which runs parallel to the rest of the room,’ he explains.
Built-in appliances continue the streamlined look and Avril is delighted with her mix of two single ovens, a steam oven, combination microwave and warming drawer. ‘I love cooking and our new kitchen is brilliantly designed,’ she says. ‘We’ve also got one of those whizzy corner carousels and a fantastic recycling bin under the sink.’
Designer Richard is also fond of this particular project. ‘The wonderful thing about working with Charlie and Avril,’ he reveals, ‘was their enthusiasm to introduce modern design and materials into a space that is so full of character.’ Living within such a historic Grade II listed property does involve a level of duty to the previous owners. Charlie and Avril were able to blend their tastes sympathetically with the building’s original features.
This room could have easily been furnished with a very traditional range of furniture that, for many, would have been the obvious choice. Once the beauty of the architecture or a quirky feature, such as the mill race, has been exposed, a contemporary kitchen can enhance rather than detract from this. And what does Avril think, ‘I’m just thrilled! It’s much lighter and brighter and it works incredibly well. We practically live in this room now as it’s so welcoming and have to remember to go and see other bits of the house!’
