Kitchen of the Week: A Characterful Kitchen in Kent, England, from an Under-the-Radar Design Savant

Every so often a kitchen comes along that makes you want to repaint everything, rip down a few cabinets, and possibly move to a Georgian house by the sea. This characterful kitchen in Deal, Kent, does all of that and then some. Saturated blues, clever color-blocking, and unapologetically quirky details prove that a hardworking cook space can also be a full-on mood.

Created by artist and “serial house remodeler” Russell Loughlan in a 1768 Georgian row house, this kitchen started life as a cautionary tale: rot, woodworm, collapsing ceilings, and the kind of structural surprises that make you question all your life choices. The finished result, though, is a masterclass in how to turn chaos into charm with paint, paneling, and patience.

Let’s step inside this under-the-radar design savant’s remodel and break down exactly why this Kent kitchen works so beautifullyand how you can steal its best ideas for your own home, no passport required.

The Design Savant Behind the Kitchen

A Georgian House, a Long Remodel, and a Lot of Rot

The kitchen is part of a 1768 Georgian row house in the coastal town of Deal, Kent. When Russell took it on, the property was more “historic hazard” than “historic gem.” During the renovation, the kitchen ceiling literally collapsed, exposing rot and structural decay. Cabinets had to be rescued from rubble, floorboards repaired, and the basic shell of the room rebuilt before any pretty details could even be considered.

Instead of walking away, Russell leaned in. He documented the whole saga on Instagram, turning the slow-motion renovation into a story about persistence and creativity. The final kitchen isn’t just photogenic; it’s a lived-in space that reflects the house’s age, the owner’s eye for color, and a refusal to settle for boring.

From Remodeler to Color Consultant

This kitchen also marks the moment Russell steps from “guy with a great Instagram” into full-fledged design talent. The project helped launch his design studio, The House on Dolphin Street, where color consulting plays a starring role. The Kent kitchen is his calling card: proof that bold palettes, considered details, and relatively simple finishes can compete with the most high-end bespoke kitchens.

That “under-the-radar” label is becoming increasingly ironic. The more people see this space, the more obvious it is that Russell has the instincts of a seasoned interior designerjust without the usual fanfare.

Anatomy of a Characterful Kent Kitchen

Color-Blocked Walls in Turquoise and Deep Blue

The first thing you notice is the color. The walls are dramatically color-blocked: inky blue on the lower half, soft blue-green above. The palette is built around three Farrow & Ball shadesHague Blue, Oval Room Blue, and Picture Gallery Redused on different planes of the room for a layered, slightly theatrical effect.

Instead of playing it safe with white or greige, Russell doubles down on saturation. Cabinets blend into the deep blue lower walls, radiators and doors are painted to match, and the eye travels horizontally along that strong color line. The result is cozy and cocooning, but the lighter blue upper walls and abundant natural light keep the space from feeling claustrophobic.

This approach taps into a broader trend toward blue kitchens: from navy islands to powder-blue cabinetry, designers in the U.S. and U.K. alike are using blue to add depth and sophistication without going full neon. When paired with warm metals and natural wood, deep blues read classic rather than trendy.

Beadboard Paneling and Moroccan Zellige Tile

Color is only half the story; texture does equal heavy lifting. Russell panelled most of the walls in beadboard tongue-and-groove, giving the room vertical rhythm and a distinctly “built-in” feel. Tongue-and-groove paneling is a classic in English kitchens because it adds character and warmth without overwhelming small spaces. It also handles daily wear better than plain drywall, making it practical as well as pretty.

On one feature wall, beadboard gives way to glossy Moroccan zellige tiles in a transparent pastel turquoise. Zellige is famous for its irregular surface and subtle color variation; no two tiles are exactly alike. Under daylight, the turquoise shifts from sea glass to swimming pool blue, echoing the seaside setting of Deal and giving the room a quietly coastal energy rather than a themed “beach house” vibe.

Combining paneling and tile in one compact room is a clever move: the beadboard adds warmth, the zellige adds gleam, and together they create a layered, high-end look without resorting to overly busy patterns.

Hidden Appliances and Calm Cabinetry

For all its color and personality, the kitchen is surprisingly calm. A big reason: the appliances are largely hidden. Fridge and freezer sit behind panel-ready cabinet fronts, and the cabinetry itself is simple Shaker-style from Wickes, a U.K. big-box DIY store. In other words, this is not a “custom millwork only” fantasy; it’s a smart, accessible base elevated by paint and materials.

This choice mirrors a growing trend in both American and British kitchens, where homeowners are opting for integrated appliances and minimal visual noise. When the fridge looks like a pantry, the eye reads a continuous run of cabinetry instead of a patchwork of stainless steel. That gives you visual calmessential when you’re going bold elsewhere.

Salvaged Details and a 1960s Glass Partition

One of the most charming features is a glass-paneled partition that separates the kitchen from the adjacent space. It’s not original to the 18th century; it’s a mid-century addition from the 1960s. Instead of ripping it out, Russell embraced it, repainting the frame in the same bold hues as the walls.

That decision captures the spirit of the whole project: don’t obsess over historical puritymake the most of what the house has given you. By treating the partition as a design feature, the kitchen feels layered and lived-in rather than overly “restored” or theme-park historic.

Design Lessons to Steal for Your Own Kitchen

1. Use Bold Color with a Clear Strategy

If you’re going to commit to saturated color, you need a plan. This kitchen works because color is applied in large, deliberate gestures:

• One main color band: Deep blue wraps the lower walls, doors, and cabinetry, unifying the base of the room.
• Lighter upper walls: A softer blue-green keeps the room bright and emphasizes ceiling height.
• An accent red: Picture Gallery Red appears on select surfaces, like the partition, to add tension and warmth.

At home, you can borrow this logic even if you’re nervous about such strong shades. Try deep color below chair-rail height and a lighter tone above, or paint only the lower cabinets and island in a saturated hue while leaving upper cabinets and walls neutral.

2. Let Texture Do Some of the Talking

What makes this kitchen feel sophisticated rather than flat is the interplay of textures:

• Beadboard paneling provides subtle shadow lines and a crafted feel.
• Glossy zellige tile reflects light and introduces color variation.
• Painted woodwork ties doors, trim, and cabinetry into one coherent envelope.

If you’re designing your own space, think beyond “what color should I paint the walls?” and ask “where do I want smooth versus textured surfaces?” Tongue-and-groove, tile, stone, and wood each bring a different kind of depth.

3. Hide the Workhorse Elements, Highlight the Charming Ones

Another smart move in the Kent kitchen is the hierarchy of what’s visible. Everyday messappliances, bulky boxes, visual clutteris minimized. Meanwhile, architectural features and beautiful finishes are pushed forward.

• Panel-ready appliances and simple cabinetry blend into the background.
• Decorative elements like the glass partition and radiator become part of the color story.
• Tile and paneling act as a “backdrop set,” making functional objects feel intentional rather than random.

In your own home, consider which items you actually want to see. Maybe you hide the microwave in a tall pantry but keep open shelving for your favorite ceramics. Character doesn’t require visual chaos.

4. Celebrate Imperfection and Patina

The charm here isn’t just about perfect lines; it’s about lived-in imperfection: the slightly irregular zellige tile, the old house bones, the salvaged partition. English kitchens, especially those with a country or coastal feel, rarely look aggressively new. They feel as if they’ve evolved over time.

You can echo that feeling by mixing new cabinets with an antique table, hanging a well-worn copper pot rack, or letting small variations in tile or wood grain show. A little patina makes bold color feel more grounded and less like a showroom display.

Getting the Look: A Practical Guide

Suggested Color Palette

Want a similar atmosphere without copying the room paint-by-paint?

• Deep base: A rich navy or blue-black (think Farrow & Ball Hague Blue–style shades).
• Soft upper walls: A muted blue-green or gray-blue that feels airy in daylight.
• Accent warmth: A brick red, oxblood, or terracotta tone on a door, trim, or single cabinet run.
• Neutrals: Warm white for ceilings and maybe for the interior of window frames to keep light bouncing around.

Materials & Finishes Checklist

• Paneling: Beadboard or tongue-and-groove on lower walls or full-height on select walls.
• Tile: Hand-glazed or zellige-style tile for a feature wall or backsplash.
• Cabinetry: Simple Shaker doors that take paint well (stock or semi-custom is fine).
• Hardware: Classic bin pulls, knobs, or latches in brass or aged nickel to warm up the blues.
• Countertops: Light quartz, marble, or solid surface to contrast with dark bases and reflect light.
• Lighting: Modest pendants or schoolhouse-style shades that don’t fight the color story.

Layout and Function

The Kent kitchen isn’t huge; it behaves more like a galley or compact working kitchen than a sprawling open-plan hub. That’s part of why it feels so relatable. Key layout ideas you can borrow:

• Keep the working triangle tight. Sink, stove, and fridge are within easy reach, reducing cross-room laps.
• Use vertical space. Tall cabinetry, full-height paneling, and high color-blocking draw the eye up.
• Carve out a visual pause. The glass partition creates a subtle separation from adjacent spaces, making the kitchen feel defined without closing it in.

Even in a small apartment kitchen, you can mimic this by using a change in wall treatment, a painted archway, or a shallow shelving unit as a transitional element between kitchen and living areas.

Why This Kitchen Feels So “Kent”

This room could only really exist in a place like Deal. The turquoise and blue palette nods to the nearby sea and sky, while the Georgian bones keep everything grounded in history. Nothing feels overly polished: the tiles shimmer like water, the paneling hints at coastal cottages and seaside boarding houses, and the salvaged partition suggests decades of adaptations.

Yet there’s nothing nostalgic or fussy about it. The color blocking is modern, the integrated appliances are current, and the overall mood is more artful than rustic. It’s the sweet spot between old-house charm and contemporary design confidencea balance many homeowners are chasing right now, whether they’re in Kent, Kansas, or California.

Real-Life Experiences in a Characterful, Color-Blocked Kitchen

It’s one thing to admire a stunning kitchen on your screen; it’s another to actually live in one this bold. What is day-to-day life like in a room saturated with turquoise and navy, wrapped in paneling, and finished with a tile wall that looks like a pool of water?

First, mornings feel different. In a light-filled kitchen like this, early sun glancing off turquoise zellige can make even a basic cup of coffee feel like a scene from a movie. The glaze catches tiny reflections: a kettle boiling, a plant leaf moving in the breeze, steam drifting past. If you’ve ever wondered why designers obsess over “how materials take the light,” this is why. Texture plus color equals mood.

Second, bold color changes how you relate to clutter. In an all-white kitchen, every stray mug and cereal box screams. In a deeply colored room, everyday objects recede a bit. As long as the worktops are reasonably clear, the overall impression remains composed. The paneling and strong color bands act like eyeliner for the room, keeping the scene coherent even when life is messy.

Cleaning, surprisingly, can be easier than you’d think. Beadboard paneling does need an occasional wipe-down, but the vertical grooves hide small scuffs better than flat painted drywall. Glossy tile is simple to sponge clean, especially behind the sink and stove. The trick is choosing the right finish: eggshell or satin on walls, durable enamel or cabinet paint on woodwork, and a good sealer or appropriate grout for the tile.

Guests, of course, tend to react with a mixture of delight and curiosity. People want to touch the paneling, run a hand along the tiled wall, and ask, “What color is this?” A kitchen like this becomes a conversation starter, which is a big part of its charm. It signals that the owner takes joy in their environmentand isn’t afraid to make strong choices.

Living with strong color also comes with a few lessons. You quickly notice how artificial light shifts the palette: warm bulbs deepen the blues into something almost cinematic at night, while cooler light can make them feel more graphic and modern. Many homeowners end up layering lightingunder-cabinet strips for tasks, pendants for ambiance, and maybe a small lamp on a side counterto give themselves control over the mood.

Another day-to-day benefit is psychological. There’s something grounding about a kitchen that feels truly “finished,” not perpetually halfway to a Pinterest board. When the walls, cabinets, and finishes all feel intentional, you’re less tempted to keep tinkering and more inclined to simply enjoy the space. Cooking becomes more pleasurable, washing dishes feels slightly less like a chore, and even reheating leftovers feels upgraded.

Of course, you don’t have to duplicate this Kent kitchen exactly to enjoy similar experiences. Maybe you introduce a half-height band of blue paneling in your breakfast nook, or tile just one wall of your rental kitchen with removable panels inspired by zellige. The point is to give your kitchen a strong identityone that reflects your personality and your home’s architectureso that everyday tasks happen in a space that feels like yours, not like a generic showroom.

Conclusion

The characterful kitchen in Kent is more than a pretty set of photos. It’s proof that even a small, once-compromised room can become a standout space with the right mix of courage, color, and craft. Bold blues ground the room, turquoise tile brings in light and movement, beadboard adds warmth, and hidden appliances keep the whole composition calm and cohesive.

Whether you’re planning a full remodel or just thinking about repainting, this kitchen offers a clear roadmap: respect the bones you have, choose a confident palette, layer in texture, and let your everyday life unfold inside a space that feels both deeply practical and unmistakably you.