Welcome to The Stamp House Kitchen. Nestled down in the old servants' scullery of this incredibly restored Victorian property, built in 1859 and named after an eccentric stamp collector who once called it home. This place has a fascinating story, often frequented by King George VI for tea, it was one of only four of the grand Dulwich Estate villas to survive the bombings of World War II, where most of the village was completely decimated.

It’s hard to believe that not long ago this house lay in total disrepair, standing empty for over a decade. Trees growing up through cracks in the crumbling ceilings, rainwater pouring in and most of the building's interiors completely blanketed by clambering vines and ivy, yet when we walked in, we felt such a sense of calm. We must give credit to our customers, with some serious perseverance, patience, and a whole lot of great taste, over the past three years they’ve transformed this old place into something quite spectacular, giving clever nods to its rich history along the way.

Now, shall we talk about the kitchen. So light, so clean, so simple. A little sanctuary, where the notion of considering what you leave out, to be of equal importance as what you put in, was clear. A back run with sink, cooker and storage and one tall bank neatly hiding away the fridge, freezer and pantry, all using furniture from our Shaker range. In the centre is an elegant prep table from our Classic English collection, chosen for its resemblance to an original piece the home’s cook would have used back in Victorian times. The paint colours are bespoke, mixed by us especially for this project and picked by the owners after they were inspired by simple Quaker interiors and an original paint chart from an 1897 edition of the Young and Marten’s catalogue. Pale golden neutrals, yellowy browns, hints of bronze, all soft and warm and perfectly muted.

A skinny slab of honed Carrara marble and an authentic piece of rustic oak for the worktops, some understated off-white metro tiles with just the right amount of sparkle, and a classic stainless steel range cooker by Lacanche with brass detailing to match the deVOL handles and taps. For lighting, just two of our large Creamware Pendants hang quietly over the island. We love these choices. 

Next, and perhaps the prettiest part of all, the dining area with a big bespoke Curiosity Cupboard painted in a pale buttery hue. It is a nice example of how smart these museum-inspired cabinets look with closed doors at the bottom, a slightly more practical alternative to the glazed panels we’re so used to seeing and perfect for storing away all your not-so-beautiful things. A vintage wooden table, some mismatched chairs and one of our frilly porcelain pendants made this the spot for family meals and hanging out in the kitchen.

We hope these photos bring you a little calm and lots of inspiration. Remember, it’s not always the loud and bold rooms that make you say wow, sometimes there is nothing more beautiful and nothing more impressive than just keeping it simple.