Bermondsey

Set on the southern banks of the Thames, this three-story 1980s home posed an intriguing challenge. The kitchen occupied a walled-off corner of the first floor living room and the owner was keen to remove the wall and open up the space. Building Control, however, required that the kitchen had to be separated in some way from the open staircase beside it, for reasons of fire safety.  To resolve this apparently intractable obstacle, Uncommon Projects devised a ‘storage screen’ fitted with shelving for glasses and sliding doors that could be closed to separate the kitchen from the rest of the living room. This addition opened up the space while also meeting building control’s stipulations, as well as giving the client valuable extra living-room storage in the form of a cupboard and open shelf.

Matte-black laminated U-shaped plywood kitchen
 

In bright laminates, the sliding doors introduce a bolder touch of character to the space (not out of place in a 1980s building), complementing the matt black laminate doors, the oak veneer of the cabinets, and the bright white Corian worktops.

Uncommon Projects’ new design has dramatically increased the amount of storage space available to the clients – keen cooks who were running out of room to keep their cookery books and accessories – while also transforming the kitchen area from dark corner to integral part of the living space. Standing at the hob, clients can now look across the living room and enjoy the river view as they cook.

U-shaped plywood kitchen with integrated bookshelf and glasses shelf
Plywood storage screen into kitchen
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Plywood cabinetry and shelving with a bowl of lemons next to a sink
Modern U-shaped plywood kitchen with white worktops and integrated dual oven
Kitchen plywood glasses cabinet open
Plywood glasses cabinetry with red and orange sliding doors
Closed storage cabinetry finished with orange and red sliding doors
Modern living area with plywood bookcase and log burner next to dining table
Matte-black kitchen cabinets next to oven
Plywood storage screen with white worktop featuring a bowl of citrus fruits and a blender