Case study
Modern meets traditional
Tom and Joanna Dudderidge’s late Victorian semi in Buckinghamshire has been completely remodelled with the additionof a modern orangery kitchen that fills with light and is enjoyed by all the family. Here, in her own words, Joanna tells the story of the transformation
Our house is, I think, best described as a large Londonstyle Victorian semi in Buckinghamshire. It was built in 1900 and the orangery was added last year, in 2012.
We decided we wanted an orangery when we made some major adjustments to the internal structure of the ground floor of our property. There was a pretty conservatory there already, but we found it too cold in the winter and too hot in the summer.
We removed three false ceilings in the adjacent room, taking the height back to the original 15 feet, and this gave us the opportunity to bring the original flagstone and arch into the orangery design. We also raised the height of the windows, giving a much grander, much more spacious feel to the space and allowing our stunning views to be better appreciated.
We both think the new kitchen in the orangery is a lovely space to work in. Tom is an avid cook, as well as a hard working businessman. He cooks to relax, so it was my ultimate goal to make the room attractive to come home to.
We used to dream of having a space which would be a beautiful home and a lovely place in which to entertain in. We are all happy with the finished look and feel. But the orangery was also part of a whole-house project and we are really pleased with the work we have done so far. In fact, it has changed the way we live in the house. We entertain a lot and have four young girls, so it is really great to be able to all be in the same area without being on top of each other. There are plenty of areas for the girls to do their own thing, while I cook the dinner.
Mornings are a great time to be in the orangery. The sun shines in and bounces off the mirrors in the kitchen. It’s a lovely place to enjoy the views while catching up with friends.
