PERSONAL MAXIMALISM
A BESPOKE KITCHEN DESIGN CELEBRATING COLOUR, CRAFT AND INDIVIDUALITY
An unapologetically maximalist bespoke kitchen design, created in collaboration with interior designer Aimée-Shirin Daruwala for her own home. Created for a family who value self-expression as deeply as they do craftsmanship, this is a kitchen where more is more — a richly layered interior composed entirely of colour, texture and sculptural detail.
There are no blank surfaces, no neutral pauses. Instead, the space unfolds as a fully immersive environment: expressive, tactile and profoundly personal. Every element has been designed as one-of-a-kind, reflecting a shared belief that a truly bespoke kitchen should feel collected, not assembled.
A Kitchen Rooted in Place and Purpose
Set within a modern glass extension overlooking the magical landscape of the High Weald, the kitchen forms the communal heart of a home shaped by sustainability, wellbeing and a deep connection to the land. The clients’ relocation from London marked a conscious shift towards slower, more intentional living — growing organic produce, cooking from scratch and creating a home that supports both family life and open-hearted hospitality.
This context was fundamental to the design. The kitchen needed to operate as a serious working space, with generous preparation areas, intuitive ergonomics and substantial storage, while remaining warm, welcoming and relaxed enough for children, friends and long, informal gatherings.
Design Inspiration: Culture, Colour and Place
The design is informed by the clients’ rich cultural heritage — Moroccan, Persian, Indian, Canadian — a naturally layered influence that encourages colour, pattern and material depth. Rather than literal references, these influences are translated through atmosphere and tactility: a respect for craftsmanship, an intuitive understanding of colour, and a belief that interiors should feel expressive, soulful and lived-in.
Colour and light form the foundation of the design language, guided by the client’s expertise in crystal therapy and a long-standing interest in the emotional and restorative qualities of space. From the outset, a clear principle was established: no monochromatic blacks, whites or greys. Instead, the palette was developed as a harmonious composition, intended to feel grounding, peaceful and energetically balanced.
Inspiration is also drawn from the client’s annual travels to Switzerland. The feeling of the Alpine landscape shaped the direction for the kitchen as a calm, restorative environment connected to nature.
THE CURVED CENTREPIECE
At the centre of the kitchen sits a sweeping curved peninsula, designed as both a functional anchor and a sculptural statement. The peninsula provides expansive workspace for cooking and baking while gently guiding movement through the room and out towards the garden views. Polished Fusion Fire natural quartzite surfaces harmonise with the rich aubergine palette, while the continuous running vein installation allows the stone’s striking pattern to flow seamlessly from one slab to the next.
Curved cabinetry keeps the lines soft as they resolve into a curved feature panel finished in liquid metal. Hand-applied to evoke the texture of tree bark, this tactile, reflective surface shifts with the light and reinforces the kitchen’s connection to the surrounding landscape of ancient woodland.
FULLY CUSTOM CABINETRY
This bespoke kitchen design is defined as much by its cabinetry as by its overall composition.
Hand-painted in Farrow & Ball’s Cola, the cabinetry introduces an aubergine-rich tone that brings warmth, depth and quiet confidence to the space. The handmade lay-on doors have a framed design, with select doors featuring bespoke inserts patterned with a banana leaf motif, introducing pattern where one might least expect it. The banana leaf motif, chosen by the client, is a meaningful reference drawn directly from the home itself. A mature banana plant in the foyer became an early symbol for the property and has since evolved into its emblem.
The warm aubergine sits seamlessly alongside the painted cabinetry and Fusion Fire quartzite worktops. The result is a single, cohesive tonal palette that creates a sense of considered abundance.
INDIVIDUALLY SOURCED DETAILS
Details were developed in dialogue with the client’s wider vision for the room, ensuring the kitchen sits naturally within a fully curated interior. Sculptural handles in polished bronze, inspired by rock pool formations, sit alongside artisan wall tiles, lighting and bar stools sourced by the client from specialist makers across Europe. Each piece handmade and botanically influenced, and selected as part of a considered whole.
This holistic approach extends beyond the kitchen itself. Botanical wallpapers, carefully placed planting and a cork-clad ceiling contribute to the enveloping, cocoon-like atmosphere of the room. The result is a kitchen that feels intrinsically connected to its surroundings, shaped through a collaborative process and unified by a shared design language.
TECHNOLOGY, THOUGHTFULLY COMPOSED
Gaggenau 300 Series ovens were chosen for their quiet authority and architectural clarity. The controls are set directly into the stone, mounted flush within the same quartzite as the worktops, allowing the appliances to sit calmly within the composition rather than dominate it.
Technology is present, but intentionally understated.
LAYERED SURFACES & DECORATIVE UTILITY
Above the hob, a bronze pot filler introduces both practicality and ornament, elevating a functional requirement into a sculptural detail. Set against a richly layered backdrop of scalloped tiles, the wall becomes a focal point in its own right.
Two distinct tile designs are combined to create depth, rhythm and visual richness, amplifying the kitchen’s maximalist character. The result is a surface that feels tactile, expressive and deliberately composed — a celebration of pattern, material and detail working in harmony.
A Fully Bespoke Expression of Design Philosophy
This kitchen was never intended to follow trends. Instead, it stands as a clear expression of what bespoke kitchen design can achieve when colour, materiality and craftsmanship are given equal importance.
Every surface, curve and finish has been designed and made specifically for this home, resulting in a kitchen that feels collected over time rather than installed at once. It is confident, expressive and deeply personal — a space that reflects not only how the family lives, but who they are.
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