Mid-century modern kitchen
Forest Hill, London, SW12
Overview
Tailored for a young family, this project transformed a ground-floor kitchen into a modern open-plan space with a connected pantry.
The style balances mid-century charm with Victorian character.
The design features sleek concealed cabinetry and playful custom touches like built-in bookshelves and a dog house.
Their renovation journey
1. Plan
The young couple, with a baby, chose Beams for our build support services and the ability to include bespoke elements in their new kitchen. To kick off the project, our Planner Brooke conducted detailed planning sessions to understand the clients' needs, allowing us to create an accurate proposal that stayed within their budget. A detailed site survey and home energy assessment followed, setting the foundation for success in the design and build phases.
2. Design
Our designer Simon focused on creating a practical yet stylish kitchen tailored to the needs of the family. Blending the building’s Victorian origins with playful mid-century modern influences, the space maximises functionality with features like specialised storage, integrated laundry facilities and a breakfast-focused dining area. The result is a warm, inviting and multifunctional kitchen that balances usability with aesthetics. Offering a timeless space for the family to grow and create lasting memories.
3. Build
We matched the customer with one of our highly skilled contractors, Rumen. Rumen has over 18 years of experience as a contractor and is highly experienced in kitchen projects like this one. During the build phase, our build team sourced all of the materials and coordinated deliveries to the site. We facilitated additional scope items such as the repair of the underfloor heating and resolved unexpected issues like replacing a damaged bin at no additional cost to the client.
The layout
The starting point for the design was to reorganise the layout to address inefficiencies and create a cohesive flow. This included but was not limited to:
1. Removing the existing island to open up the space and improve circulation. Simon focused on zonal lighting to define areas rather than using physical barriers. For example, zoning was achieved through a playful 1960s pendant light over the breakfast table.
2. The previously awkward and cramped back corner was transformed into a functional pantry with custom shelving, optimising the use of space.
The aesthetic
We removed the existing island to open up the space and improve circulation. Our designer Simon focused on zonal lighting to define areas rather than using physical barriers. For example, zoning was achieved through a playful 1960s pendant light over the breakfast table.
Build support
There were a number of technical challenges that needed to be considered during the design phase to ensure a smooth build.
We relocated a sink waste from the existing island to a new laundry position to ensure proper drainage. This was achieved by pulling up the floor and burying the waste before installing the tiles and subfloor.
To conceal a structural pillar in the room, Simon designed a custom bookshelf which aligned with the laundry cabinetry to create visual continuity in the space.
Zero landfill impact achieved during build by maintaining a 100% waste recycling policy
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