This is how to do a black kitchen in style

The inspiration for Saoirse and Richard’s new kitchen was sparked by accident, after deciding to remove an Aga cooker from the existing space. ‘I wasn’t particularly confident cooking on it, and once we looked at removing it, we realised how much extra kitchen space we would be able to gain without it,’ explains Saoirse.

The pair then went on to extend the space further, turning what was once a narrow kitchen and dining room into a striking, sociable hub. ‘It’s a very modern-looking kitchen, but we’ve kept a lot of the period features,’ says Saoirse.

The couple worked closely with Kasia Piorko, lead designer at boutique kitchen company Kate Feather, who encouraged them to make bold choices, particularly when it came to the dark mineral worktop.

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‘Kasia had beautiful Caesarstone quartz at the showroom, and we loved it,’ says Saoirse. ‘We wanted to create texture against the black cabinets and white walls, and we thought this option really anchored it all.’

Despite some dark choices, the space rarely feels flat. ‘We wanted to soften the black and white colour scheme – the touches of wood and brass do this beautifully.’

The kitchen also integrates some clever design solutions. ‘I wanted the lighting to be almost invisible, but still provide plenty of light. These aged brass wall fittings were the perfect choice,’ adds about the elegant pendant and wall lights.