Tim Flux, Director, Inglis Hall, guides us through the views and vision that lead to the success of this new build project where industrial elegance is meshed with rural warmth.

The result is bold and uncompromising, yet settled beautifully in its surroundings.

Q: What were the stand-out priorities in your brief from the client?

The new kitchen was always going to be more than just a room for the creative owners of Brick Barn. They are artists at heart, happiest out in the fields with their beloved horses, so we knew we had to take a very particular approach.

Their vision was to bring the outside in. They wanted a canvas that was alive with texture, light, and open to the landscape they adore. They visualised sunrise tumbling across floor-to-ceiling glass, muddy boots by the door after a ride, and sunlight glancing off worktops.

Q: How did you set about answering that brief?

Crittall-style windows and generous openings lend the space a subtle industrial edge, nodding to its agricultural roots. In the heart of the home, the open-plan kitchen and living area seamlessly blends industrial sophistication with rural warmth, crafting a space that feels timeless, practical, and deeply connected to family life. We wanted to create a kitchen that fulfilled all their wishes, it had to look good, work quietly and unobtrusively and look good in seasons.

We designed a kitchen that could adapt, from the quiet moments of a morning coffee to the lively gatherings of an evening meal. It’s a space that invites comfort, connection, and ease.

Q: What is the story behind this home, what rules did you have to work with regarding planning/construction

The Brick Barn is a 600m² new build contemporary home that blends agricultural charm with innovative design. Replacing a modest bungalow, the house sits comfortably within its rural setting. A large portion of the building is tucked discreetly into the landscape, with a subterranean level housing garages, workshops, and ancillary spaces.

Above ground, the form draws inspiration from traditional agricultural barns, finished in warm brick and clay tiles, with crisp, refined detailing.

Q: What were your reasons for the choices of cabinetry and work surfaces?

We chose hardworking natural materials for the kitchen and pantry areas, reflecting the owners creativity, their love of nature, and their connection to the land. We presented materials that were subtle but interesting, using colours and finishes that fitted in with the surrounding colours and landscapes.

Caesarstone Quartz Primordia work surface cloaks the main sink run cabinetry paired with sleek Richlite panels. A secondary sink utilises the same work surface contrasted with raw band-sawn oak. The kitchen island is framed in blackened Band-sawn oak, paired with Caesarstone brushed black granite and raw brass. It all comes together to create a kitchen that’s as functional as it is grounded in beauty.

Q: What storage elements do you think work particularly well?

The walk-in pantry just off the kitchen was designed to house all manner of dry goods and smaller appliances on one side. On the other is bespoke oak shelving for jars and spices, leaving the main kitchen area and island free for prep and cooking. This arrangement is practical, avoids clutter accumulating, and also looks streamlined and organised.

Q: What design elements do you think make the scheme so successful?

This kitchen design balances the desire for an industrial edge combined with rural warmth, complementing the building and its setting. Large expanses of glazing, together with carefully chosen textures and finishes, ensure the kitchen feels deeply connected to the landscape.

The play of textures and contrast is deliberate here. Blackened band-sawn oak climbs to the ceiling, integrating into lofty architectural ceilings. ​It looks bold against the raw oak. Richlite runs smooth alongside tactile oak, and the granite worktops connect the inside to the land beyond. Every element is chosen to be felt as much as seen, each part blending function and personality.

We also connected with Jonathan Stanley, VP of Marketing at Caesarstone UK & ROI to learn about how Caesarstone 4043 Primordia quartz for the sink run was the perfect design choice here.

Q: How did the Caesarstone team help with the choices made?

Having collaborated with Inglis Hall on numerous projects, our concrete-style worksurfaces complement their renowned wooden kitchens, bringing a beautifully organic feel to a space. Worksurface choices often create intentional contrasts in kitchen projects, to great effect.

Q: What do you think are the advantages of choosing 4043 Primordia for this project?

Featuring a light grey concrete base with off-white mineral patches and soft grey veins, 4043 Primordia showcases refined hints of oxidised rust, along with subtle touches of yellow and washed green. Its textured concrete finish integrates beautifully into the kitchen design.

Beyond the striking aesthetics, Caesarstone’s worktops are among the hardest stone surfaces on the market. They are known and appreciated by designers to be impenetrable, strong, and resilient. These surfaces offer heat, stain, and scratch resistance – ideal for busy family kitchens where style must meet everyday practicality. With Caesarstone’s lifetime residential warranty across all residential applications, these surfaces ensure longevity, cementing them as an unparalleled one-off investment in style, substance, and quality.

Q: What are Caesarstone’s trend predictions for 2026 and beyond?

Concrete styled surfaces are making a strong comeback which will continue throughout 2026 and beyond, bringing a rugged, brutalist edge to modern kitchens. These styles are surprisingly versatile, they complement industrial lofts, minimalist Scandinavian spaces, and will even serve as a striking alternative to marble in classic farmhouse designs.

Bold veining will be back but used with restraint. Instead of high-contrast marbles, designers are opting for surfaces where the pattern feels integrated – almost like it has been etched in by nature – bringing a sense of artistry to the kitchen. The latest marble-inspired designs from Caesarstone,  5226 Calacatta Nectar Quartz and 5115 Calacatta Stillstorm, reflect this trend, combining striking movement with soft, organic warmth – making them an ideal choice for natural schemes.

The stone industry is evolving quickly, and with it comes both challenge and opportunity. Last year Caesarstone launched ICON – crystalline silica-free surfaces that represent a safer, more sustainable future without sacrificing design or performance. For us as a company this is not just about product innovation, it’s about setting a new standard where safety, sustainability, and design excellence are the norm, not the exception. My advice to retailers, designers and consumers alike is simple: ask questions, demand transparency, and invest in surfaces that are built to last. The kitchen is too important a space for compromise …

Project by Inglis Hall. Showroom, An Actual Kitchen, 29 High Street, Lewes, East Sussex BN7 2LU. Tel 01273 486177, www.inglishall.com Follow the team on Instagram @inglis_hall

Cabinetry in 19mm Oak Veneered Lacquered Birch Ply, doors are Fenix, Richlite, and Raw & Blackened band sawn oak, all Inglis Hall. Island surface, natural stone and brushed black granite.

Surfaces: Sink run, Primordia by Caesarstone

Integrated dishwasher, Miele

Fridge, cool drawer, drinks fridge, oven, all Fisher & Paykel

Hob, 1000mm, Gaggenau

Extractor, Lisser Stone 1135mm, Westin