Old Hospital House Kitchen

Old Hospital House is a beautiful, warm and inviting family kitchen designed and made by Sylvan Design, a kitchen maker based in Horsham. It was designed with time spent together in mind: a relaxing morning coffee, or a long chat with friends around the central island.

The colours set the tone. The cabinetry is painted in Farrow & Ball Shaded White, a soft white with warmth in it, and the central island in Paint & Paper Library Plimsoll, a deep, dark colour that gives the island real weight. Keeping the darker colour to the island puts that depth in the middle of the room, where people gather, while the cabinetry around the edges stays light and soft. A white with warmth avoids the cold look a brilliant white can give, which suits a kitchen with oak floors and brass.

Brass and oak complete the scheme. The cabinetry has antique brass cup handles, a traditional design whose antique finish softens the shine of the metal, and a Quooker tap in brass picks up the same material at the sink. A Quooker gives boiling water straight from the tap, which is useful in a kitchen planned around coffee and conversation. Both paint colours complement the brass and the oak floors, adding to the warmth of the space.

Storage is both practical and decorative. A glazed dresser adds display storage behind glass, and a long run of deep drawers gives practical everyday storage, since deep drawers pull out so that their contents are easy to see and reach.

Choices like these are made together at the design stage, when we give guidance on materials, finishes and appliances. Sylvan Design designs and makes bespoke kitchens like this one in its workshop near Horsham, West Sussex, for homes across Surrey, Sussex, Kent and London.