Although the existing kitchen was more enclosed and had little bench space, the original home has a classic, timeless aesthetic, which I wanted to work into the new design. Hand-made and -painted Shaker-style cabinet doors and panels installed, topped with the durable elegance of black granite. The pewter handles, subway tiles and butler’s sink also reinforce the theme of time-honoured quality. In terms of design considerations, the clients wanted to make sure the window frontage was integrated within the bench space, which was achieved by placing the sink in this area, giving anyone washing up the right to a good view. The original island bench was revamped and extended to incorporate not only extra storage, but breakfast bar access as well.