Country house with urban edge and contemporary kitchen in raw concrete and blackened steel

Natural, raw materials are typically featured in country homes, but this new kitchen takes a somewhat different approach.

Rather than designing a kitchen with a lot of natural warm timber, Guy Shallard of Formatt Bespoke Joinery chose to frame key elements in raw concrete and structural steel.

Shallard says the owners came from a large, traditional country house, and although they wanted a modern home, they didn't want to sacrifice all sense of tradition.

"The design was always going to be a balance," he says. "We needed to provide every modern convenience and crisp materials and finishes, but it was also important to keep some traditional references."

The designer says that the architecture helps the gabled roofs are reminiscent of a traditional country house. The high raked ceilings also allow a very spacious, airy interior.

"When it came to the use of materials, I took my cue from the house, which features a lot of steel. I incorporated this into the kitchen. Here, it forms a decorative front to drawers on the long island. The steel was finished with iron paste the treatment was rubbed on and then buffed off to get the required look. Steel also forms the shelving above the cooking centre."

The entire island is framed by raw concrete, which was poured on site and lifted into place by a mini crane. The concrete retains the patterning of the formwork. Concrete also forms the splashback.

A deep benchtop of black granite is sandwiched between the concrete framework on the island, contrasting the rough with the smooth. In keeping with its sophisticated look, the granite forms a raised bar top that's ideal for serving food and drinks. The rest of the island and rear benchtops feature 5mm stainless steel plate that creates a fine, crisp edge detail.

"The wall cabinetry is framed with structural steel continuing the industrial look of the monochromatic colour palette," says the designer. "The tall doors at either side of the unit are inset with stainless steel plate that's similar to the benchtops."

Functionality was also high on the agenda. The tall cabinets on the left side at the rear accommodate pantry storage. A similar cabinet on the right, with pull-out shelving for plates and glasses, is positioned next to the oven tower.

"The kitchen has a wealth of storage, with a lot of this provided within the island," says Shallard. "There is also a separate scullery that can be closed off from view with sliding doors. The owners undertake all the food preparation in this part of the kitchen, where there is a refrigerator and a separate sink."

To provide further visual continuity, an extended fire surround at the opposite end of the room features similar raw concrete, blackened steel and black-stained American white oak panels.

Stone floor tiles also help to tie the spaces together visually.

Story by: Colleen Hawkes

Photography by: Jamie Cobel