TRADITIONAL KITCHEN FEATURES MAKING A COMEBACK

In a traditional kitchen design, a breakfront is a clever way to create a focal point around your hob or cooker. It brings a section of cabinetry slightly forward usually by 50–75mm to add depth and character to long runs of units.

Breakfronts aren’t just about aesthetics either. They’re ideal when fitting a deeper freestanding cooker without extending the entire worktop. Often built into a chimney breast or false mantle, they’re finished beautifully with pilasters or shaped granite worktops to create that classical look. 

Opting for a breakfront can increase worktop costs, as the deeper surface (beyond the standard 650mm) creates more material wastage, and the internal ‘L’ corners require additional workshop time to polish.

 Decorative pilasters are a feature in traditional kitchen design which we have seen decrease in use over the last couple years.

However in recent weeks there’s been a bit of a resurgence. Pilasters add depth, structure and decorative detail to cabinetry. These vertical columns are typically used to frame range cookers, kitchen islands or breakfronts as mentioned above.

When paired with granite worktops or natural stone surfaces, pilasters enhance the overall finish of the space. They provide a transition between cabinets and stone worktops, especially when combined with ogee or cove edge profiles. Whether framing a hob or defining an island, pilasters complement stone kitchen worktops beautifully, creating a traditional looking space . 

In recent months, we’ve seen growing demand for more complex edge profiles. The edge profile we include as standard on our quotes is a simple bevelled edge, which does suit most kitchens. In some more traditional spaces this can sometimes feel too sleek.

Bespoke profiles such as Ogee or Cove DuPont add character and create a more classic, handcrafted look. However, these edges are more complex to produce.

If you  are considering this option there is a large costing difference to the standard edge profile. We hire the tooling in from Stonegate Tooling to achieve these bespoke edges. In most cases adding a bespoke edge profile can add at least £1,500 to the overall cost of the project. It can take our workshop on average an extra 10 hours to do a bespoke edge compared to a standard edge and can in some natural stones take even longer due to being more fragile than a man-made surface.