Home · Transformation

We knocked the wall down.

The kitchen did not need a quick refresh. It needed opening up, darkening down and making ours.

The finished dark kitchen at Myrtleberry

The old kitchen was bright, neutral and completely fine. The trouble was that it never felt like us—and the wall kept the kitchen separate from the room where everyone naturally gathered.

Removing it was the decision that changed everything. The kitchen became part of the adjoining room, the island gained a proper place at the centre and this whole end of the house began to work differently.

The transformation

From divided to open-plan.

Swipe through the stages—from the original layout and the wall coming down to the cabinetry, island and finished details.

The original kitchen and dining room divided by a wide doorway — 01Before
The kitchen and dining area were connected, but they still felt like two separate rooms.

The original cream kitchen before work began — 02The original kitchen
Perfectly serviceable cream cabinetry, dark flooring and a layout that no longer suited how we lived.

Steel supports in place while the kitchen wall was removed — 03Opening it up
The major moment: the wall came down and temporary supports went in.

The newly opened kitchen space during building work — 04A new sightline
For the first time, we could see the scale of the open room and plan around it properly.

Dark kitchen cabinetry being installed — 05The character arrives
Dark cabinetry replaced the pale units, bringing the depth and atmosphere I wanted.

The nearly finished dark kitchen with timber island worktop — 06The island takes its place
The generous island turned the newly opened space into somewhere to cook, gather and talk.

Dark range cooker and characterful kitchen styling — 07Layering the details
Aged finishes, natural textures and collected pieces stopped the room feeling like a showroom.

A springer spaniel resting on the finished kitchen floor — 08Lived in
The real test: a hardworking family kitchen, complete with a spaniel in the middle of it.

Why we went dark

I wanted warmth and depth rather than a spotless showroom feeling. The dark cabinetry, aged finishes and natural textures feel far more at home here—and they can cope with real life.

The kitchen was designed by Lucy Bravington Interiors.

Freestanding timber cabinet in the finished kitchen

Range cooker and dark cabinetry in the finished kitchen

And yes, the spaniels approve

It is still a hardworking kitchen, only now there is room to cook, gather and live in the same space. Paddy and Ralph have also found several good places to sit and watch.