Building bespoke kitchens is not just about making the pieces fit perfectly. It’s about making the people fit perfectly. If your designer doesn’t understand what you’re trying to do, thinks it’s weird or wants to change your vision into theirs, you’ll be on board a ship called Titanic and an appointment with an iceberg. That’s why we readily admit we’re not for everybody. Quite frankly, some people see our kitchens as ‘brave’ (in the fateful words of Yes, Prime Minister). But for those who do seek something beyond the ordinary – even if you don’t have a budget beyond the national debt – Nathan Wundersitz is the wunderkind who can expand on your thinking and take it to a whole new level. That’s why we loved working on this excitingly different vision.

Our clients for this project were Amy, a scientist, and Dylan, a surveyor, with their two toddlers, Alfie and Lucy, and their loveable Weimaraner, Macy. The family lives in a 1910 bungalow in Croydon, which they’ve been renovating as funds came to hand over the last few years. Finally, they bit the bullet and launched into architectural plans for the modern, open-plan extension to the back of the house they’d always dreamed of.

Then, Amy gave birth to Lucy, so her maternity leave gave her the opportunity to care for both her new daughter and the extension project. (Call her brave or call her crazy…) With the foundations finished, she contacted SpaceCraft and gave us her brief for the kitchen space and a clear budget, which is always helpful.

Like many of our clients, perhaps not surprisingly, Amy and Dylan love cooking and entertaining and the kitchen is the heart (or, as they put it, ‘engine’) of their home. That’s why they came to us as specialists in this field. We were really impressed with their ideas, as well as their willingness to accept Nathan’s professional guidance and experience.

Their inspiration for the décor and finishes was Scandinavian design combined with the pared-back, raw honesty of the industrial look with bare Besser block walls, plywood and polished concrete floors. That suggested a palette based on white, grey and blonde wood but they also wanted to give it some texture and interest.

The reason Amy and Dylan chose SpaceCraft was because they said they felt Nathan really ‘got them’ and what they were trying to do. Not only did he offer practical advice, he also came up with some great ideas and delightful little details, which inspired their confidence.

To make sure the blonde wood wouldn’t end up bland wood, he used plywood cabinetry with notched-out handles in the cupboard doors. As a further unexpected detail, he suggested taking the eye-catching tiles behind the rangehood all the way to the ceiling. And, making the best of what seemed like a limitation, the walk-in pantry now fills the space behind the kitchen where the old chimney stood.

Before the renovation, the original kitchen had barely any bench space and was so small, you had to step outside to change your mind. But after the extension and Nathan’s clever ideas, there’s now a plethora of both storage space and floor space. So Alfie can orbit the island bench on his bike, while Lucy clings to Amy’s apron strings and Macy patrols for pats. Amy admits it still feels like a luxury to have so much space. But it’s definitely one she can get used to.

If you want to know what Amy really thinks about her new kitchen and SpaceCraft, you can read her gracious review on the Houzz app here.