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Anna Hope reworked the kitchen extension in her Victorian townhouse, removing a bathroom that constrained the galley layout and moving it beneath the stairs. The redesigned room combines an L-shaped kitchen, terracotta tiles, dark cabinetry and antique furniture to create a warmer family space.
Anna Hope has transformed the kitchen extension in her Victorian townhouse from a cold, narrow galley into a family kitchen with an L-shaped layout, warm finishes and antique furnishings. The renovation also removed a downstairs bathroom from the kitchen and moved it beneath the stairs, freeing up working space and changing how the modern extension relates to the older house.
Hope told Ideal Home that the original kitchen had white gloss cabinets, cream floor tiles and dark worktops, which made the room feel sterile despite its roof lights, glazed French doors and windows. A narrow bathroom had been built against the back wall, leaving the kitchen’s usable area as a small rectangle. Hope said the rest of the house was well proportioned, making the kitchen feel out of place.
Working with designers at Harvey Jones, Hope reworked the floor plan and commissioned a local building company to carry out the work. The bathroom walls were demolished, plumbing was rerouted and the bathroom was relocated under the stairs. The existing fixtures were removed, and the kitchen was reorganised around an L-shaped run of cabinetry. The space was rewired to give Hope more control over socket and light placement; she also had the spotlights filled in, preferring reclaimed antique lighting.
The redesign brought together period-inspired details and practical changes. A tall rectangular doorway was replaced with a curved archway, while several windows and roof lights were filled in to make the room feel cosier. The bathroom window was enlarged to accommodate a traditional Victorian sash window. The original doorway lintel was reused as the windowsill behind the sink. Raw terracotta tiles, muted plaster-pink walls and dark green cabinetry set the colour scheme, while aged brass finishes and cupboard curtains add further detail.
Antique furniture gives the kitchen much of its character: the island is a 100-year-old French dough-bin table, alongside a Victorian dresser found through Instagram and a Georgian buffet from Vinterior. Hope also added worn-in Persian rugs. The reported project combines these personal pieces with a working family layout; the article does not provide costs, construction dates or measurements.
A Better Plan for Family Cooking
The renovation addresses two problems at once: a cramped layout and a kitchen that felt disconnected from the rest of the period home. Relocating the bathroom removed a constraint within the extension, while the L-shaped cabinetry gave the kitchen a different working arrangement. The curved opening and reuse of an original lintel link the redesigned room to the townhouse’s older architecture.
For readers planning work in a period property, the project illustrates a design choice that is not simply about adding floor area or glazing. Hope’s approach changed the layout, reduced some sources of light and used materials and furnishings with a more aged appearance. Those decisions reflect the homeowners’ preferences; the report does not establish that this approach will suit every extension or increase a home’s value.
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From Cold Galley to Connected Room
Kitchen extensions are a common response to compact galley kitchens in period homes, but adding or adapting a modern space can leave a mismatch between the extension and the original building. In Hope’s case, the extension already had several sources of daylight, yet she described its finishes and layout as unwelcoming. The separate bathroom within the kitchen further reduced the available work area.
The project therefore focused on replanning the existing extension, rather than simply making it brighter. As reported by Ideal Home, the work included changes to plumbing, electrical wiring, the bathroom location, doorway shape and window arrangement. Period details were introduced or reused alongside new cabinetry, with antiques and soft furnishings chosen to support the home’s older character.
Project Costs and Dates Not Given
The Ideal Home report does not state when the renovation took place, how long it lasted or what it cost. It also gives no measurements, construction plans or independent assessment of the finished layout. The account is based on Hope’s experience and does not include comments from the builders or designers about technical decisions.
The report describes the changes and the homeowner’s response, but does not provide evidence about the project’s effect on the property’s market value, energy use or long-term maintenance. It is also unclear whether the kitchen’s reduction in roof lights and windows had any effect on its overall daylight levels.
No Further Work Reported
The published account presents the kitchen as a completed renovation and reports no additional work or planned next phase. Hope told Ideal Home that the room works better for the family and has become a joyful place to spend time. No follow-up plans or further milestones were included in the source report.
For readers considering a similar redesign, the reported sequence involved working with kitchen designers and a local building company, as well as relocating plumbing and rewiring the room. Any comparable project would depend on the property’s layout and the work required; the source does not provide guidance on permissions, building regulations or costs.
Key Questions
What was changed in Anna Hope’s kitchen?
The renovation replaced the narrow galley arrangement with an L-shaped kitchen, removed a bathroom from the extension and moved it beneath the stairs. It also changed the doorway, lighting, windows and finishes.
What materials and colours feature in the redesigned room?
The reported design uses raw terracotta floor tiles, muted plaster-pink walls and dark green cabinetry, with aged brass finishes, cupboard curtains and worn-in rugs.
Which antique pieces are in the kitchen?
The island is a 100-year-old French dough-bin table. The room also includes a Victorian dresser found through Instagram and a Georgian buffet sourced from Vinterior.
How much did the renovation cost?
The reported source does not give a project cost, renovation duration or completion date.
Did the renovation add more windows or roof lights?
No. Hope said several windows and roof lights were filled in to make the room feel cosier. The bathroom window was enlarged to take a traditional Victorian sash window.
Source: idealhome.co.uk
