Scope of work
- Structural opening between the original kitchen and the dining room — RSJ installed, supported, plastered.
- Full strip-out of both rooms and removal of the old internal partition.
- Services first-fix coordinated across the new open footprint — gas, water, waste and electrics.
- Light oak cabinetry with vertical fluted detailing on the island return.
- Full-slab marble worktop, waterfall ends, dining extension run continuous with the island.
- Herringbone engineered oak flooring across the whole new open-plan space.
- Premium integrated appliance package (induction hob, downdraft extractor, double oven, integrated fridge-freezer, integrated dishwasher).
Challenges we solved
- Structural opening required a structural-engineer design + Building Control sign-off — programmed for the first week of the job before any joinery arrived on site.
- Walnut bespoke run had a 10-week off-site joinery lead time — sequenced against the on-site programme so units arrived the week structural work finished.
- Marble slab selection done in person at the slab yard to choose the vein direction — book-matched across the island top and the waterfall ends.
- Downdraft extractor on the island needed a duct run cast into the screed before the floor was laid.
Process & execution
- Week 1 · Structural opening + strip-out
Steel installed in the new opening, supported, plastered. Both rooms stripped, partition wall removed. Services capped.
- Week 1–2 · First fix
Gas, water and waste re-routed for the new island position, downdraft duct run laid in screed, electrical first-fix for the new open space.
- Week 3 · Units fitted
Walnut bespoke carcasses delivered and fitted in sequence. Island assembled in position around the downdraft chassis. Doors hung last.
- Late week 3 – week 4 · Marble template + fit
Marble templated end of week three after units were in. Slab machined off-site for the bookmatched vein. Fitted on site week four — waterfall ends, dining extension run continuous with the worktop.
- End of week 4 · Flooring + handover
Herringbone engineered oak laid across the new open space, scotia and threshold strips, appliances integrated and commissioned, full clean and handover.
Materials & finishes
- Light oak bespoke cabinetry with fluted island return
- Full-slab marble worktop, book-matched, waterfall ends, dining extension run
- Herringbone engineered oak flooring across the open footprint
- Induction hob with island downdraft extractor
- Integrated double oven, fridge-freezer and dishwasher
- Brushed-brass mixer tap (matched to the brassware on the prep sink)
- Internal RSJ for the new open structural opening
Outcome
What was two cramped, dated rooms is now a single open-plan kitchen-diner where the family hosts every weekend. The downdraft extractor keeps the island sightline clean from the dining end of the room. Marble worktop and the dining extension read as one continuous slab.