A Modern Kitchen For a 250-Year-Old English Cottage

Project by: Tamsin Allen of Fawn Interiors
Location: Hampshire, United Kingdom

Tamsin Allen was charged with adding a modern industrial look to a cottage, without losing any of the 250-year-old antique charm. She completely removed the kitchen and started from scratch to create a functional and beautiful space perfectly catered to her clients needs.

From Tamsin: Our first project for this thatched cottage (approximate age: 250 years old) was a challenging one. Although the property is old, the owners wanted an environment full of all modern conveniences, including an electric Aga. It was a full renovation of the kitchen, including space planning to create an easy-to-use family kitchen with lots of storage, overseeing the removal of the old kitchen and the installation of the handmade shaker kitchen, sourcing all the ironmongery, lighting and appliances and having the polished marble work surface installed.

The color palette (white, black, dark green and grey) was carefully chosen to add light to the triple aspect room but to also give a modern feel to the cabinets. The decoration was also sourced to suit the age, with the cabinets finished in matte oil eggshell, purposefully leaving faint brush strokes for authenticity. The lighting, ironmongery and taps all give an industrial feel to the space, to accentuate the modern rustic vibe.

Thanks so much, Tamsin and Fawn Interiors!

Trust us, you need a few more cottages to crush on. If you’re in the mood for something by the sea, we’ve got it. Maybe a farmhouse is more your speed, no problem. And if you’re ready to hop over the pond, we’ve got a quaint Seattle cottage all lined up for you.

• Are you a designer/architect/decorator interested in sharing a residential project with Apartment Therapy readers? Contact the editors through our

Professional Project Submission Form