Our client from the Scottish Borders visited our Perth showroom while planning renovations to the main kitchen and a separate pantry kitchen. Their vision was to create a main kitchen complemented by a smaller pantry kitchen for additional and occasional use. They were drawn to a traditional style, choosing classic shaker-style doors, and wanted a design that incorporated smart storage solutions to keep the space organised and clutter-free.
As the kitchen forms part of an open-plan layout, it was essential that the design blended seamlessly with the adjoining living area. A key requirement was a large, uninterrupted worktop to provide generous space for cooking and food preparation. The client requested a dedicated storage solution for coffee and tea supplies in the sink area. For the pantry kitchen, the client continued the shaker theme and selected integrated appliances to achieve a clean, cohesive, and streamlined finish.
Main Kitchen And Pantry Kitchen Survey
We conducted a detailed site survey to assess the existing layout and ensure the client’s ideas were practical and achievable. This allowed us to understand how the space would be used, take accurate measurements, and determine the full scope of work required to deliver the design successfully. Through a relaxed and friendly consultation, we developed a clear understanding of the client’s preferred products, colour scheme, and material choices. This collaborative approach enabled us to create a kitchen design that was both highly functional and personalised to their individual style and needs.
Main Kitchen Design
The survey results were returned to the showroom, where our design team began work on the concept. We reimagined the main kitchen with a more open, practical layout that carefully reflected each design element outlined in the brief. The main kitchen is designed with a U-shaped layout, making use of the space and creating a comfortable, practical workspace ideal for everyday use.
The main working areas, including the sink and hob, were thoughtfully positioned to ensure ease of use and an efficient workflow. The sink is located beneath the window to maximise natural light, creating a bright and welcoming space. A generous worktop provides ample room for food preparation and everyday cooking. At the right-hand side of the kitchen, a floor-to-ceiling cabinetry offers practical storage while housing an integrated fridge, maintaining a clean, streamlined look that enhances the overall design.
Pantry Kitchen Design
The pantry kitchen is carefully designed with the sink positioned beneath the window, serving as the focal point and set within a base unit. To the right, a combination of base and wall cabinets houses an integrated induction hob and cooker hood, along with generous food preparation space. Opposite, full-height floor-to-ceiling cabinetry houses the oven and fridge, creating a clean, organised, clutter-free environment while providing ample storage, exactly as the client envisioned.
Main Kitchen Approach And Product Selection
We selected Burbidge cabinetry with an oak carcass and Meadow Green doors to create a warm and timeless kitchen that combines elegance with practicality. The layout incorporates two drawer base units, a Belfast double sink, corner cabinetry, and dedicated storage for dry foods and coffee supplies, all thoughtfully personalised to the client’s needs. These elements are complemented by matching side panels and subtle pilasters, creating a cohesive and refined finish. Tall oven housings and tower larders provide smart storage and house integrated premium appliances, including the Miele M Touch oven and microwave combination, both sleek and intuitive to use.
The integrated Miele dishwasher and Sub-Zero & Wolf fridge keep the kitchen looking clean and uncluttered. Feature shelves and oak inserts for cutlery and plates add warmth and make everyday use easier. The sink is a classic double Belfast sink paired with a Quooker tap for instant boiling water. We introduced Dekton worktops, which provide a durable, easy-to-clean surface, while the Neff ceramic hob, requested by the client, offers precise heat for versatile cooking, seamlessly complementing the client’s new cast iron cooker and providing full cooking flexibility. The entire kitchen floor is tiled for durability and to blend with the overall colour scheme.
Pantry Kitchen Approach and Product Selection
The kitchen combines base and wall units, including flap-door cabinets, corner Drawerline bases, a sink base, and pull-out waste bins, all framed by feature and curved panels for a polished look. Tall larders and oven housings keep essentials within reach and house key appliances, including the AEG oven, integrated dishwasher, and Neff induction hob, with a cooker hood completing the setup. We introduced drawers and adjustable shelves to make storing utensils, pots, dry foods, and plates simple and efficient.
The sink area has a Belfast ceramic sink with a Quooker tap, combining its unique style with reliable performance. We chose Dekton worktops for their durability and stylish design. The kitchen floor is fully tiled, giving long-lasting strength and tying the colour scheme together. Details like pewter knob and shell handles, and shaker-style doors add both practicality and elegance, creating a kitchen that is functional, balanced, and practical.
Joinery works
For joinery work, we patched and checked the floors for squeaks or loose boards, plasterboarded walls after the strip-out, and framed above the wall units to eliminate gaps to the ceiling. We created a mantle detail above the AGA to create a classic feature, repaired a small area of the existing floor, and removed, refitted, and trimmed doors as needed.
New door facings were installed where required, dwangs fitted for wall cupboards and accessories, and templates made for solid tops and upstands. Finally, all new units were installed to specification, along with plinths, cornices, filler and end panels, and joining brackets on tall units so the doors would operate seamlessly.
Plumbing and Tiling
For the plumbing, we updated all hot, cold and drainage services to suit the new kitchen layout, installing the sink, fridge freezer, Quooker tap, and all work was fully tested. For the tiling, we prepared and fixed the splashback, installed a sub-floor with Wedi insulation, laid and grouted the floor tiles, sealed and polished all surfaces, fitted underfloor heating in the kitchen and living area, and added both vertical and horizontal chrome profiles for a clean finish.
Electrical Work
For the electrical work, we supplied and installed chrome LED downlights, strip lights for the kicker, new switches and a dimmer, and all new electrical appliances. We fixed the underfloor heating points with a 40-amp contact box for two zones, installed a circuit breaker, and completed all wiring and connections for the fan, cooker, and other appliances. New power points were added, including one with USB, and a new grid switch was fitted. All installations were tested to ensure they were fully functional.
Testimonials
My husband and I have commissioned 9 projects with The Bathroom Company since 2014. Without exception, the finished rooms, including both our new kitchens, have been exactly as we envisaged. The team prioritised communication, listening carefully to our ideas while guiding us with their expertise. They managed every stage of the renovation with their in-house trades team, ensuring a smooth, stress-free experience. Every member of their team was honest, trustworthy and experienced, a total pleasure to have in the house.
Their service after the sale is exceptional. On the rare occasion a logistical issue arose, we were always consulted and kept fully informed. Last month, following 12 years of daily use, the element in my towel rail failed. A brief email led to the identification, purchase, and delivery of the correct replacement. Both my husband and I would definitely engage the services of this company again, without seeking a comparative quote. 13 years down the line, every service they provided has added to our home, and remains as impressive now as it was at the beginning.
Conclusion
The main kitchen and pantry renovation in the Scottish Borders was completed smoothly and on schedule, with every stage carefully executed to match the design. From initial consultation to the final installation, our team handled every aspect of the kitchen renovation to the highest standards. The client was delighted with their kitchen and pantry renovation upon completion, as it turned out exactly as they envisioned.