Eltham Dark Gaggenau Kitchen

The clients found piqu on Houzz while buying a house with a tired and dated kitchen. They wanted something completely different: modern, social and dramatic, but still properly designed for cooking.

One of the clients was a chef and loved entertaining, so the kitchen needed to perform as a working space while also creating a strong atmosphere for guests. A dedicated drinks area, Gaggenau cooling, an angled layout and a purpose-made Danish timber top became the defining moves.

The brief

A dated kitchen turned into a modern social space.

The brief was to turn a dated kitchen into a modern, dramatic space with a clear wow factor.

Cooking and entertaining were central to the way the clients wanted to use the room. The design also needed to make space for a large whisky collection, turning storage into a feature rather than hiding it away.

The design response

An angled layout, a drinks area, and a Danish timber top.

The angled layout became one of the most important design decisions. It allowed the space to be used more efficiently while giving the kitchen a more distinctive shape.

The drinks area was treated as a feature in its own right. A marble splashback gives it a richer, more atmospheric feel, while the Gaggenau integrated fridge and wine cooler with stainless steel fronts bring a serious cooling specification into the room.

The thick timber top, purpose-made in Denmark, adds warmth and physical presence against the darker kitchen palette. Dekton was used for the other worksurface, giving the working areas a practical and durable finish.

A signature detail

The dedicated drinks area.

The dedicated drinks area is the project's quiet showpiece. Designed around the client's whisky collection, it turns storage into a moment of atmosphere, with the marble splashback giving the bottles and surfaces a richer backdrop.