This kitchen renovation in Cambridge reflects how thoughtful spatial refinement can transform even a newly built home.

Modern residential building in Henslow Mews, Cambridge CB2 — brick facade, large windows, and garden, setting the scene for a kitchen renovation project. — Henslow Mews Project

Exterior view of Henslow Mews in Cambridge CB2, showing a modern residential building with brick facade, large windows, and landscaped garden. This image introduces the kitchen renovation project and anchors it in its architectural context.

Refining a New Kitchen Through Design Intelligence

Some homes in Cambridge reveal their story gradually. Henslow Mews, quietly situated within the CB2 postcode, is one of those places — a contemporary development with generous light, clean lines, and the promise of modern living. As we began working with the newly installed kitchen, it became clear that certain spatial decisions simply needed a more considered design approach to support the way the homeowners wanted to use the space.

Nothing was “wrong” in a structural sense — the room just required refinement, technical adjustment, and a designer’s eye to unlock its full potential. This project became an opportunity to elevate what was already there, ensuring the kitchen not only looked good but functioned beautifully in daily life.

The Inherited Kitchen — Aesthetic Promise, Functional Limitations

Although the kitchen appeared new and visually complete, several underlying spatial constraints made it difficult to use comfortably:

• a circulation gap of only around 700mm

• doors unable to open fully

• a kitchen triangle that didn’t support natural workflow

• tiles installed only around the base units

• exposed concrete once the cabinetry was removed

• misaligned measurements

• a dining area that felt visually disconnected

These were not faults — simply the result of a layout that needed a more refined, user‑centred approach.

The Client’s Brief — A Kitchen That Works

The client preferred an IKEA kitchen for its modular flexibility and clean Scandinavian lines. IKEA is often misunderstood as “budget,” but in the right hands, it becomes a powerful design tool.

My role was to:

• refine the layout

• correct spatial limitations

• coordinate the installation

• manage the furniture order

• integrate the dining area

• ensure the final result felt cohesive and intentional

This was not a cosmetic refresh.

It was a full redesign — using IKEA as the structural language, and design expertise as the elevating force.

Detail from Henslow Mews kitchen renovation — exposed concrete where tiles were missing beneath removed base units, showing the need for design correction. — Site photo from the Henslow Mews kitchen renovation in Cambridge CB2, showing exposed concrete where floor tiles were installed only around the original base units. This image highlights a common issue in developer‑installed kitchens and the need for design‑led correction.

Correcting the Technical

Concept board for Cambridge kitchen design — matte black textures, warm lighting, and minimalist detailing. — Concept board for Pinterior SPACE kitchen renovation in Cambridge, showcasing a cohesive design language of matte black surfaces, warm lighting, natural textures, and minimalist detailing. This collage reflects the intentional atmosphere and material palette behind the Henslow Mews project.

This project demonstrates how IKEA kitchen design becomes elevated when guided by proportion, alignment, and technical clarity.

Issues

1. Improving Circulation

While the ideal 1200mm clearance wasn’t achievable due to the overall footprint of the room, we significantly improved circulation by increasing the gap to almost 900mm.

To enhance usability further, we replaced hinged doors with deep drawers — a far more practical solution in tighter spaces. Drawers allow full access without requiring wide swing clearance, making them ideal for kitchens where every millimetre matters.

This small but strategic adjustment transformed the way the kitchen operates, proving that thoughtful design can overcome spatial limitations with ease and elegance.

2. Rebuilding the Kitchen Triangle

The original layout forced the client to zig‑zag across the room.

We re‑established a functional triangle between:

• sink

• hob

• fridge

This simple correction made the kitchen feel intuitive and effortless.

Collage of plans, elevations, material palette, and 3D visualisations for a kitchen–dining renovation in Henslow Mews, Cambridge, showing spatial reconfiguration, cabinetry detailing, and a cohesive modern design direction. — A detailed collage documenting the kitchen–dining renovation at Henslow Mews, Cambridge. It combines annotated plans showing layout improvements, elevation drawings with cabinetry and splashback detailing, a curated material palette, and realistic 3D visualisations. Together, these layers reveal the project’s design intent — a modern, tactile, and spatially refined transformation that balances technical precision with poetic clarity.

3. Addressing the Tiling Gap

Because the developer had tiled only around the base units, removing them exposed raw concrete.

We resolved this through:

• careful levelling

• strategic infill

• a continuous plinth line

• precise alignment of new cabinetry

The floor now reads as one uninterrupted surface.

4. Aligning the Cabinetry

Measurements were corrected, vertical lines realigned, and the entire run of units recalibrated.

This is the kind of detail that no one notices when it’s right — but everyone feels when it’s wrong.

Elevating IKEA — When Design Makes the Difference

IKEA is not a luxury.

Installation process collage from Henslow Mews kitchen renovation — cabinetry, wiring, and layout refinement in progress — Collage of site photos from the Henslow Mews kitchen renovation in Cambridge CB2, showing installation progress, cabinetry alignment, electrical preparation, and material detailing. This image documents the transformation from developer-standard layout to a refined, designer-led kitchen

But design is…

When handled with precision, IKEA becomes a flexible, reliable, and surprisingly elegant system. The final result in Henslow Mews is indistinguishable from a high‑end bespoke kitchen because:

• the layout is intentional

• the proportions are correct

• the materials are balanced

• the installation is coordinated

• the details are resolved

This project proves a truth I often share with clients across Cambridge and London:

It’s not about the brand — it’s about the designer.

We introduced:

• a cohesive palette

• warm textures

• a balanced lighting plan

• proportional furniture

• visual alignment with the kitchen cabinetry

The two spaces now speak the same language — calm, warm, and quietly modern.

Marble island kitchen with curved backsplash, black cabinetry, warm lighting, and soft natural textures. — Modern kitchen interior featuring a marble island with white veining, curved backsplash, matte black cabinetry, and warm pendant lighting. The space includes natural textures, soft curtains, and subtle greenery, reflecting a refined, minimalist design approach in a Cambridge home.

You can explore similar transformations in my Cambridge *interior design portfolio, where dining and kitchen spaces are unified through materiality and proportion***

Materiality and Atmosphere

The final palette is grounded in:

• soft woods

• warm neutrals

• clean Scandinavian lines

• gentle lighting

• tactile textures

The atmosphere is one of calm functionality — a space that supports daily life without demanding attention.

Serving Cambridge, Cambridgeshire Villages, and London

This project reflects the type of work I often undertake for clients in:

• Cambridge

• CB2

• Trumpington

• Great Shelford, Newmarket

• Little Shelford, Waterlane

• Grantchester

• Newnham

• Cherry Hinton

• and London clients seeking Cambridge‑based design expertise

Each location brings its own architectural rhythm, but the design principles remain the same: clarity, functionality, and quiet beauty.

Modern kitchen interior in Henslow Mews, Cambridge, featuring black cabinetry, marble island, and soft natural light filtering through sheer curtains — Henslow Mews CB2 Renovation by Pinterior.space

A refined kitchen interior from the Henslow Mews renovation in Cambridge CB2. The space features matte black cabinetry, a marble-topped island with an integrated cooktop, and a linear pendant light that anchors the room. Large-format black floor tiles create visual continuity, while sheer curtains soften the natural light. Stainless steel appliances and recessed ceiling lights complete the composition. This image captures the project’s atmosphere — calm, modern, and quietly luxurious — where every detail supports daily life with elegance and ease.

Closing Reflection

The Henslow Mews kitchen is no longer a space defined by spatial constraints. It is a room shaped by intention — where every measurement, clearance, and material choice supports the way the client lives. This renovation is a reminder that design is not decoration.

-Design is problem‑solving.

-Design is refinement.

-Design is care.

And when done well, it transforms even the most challenging starting point into a space that feels effortless.

Contact Pinterior.space to begin your own narrative of place, purpose, and poetic living along Grange Road—or wherever your Cambridge journey may lead.

If you’re planning a renovation and want a space shaped with intention, you can book a Cambridge interior design consultation to begin the process.

Ready to design with intention? Book your consultation today.

Kitchen Renovation in Cambridge — Henslow Mews, CB2