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Anna Hope redesigned the kitchen extension in her Victorian townhouse, removing a cramped downstairs bathroom and changing the layout to create a more usable family space. The renovation pairs dark cabinetry and terracotta tiles with antiques, reclaimed details and a curved opening intended to connect the extension with the older house.
Anna Hope has transformed the kitchen extension in her Victorian townhouse from a cold, cramped galley into a warmer family kitchen, changing its layout and adding antique furniture and period-inspired details. The redesign removed a narrow bathroom that had taken up kitchen space and sought to make the modern extension feel more connected to the older house.
Hope described the former kitchen as having white gloss cabinets, a cream tiled floor and dark worktops. Although roof lights, glazed French doors and windows brought in natural light, she told Ideal Home that the room felt sterile and was not a comfortable place for the family to spend time. The bathroom, built into one corner of the extension by previous owners, narrowed the usable kitchen area.
Working with designers at Harvey Jones, Hope rethought the floor plan. The bathroom walls were demolished, the plumbing was rerouted and the bathroom was moved under the stairs. The new layout uses an L-shaped run of cabinetry. The project also included rewiring so lights and sockets could be positioned to suit the revised room, and the existing spotlights were removed.
The redesign uses Studio Green cabinetry, muted pink walls and raw terracotta floor tiles. Hope also filled in several windows and roof lights to make the room feel cosier, while enlarging a former bathroom window to accommodate a traditional Victorian sash window. The original doorway lintel was reused as the windowsill behind the sink, according to the report.
A More Usable Family Kitchen
The project addresses two connected problems in period-home renovations: making a small kitchen work for everyday family life and avoiding a sharp visual break between an older house and a modern extension. Here, the changes were not limited to new finishes. Moving the bathroom and changing the kitchen footprint gave the room a different working layout, while the curved archway, reclaimed lintel and traditional-style sash window added details intended to tie it to the townhouse.
Hope’s renovation also shows how design choices can balance practical use with a less uniform look. The kitchen retains modern cabinetry and updated wiring, but pairs them with reclaimed and antique pieces, including a century-old French dough-bin table used as an island. The result, as described in the report, is a family kitchen shaped around both storage and character rather than a purely contemporary finish.
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From Stark Extension to Period-Inspired Room
The kitchen was already in a modern extension when Hope moved into the Victorian townhouse. The extension offered daylight through roof lights and glazed doors, but its layout and finishes did not feel in keeping with the rest of the home. The small bathroom against the back wall further reduced the working area, leaving what Hope described as a narrow rectangle.
To make the connection to the original house feel more deliberate, the standard tall rectangular doorway was replaced with a curved archway. Hope said the shape reminded her of Georgian orangeries. Materials and furnishings continued that historical reference: terracotta tiles, aged brass finishes, cupboard curtains and worn-in Persian rugs sit alongside a Victorian dresser found through Instagram and a Georgian buffet sourced from Vinterior.
The report, published by Ideal Home and first featured in Period Living Magazine, presents the project as a case study in reworking an existing kitchen extension. It does not provide a construction budget, a detailed schedule or measurements of the room.
Project Costs and Timeline Not Reported
The Ideal Home feature does not state how much the renovation cost, how long construction took or when the work was completed. It also gives no room dimensions, detailed product specifications for every fixture, or independent evaluation of how the new layout performs over time. Hope’s comments about the room’s comfort and function are her own account of the finished project.
The report identifies Harvey Jones as the kitchen designer and fitter and says a local building company carried out the wider building work, but it does not name that contractor. The specific number of windows and roof lights filled in is also not provided.
No Further Project Milestones Listed
The published report presents the kitchen as a completed renovation and does not identify any planned follow-up work or upcoming milestone. Readers considering a similar redesign would need to seek project-specific advice on layout, plumbing, electrical work and building requirements; the feature does not provide a technical plan or cost guide.
For Hope, the stated outcome is a kitchen that works better for the household while reflecting the age and character of the townhouse. Any future changes, maintenance plans or further renovation details have not been reported.
Key Questions
What was changed in the kitchen renovation?
The narrow bathroom in the extension was removed and relocated under the stairs. The kitchen was replanned with an L-shaped cabinet layout, alongside new wiring, revised lighting and a curved opening to the rest of the house.
Why did the renovation fill in some windows and roof lights?
Hope said she wanted the room to feel cosier, rather than brighter. Several openings were filled in, while a former bathroom window was enlarged to fit a traditional Victorian sash window.
Which antiques feature in the finished kitchen?
The room includes a 100-year-old French dough-bin table used as an island, a Victorian dresser found through Instagram and a Georgian buffet sourced from Vinterior.
How does the design connect the kitchen to the Victorian house?
The design uses a curved archway, terracotta tiles, a sash window and a reused original lintel. Antique furniture and aged brass details also support the period-inspired look, according to the report.
How much did the renovation cost?
The reported source does not give a project cost or a construction timeline. It names Harvey Jones as the kitchen designer and fitter and says a local building company carried out the wider work.
Source: idealhome.co.uk
