The couple reframed a misfortune as an opportunity to build a dream kitchen

Two weeks before Alice and Charlie Huntingford were to be married at their country home, the farmhouse where Alice grew up, a fire caused by an electrical fault devastated the property. Luckily, the family were safe, but they lost almost everything.

With impressive resilience, the couple reframed this misfortune as an opportunity to achieve their dream home.

‘We’d always planned to remodel the old-fashioned interior of the house, especially the kitchen,’ explains Alice. Now, they were able to start from scratch.

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While they wanted the outside of the house to remain traditional, inside, they dreamed of timeless yet characterful kitchen ideas.

‘We worked with Hush Kitchens, and founder Chris Spink was willing to try new ideas,’ says Alice. The kitchen consists of an L-shaped run of units and a large kitchen island with quartz worktops and cabinetry painted a striking green.

‘At first we panicked because it felt brighter than expected,’ says Charlie. ‘But we soon realised that it’s an uplifting kitchen colour.’

The pristine white Aga fits in with the traditional look of the kitchen, but with a smart, fresh feel.

As a foil to the solid wood cabinetry, a copper worktop and sink on the island create richness and warmth. And, precious items salvaged from the fire, such as pottery belonging to Alice’s mother and grandmother and original butler’s bell buttons, add a personal touch.

Metallic finishes, from the island surface to the taps, add warmth to the crisp white and green scheme.

‘We couldn’t be happier with how it’s all turned out,’ says Alice.

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