A listed townhouse as grand as this one deserves a showstopper of a kitchen – but would adding all the mod cons spoil it?

“It takes a lot of work to make something look so simple, but it was worth it,” says Helen Balshaw of the kitchen in this Grade-II listed townhouse in Bath. Mull-based interior designer Banjo Beale transformed the bulk of the 18th-century terraced house in collaboration with fellow designer Amy Davies. Everything from preserving original features, stone flooring, arch joinery and larder, to decoration, embracing original patina, furniture (right down to an adorable ceramic mouse ornament) was a result of Banjo’s meticulous design.

Helen, who works for kitchen manufacturer deVOL, was brought in to help tackle this room. “The focus was on creating a beautiful and enjoyable room,” she explains. “Banjo wanted it to be a lovely place to spend time in rather than being filled with lots of gadgets and gizmos. It needed to be sympathetic to the period of the house, but with a slight twist.”

The original built-in larders are the only full-height cabinets in the space. The new additions, selected by Banjo, are part of deVOL’s Classic English range and needed to fit in with the existing features. “The cabinetry was handmade in our Leicestershire workshops,” says Helen. “The cabinet doors and fascias are made from prime rock maple, which is extremely durable. The cupboards were painted in our Printer’s Black colour, which contrasts so well with the muted limewashed walls and the copper worktop.”

That worktop was a labour of love and indeed part of a three-year passion project for Banjo. This worktop is made from sheets of copper which are formed around a piece of timber before being hammered and welded into shape. “This was then aged in our workshop,” explains Helen, “to a perfect patina that will continue to change and age with daily use.”

Large, modern appliances would have looked out of place in this kitchen, so Banjo and the team chose a more traditional freestanding cooker by Lacanche instead. A dishwasher and a small pull-out fridge are hidden behind cabinet doors. A larger fridge-freezer has been stashed in the neighbouring utility room.

“We looked into the idea of adding big, handmade tiles behind the cooker to create a higher splashback,” says Helen. “In the end, the client decided to keep it simple and just have a small copper upstand; the idea is that tiles can be added at a later date once they’ve had the chance to use the space for a while.”

Small innovations bring more heart and warmth to this refined kitchen, which is something Banjo was acutely aware of during the design and build process. The functional aspects of this kitchen matter just as much as its final aesthetic, so Banjo made an effort to install antique-inspired fixtures that don’t just look beautiful but function well, too.

And so: a long brass rail allows the owners to hang utensils and pans above the main cooking area. The cabinet hardware corresponds, finished in an aged brass that goes beautifully with the black. “The clients wanted a dining table rather than an island, which is a decision I absolutely love!” smiles Helen. “It helps the kitchen to feel like a cosy space to hang out in with the family, rather than just a separate utilitarian room for cooking.”

So far, fairly simple. But Helen reveals that Banjo cared deeply about taking great lengths to protect the original features of this kitchen. “The tall cupboards had to be completely removed and refitted by the builders [Wraxall Builders] as part of the restoration of the room,” she reveals. “Banjo and the team managed to keep the original patina of years of paint that had worn and chipped away. Similarly, the floors are original. The flagstones were taken up, the ground was dug down so underfloor heating could be added, and then the flags were relaid.”

There’s no denying Helen’s assertion that it was worth it. The space oozes charm by hiding away the mod cons and allowing the owners to exist in their storybook surroundings without sacrificing any comfort. Banjo Beale’s design has honoured the property’s past but, if you look closely, has made the place its own. “In the alcove on the left-hand side of the log-burning stove there’s a little ceramic sleeping mouse,” smiles Helen as she recalls one of Banjo’s most subtle yet characterful design choices. “It was made by the client who is a ceramicist.”

Recreating elegance

Try bringing this muted elegance into your home with the below interiors picks from some of our favourite brands – one can never have too many La Redoute frying pans…

Interior design trends 2025: styling with sustainability in mind