The Walnut & Oak Kitchen

Modern kitchen with a large marble island and built-in cooktop, warm wood cabinetry, brass fixtures, open shelves with ceramics and glassware, and soft pendant and wall lighting in neutral tones.

Fronts: Natural Walnut and Natural Oak Veneer on Plywood

Handles: Corston Architectural

Worktop: Breccia Antico from Bristol Marble

Window Seating & Shelf: Kennard Bros

Cabinets: IKEA

DESIGNER & Architect: EJ Studio

PHOTOGRAPHER: Brett Charles

This kitchen brings together two of our most loved timber veneer finishes, walnut and oak, paired with marbled worktops to create a space that feels modern and relaxed.

The combination came about almost by accident. When the clients couldn’t quite agree on a single veneer finish, Tom was drawn to oak, while Alex preferred walnut, the idea of blending the two emerged. The result adds depth and subtle contrast, giving the kitchen a character that feels entirely at home.

Light-filled modern kitchen with walnut and oak cabinetry, a large island topped with dark stone, open wall shelving with jars and ceramics, brass fixtures, pendant lights, and a window seat beside a sliding glass door overlooking an outdoor space.

A bright and modern oak wooden kitchen with a built in black oven and black marble worktops. There is a wooden shelf about the worktops with small wooden chopping boards on. There is a silver fridge in the corner of the frame.

A husband and wife with a toddler in the mothers arms in a modern white and wooden kitchen with black marble countertops

About the project

Tom and Alex wanted to create a kitchen that felt warm and full of depth, a space that would work for family life, while still feeling calm and considered. The project began as a new kitchen extension, giving the home room to breathe and creating a space that could become the heart of the house.

Rather than settling on a single finish, the design explored different materials, tones, and textures, allowing character to emerge through contrast and detail. Timber veneers were carefully chosen for their warmth and grain, with oak and walnut combined to add subtle variation.

Modern kitchen with walnut and oak cabinetry, a large stone-topped island with an induction cooktop, built-in stainless steel fridge and ovens, open coffee station, open wooden shelves, brass fixtures, and warm pendant light

Fronts: Natural Walnut and Natural Oak Veneer
Worktop: Breccia Antico – Bristol Marble
Handles: Corston Architectural

I’m a geologist, so I was always going to be drawn to natural materials. The Breccia Antico worktop stood out straight away, its structure tells a story of how it formed. We wanted natural materials for the cabinets too, not just for the colour, but for the tactile quality of real wood.

Client Tom J

A family of a husband, wife and toddler sat in a window seat playing with the toddler. The window seat is in a modern wooden kitchen with neutral walls with a large green plant in the corner.

Open-plan kitchen and dining space with a stone-topped wooden island and induction hob beside a long dining table with a checkered tablecloth, wooden chairs, and a built-in bench, lit by pendant and wall lights, with indoor plants and glass doors opening to a garden beneath a sloped timber ceiling.

As a geologist, Tom felt instinctively drawn to natural materials and the tones of the earth. Working with architect EJ Studio, the team selected Breccia Antico worktops from Bristol Marble, alongside warm antique brass handles from Corston Architecture and carefully chosen light fittings. Together, these details create a space that feels calm, grounded and timeless.

The warmth of oak and walnut brings a sense of comfort, creating a space that feels inviting and lived-in from the outset. Paired with clean lines and thoughtful detailing, the result is a kitchen that feels smart and elegant, with a subtle mid-century sensibility.