Modern Grey Kitchen
Kirkella

The project came through the architects responsible for the new build. The client had invested seriously in the house and wanted a kitchen to match: sleek, modern and finished in a neutral grey tone that would sit quietly within the architecture rather than competing with it. The introduction came via the architects at ID Architecture, and the brief was very clear from the start, which meant the conversation could focus on getting the details right.

The layout follows three linear runs, with the island as the dominant feature of the space. Being a new build, the installation required careful advance planning. Measurements for height, width and depth all had to be established and committed to before the building was complete, coordinating with the main contractor to ensure the kitchen could be fitted properly once the space was ready.

The cabinetry is Häcker in a Pearl Grey finish (Top Soft Pearl Grey), with true handleless doors giving the kitchen its clean, unbroken lines. The worktop specification for the island was Corian Grey Onyx in a white and grey-veined colour, chosen specifically because of the island’s size. At 3.7 metres, any other worktop material would have required a visible join. Corian can be thermoformed and jointed seamlessly at that scale, and the waterfall gables to both ends of the island could be mitered cleanly without compromise. It was the practical answer to a practical problem, and it reads as the most visually resolved element of the room. 

Appliances are Neff throughout, including an oven and combination microwave oven and warming drawer, larder fridge and larder freezer, an integrated dishwasher and integrated large-capacity bins. A venting hob sits on the island with an undermount stainless steel sink with a Quooker on the back run. Feature lighting is integrated throughout the kitchen. The tall cabinet runs are clean and uninterrupted, with larder units providing storage without the pull-out drawers that would compromise the sleek design. 

Some time after the kitchen was installed, the combination microwave oven developed a fault. When Neff attended to investigate, it became clear that the main contractor had failed to install a wall vent behind the unit as agreed. The appliance had not been given adequate ventilation, which caused the problem. Neff charged the client accordingly. 

The client, understandably, came back to Samuel Neal. Sam’s position was straightforward: the vent should have been there, the client should not be out of pocket because of a contractor’s error, and the right thing to do was to cover the cost. It was not Samuel Neal’s fault, but it was Samuel Neal’s responsibility to make it right. The issue was resolved and the relationship remained intact, new ventilation was installed, and the clients’ costs were covered.  

It is a small story in the context of the project, but it is worth telling. Many companies would have pointed at the contractor and walked away. The willingness to absorb a cost that was not technically ours to bear is the kind of thing that clients remember, and the kind of thing that generates referrals.

Gowland House is a clean, well-resolved kitchen in a stunning new-build home. The design is deliberately simple: three runs, a large island and careful material choice. The project is a good demonstration that a minimal design still requires a lot of careful thinking to get right, and that aftercare matters as much as the installation itself.