An Epsom Neo-Georgian detached home, chimney breast removal
Before and After. The Mastercraft Difference.
A kitchen is more than a change of cabinets. It is a complete transformation of space, light, flow, and function. See how considered design and skilled making turn everyday rooms into places designed for living.
1. The Original Space
Chimney Breast Dominating the Space
A large chimney breast sat heavily in the centre of the room, breaking up the layout and restricting how the space could be used. It forced the cooking area into an awkward position and limited any real flexibility in the design.
Dated Cabinets and Disjointed Layout
The existing cabinetry had reached the end of its life, both in appearance and function. Storage felt pieced together rather than planned, with mismatched finishes and inefficient use of space. Worktops were broken up, leaving very little continuous preparation area.
Tight Access and Limited Flow
Movement through the room felt constrained, with narrow walkways and no clear flow between cooking, preparation, and dining. The adjoining spaces didn’t connect properly, making the kitchen feel more enclosed than it should have been.
2. The Design Approach
Opening the Room and Removing Constraints
The starting point was to remove the chimney breast, which had been restricting the layout. Taking this out allowed the room to be properly rebalanced, creating uninterrupted runs of cabinetry and a far more usable overall footprint.
Improving Access Without Losing Space
A pocket sliding door was introduced to replace a traditional swing door. This allowed the kitchen to open up more freely, while still giving the option to close the space off without sacrificing valuable floor area.
Rebuilding the Room Properly
The space was taken back to a shell and rebuilt, including a full rewire, new lighting layout, and complete replastering. This ensured the kitchen wasn’t just redesigned on the surface, but properly prepared behind the scenes.
Designing the Kitchen as One Scheme
The Madison shaker kitchen in reed green was planned as a complete scheme, with Azzurro white quartz worktops, upstands, and sills all working together to create a consistent and balanced finish across the room.
Integrating Appliances and Internal Storage
AEG appliances were positioned within the layout to suit how the kitchen would be used day to day. Internally, pull-out storage solutions were specified throughout to improve access and organisation.
Building in Everyday Practical Details
Details such as the Qettle 4 litre boiling water tap were included from the outset, ensuring the kitchen would be straightforward to use, not just visually right.
2. Our Proposal
Opening the Room and Removing Constraints
We removed the chimney breast to completely free up the layout, allowing the kitchen to be rebalanced and properly planned. This single change transformed how the space could function, creating uninterrupted runs and a much calmer overall feel.
Pocket Door System for Added Space
A new pocket sliding door was introduced to improve access without sacrificing floor space. This allows the kitchen to open up when needed, while still giving you the option to close it off neatly without a traditional door getting in the way.
Fully Rebuilt Structure and Services
The space was taken back and rebuilt properly, including a full rewire, new lighting design, and complete replastering. This gives you a clean foundation, both visually and technically, ensuring everything performs as well as it looks.
A Mastercraft Kitchen, Designed as One
Your new Mastercraft Madison shaker kitchen in reed green brings everything together with a consistent, balanced finish. Azzurro white quartz worktops, upstands, and sills create a clean, continuous surface across the room, giving you proper working space and a refined feel.
Integrated Appliances and Smarter Storage
AEG appliances are built neatly into your cabinetry, positioned exactly where they work best for how you use the space. Inside, a full set of pull-out storage accessories ensures everything is organised, accessible, and easy to use day to day.
Everyday Practicality, Thought Through
Your Qettle 4 litre boiling water tap is built into your worktop, giving you instant boiling water without cluttering the space. It’s small details like this, combined with the layout changes, that make the kitchen feel easier to live with from the moment you start using it.
3. The Finished Kitchen
The room now feels completely open and easy to move through. Removing the chimney breast and reworking the layout has created clear sightlines, longer runs of worktop, and a natural flow between each area of the kitchen.
This Mastercraft Madison shaker kitchen in reed green brings everything together with a calm, consistent finish. Quartz worktops run cleanly through the space, AEG appliances are integrated neatly into your cabinetry, and considered storage with features like the Qettle boiling water tap makes the kitchen simple to use every day.
Mastercraft Kitchen Installations
Your kitchen, fully designed, built and installed by one team.
No chasing after trades after they’ve let you down. No gaps between stages. Just a complete, project managed transformation from start to finish.
What's included, everything managed for you
Design & Planning
Build & Installation
Finishing & Completion
Fitted by People Who Take Pride in the Job
Our kitchens are installed by experienced fitters who know our products inside out. They are part of the Mastercraft team, not outside contractors, so every job is carried out with care, attention and proper workmanship. From accurate fitting to clean finishes, our fitters treat your home with respect and make sure everything is done right, down to the last detail.
Fitted by People Who Take Pride in the Job
Our kitchens are installed by experienced fitters who know our products inside out. They are part of the Mastercraft team, not outside contractors, so every job is carried out with care, attention and proper workmanship. From accurate fitting to clean finishes, our fitters treat your home with respect and make sure everything is done right, down to the last detail.
We Can Manage All Your Other Jobs Too!
Looking for a full kitchen makeover? You’re in the right place. With Mastercraft, we can also re-plaster, lay down new floors, sort out the tiling, and even handle bigger jobs like taking down walls or making structural changes. Mastercraft can project manage all your kitchen transformation needs.
Structural Work and Wall Knock-Throughs
Doors and Windows Fitted and Moved
Plastering, Rendering and Damp Proofing
Radiators Fitted and Repositioned
Flooring & Tiling
Finance Offers
Built In-House. Made Without Compromise.
Every Mastercraft kitchen is made in our own UK workshops by skilled cabinet makers. From joinery to finishing, each cabinet is built specifically for your project, with careful control over materials, tolerances and detail.
Nothing is off the shelf. Nothing is rushed. What we design is what we build, ensuring your kitchen is made properly, to suit your home and to last.
Built In-House. Made Without Compromise.
Every Mastercraft kitchen is made in our own UK workshops by skilled cabinet makers. From joinery to finishing, each cabinet is built specifically for your project, with careful control over materials, tolerances and detail.
Nothing is off the shelf. Nothing is rushed. What we design is what we build, ensuring your kitchen is made properly, to suit your home and to last.
Properly Designed Before It’s Built
Your kitchen is carefully designed and finalised before manufacturing begins. Layout, proportions, storage and finishes are all considered in detail, so decisions are made with clarity and confidence.
This ensures your kitchen is fully resolved as a design, not just planned, so what is built matches what has been agreed.
Get free expert advice from the people who will design and build your kitchen. Keely Mastercraft Designer and Project Manager Simon Mastercraft Designer and Project Manager Susan Mastercraft Designer and Project Manager Steven Builder, Designer and Project Manager John Mastercraft Designer and Project ManagerMeet a Mastercraft kitchen designer
You'll work directly with a Mastercraft designer to plan a kitchen around your home, your layout and how you live day to day. From the first sketches through to technical planning and installation, everything is handled by one experienced in-house team. Every kitchen is made-to-measure for your room, your architecture and the way you use the space. We measure and plan everything before production begins so your kitchen fits exactly as intended. See door finishes, worktops and colours in your own home before making final decisions.Start your Mastercraft design consultation
Designed around your home
Technical survey included
Materials and samples
Inside you'll find our brochures, design guides, material references and any current Mastercraft offers. A practical starting point if you're thinking about a kitchen but not ready to talk yet.
Browse the Mastercraft design library
