Often described as the greatest British architect of his age, Sir Edwin Lutyens has designed many of the UK’s greatest country houses, monuments and commercial and civic buildings. His eclectic style was influenced by the Arts & Crafts movement of the early 1900s, and his creations and architectural achievements are loved as much now as they were then.
Lutyens was less well-known as a furniture designer, and unfortunately almost none of his exquisite interiors and only few of his furniture pieces have survived intact. With the exception perhaps of the widely recognized garden bench, Lutyens’ designs were always specific to particular projects and produced in very small quantities. Given his undisputed genius as a designer, the idea of incorporating some of Lutyens’ ideas into today’s kitchen designs is as inspiring as it is exciting.
Castle Drogo
One of Lutyen’s best known interiors is the kitchen at Castle Drogo. The Grade I listed private country house near Drewsteignton, Devon, was completed in 1930 to designs by Lutyens and is now under National Trust ownership.
A masterpiece of spatial design, it plays with one of Lutyens’ favourite elements – the circle – to bring the whole area together. Take the iconic round table, for example, which is a real tour de force of Lutyen’s imagination, especially in combination with the oriel windows and arched arcades of the room’s architecture. The only natural light in the room comes from the circular lantern window above the table, which beautifully echoes its shape.
The substantial and imposing table incorporates many of Lutyen’s main themes, including column legs on bun feet beneath stretcher rails, and geometric elements such as the concentric hexagonals used to great effect here.
As the centrepiece of any Lutyens inspired modern kitchen, is it possible to have a faithful reproduction made of the Drogo Kitchen Table. With consummate skill and craftsmanship, circular and rectangular versions in several sizes can be made in original beechwood or in oak.
The freestanding dresser designed by Lutyens for Castle Drogo’s kitchen is one of the largest kitchen dressers in any 18th century country house. Again featuring turned legs and thick stretcher rails, this glorious piece of kitchen furniture can also be reproduced, to give an authentic Lutyens feel to any grand country kitchen.
A fine example of a Lutyens inspired kitchen, recently completed as a bespoke commission for a Surrey vernacular country home, can be seen in Haslemere, Surrey. Taking particular inspiration from the kitchen at Castle Drogo and with a client brief requiring a modern but not too contemporary space, kitchen designers Artichoke created a truly extraordinary kitchen. They were also involved in the design of the interior architectural detailing – both the chimney corbels and inset dish above the Aga being details taken from other Lutyens buildings.
To warm the space up, a mixture of timbers including French walnut, limewashed oak alongside Italian basalt and Portland stone were used. The twin islands were designed to enhance the flow around the kitchen; their design reflects the large roof lantern above. The upper cabinets were inset into the wall and colour matched to the interior design to make them appear from view. The result is a superb interpretation of Lutyens’ work and a spectacular kitchen space to complement the luxury and style of the country home.
Lindisfarne Castle
Redesigned by Lutyens in 1901 and now also owned by the National Trust, this 16th century castle is situated on an island off the coast of Northumberland. In contrast to the vast kitchen at Castle Drogo, the kitchen at Lindisfarne Castle is more domestic in scale.
Kitchen at Lindisfarne Castle
A particular feature of this kitchen is its simple yet elegant kitchen dresser, made from oak and set between two cupboards, with the right hand cupboard being slightly wider. The asymmetric design is a popular theme of Arts & Crafts design which would adapt beautifully to a modern setting too.
