Projects & Case Studies

A social Soho kitchen lovingly transformed

When Gavin and Ollie set out to transform the kitchen of their 1930s home, the ambition was clear: create a space that felt contemporary, sociable, and practical, while retaining the character that made the house special. The result is a beautifully considered kitchen transformation by Magnet, bringing cooking, dining and entertaining together in one inviting space. But among all the changes, one much-loved feature was deliberately left untouched: their SMEG Victoria range cooker.

SMEG Victoria range cooker in a renovated open-plan 1930s kitchen with contemporary cabinetry

SMEG Victoria - at the heart of the home

As the rest of the kitchen was reimagined, the SMEG Victoria remained at the heart of the cooking space. Loved by the homeowners, the range cooker had already become a characterful centrepiece of the kitchen. Rather than replace it as part of the renovation, they designed the new space around it, allowing its distinctive styling to sit naturally alongside the new cabinetry and contemporary layout. It is a perfect example of how a statement appliance can become more than simply a functional part of a kitchen. The Victoria brings personality, warmth and a sense of occasion to the cooking area, while its classic styling works beautifully within a period property.

A new kitchen built around the way they live

The original kitchen consisted of a compact galley kitchen and a separate dining room, spaces that felt disconnected from one another and from the rest of the home. The Magnet renovation opened these areas up to create a generous, open-plan kitchen designed around modern family life and entertaining. At its centre is a striking L-shaped island, providing space for preparation, seating and conversation while naturally connecting the kitchen with the wider living space. The homeowners were keen to retain the character of their 1930s home too, reinstating original details such as picture rails and panelling. Against this backdrop, the warm Baked Clay cabinetry creates a confident contemporary feel without losing the personality of the property. And standing proudly within it all, the SMEG Victoria provides a familiar focal point combined alongside SMEG's stunning DCF02 drip coffee machine.

Photography courtesy of Magnet

View the cooker

A timeless centrepiece

The Victoria range, complete with induction hob, is inspired by SMEG's rich cooking heritage and characterised by its distinctive 50's styling, suiting both classic and contemporary interiors with ease.
Here, that timeless aesthetic feels particularly at home. The rich cabinetry, period architectural details and statement range cooker work together to create a kitchen that feels individual rather than overly designed. Most importantly, the renovation demonstrates that creating a new kitchen doesn't necessarily mean starting again from scratch. Sometimes, the pieces you already love can provide the starting point for everything that follows. For Gavin and Ollie, their SMEG Victoria was one of those pieces, a much-loved cooker that remained at the centre of their chef's space while everything around it was transformed.

A kitchen made for living

Today, the kitchen is much more than a place to prepare food. The island provides a natural gathering point, the open-plan layout makes entertaining easier, and thoughtful storage and appliance placement help the space work effortlessly day to day. The result is a space with plenty of personality – and a reminder that the right appliance can be a lasting part of a kitchen's story, rather than simply something to be replaced when the room is redesigned.

Read the full Magnet case study here: https://www.magnet.co.uk/customer-kitchens/renovating-a-1930s-kitchen/

Discover the SMEG Victoria range here