Picture the scene: a solitary shepherd out on the downlands of southern England, with only the most rudimentary set-up for preparing food in his hut – a small corner cupboard for his loaf of bread, chunk of cheese, tankard and flagon of cider, and a folding table and chair where he would eat by flickering candlelight.
We’ve come a long way since those early Victorian huts, but our kitchens still hold a little of that same magic – now reimagined for modern life, with a few more comforts and clever touches. Today, they stand shoulder to shoulder with the best specialist makers, crafted by our skilled furniture team with a meticulous eye for detail.
By far our most popular design is the Shaker-style kitchen, fitted as standard in the Guest House, complete with a Belfast sink, 600mm hob, integrated fridge and plate rack – all arranged to make the most of every inch of space. The Weekender Hut offers a more compact layout for shorter stays: an oak countertop for a kettle, coffee maker or air fryer, with space below for an under-counter fridge.
Built to last, our cabinetry is made from American tulipwood – a beautifully stable, fine-grained timber prized for its ability to take paint evenly – finished in a colour of your choice from our exclusive Plankbridge palette. Worktops are crafted from solid oak, and you can choose from pewter, chrome or black knobs and butterfly hinges for the cupboards.
For those seeking something truly one-of-a-kind, our kitchens also move into the Bespoke category. Memorable projects over the years include a hut with an Aga, complete with reinforced flooring for a customer who loved baking bread, and a bespoke 14-ft timber-clad catering hut we designed for Daylesford Organic to accommodate large catering equipment, including a chef’s cooker and fridges, with double side doors that function as a serving hatch and a single end door for access. It really is a case of: tell us your ideas, and we’ll bring them to life.
Responding to customer requests, we’ve also added all sorts of clever, space-saving kitchen features, from fold-down glass hob covers to extend work surfaces and smaller Belfast sinks to maximise space to wine racks and fridges, discreet LED strip lighting and glazed as well as solid cupboard doors. Worktops have been finished in granite, quartz and zinc, while fittings have ranged from Fired Earth taps to copper wall spouts. We’ve even built cabinetry to house a Sage Smart Oven for low-energy cooking.
The options, as they say, are as endless as your imagination. Bon appétit!
If you’d like to discuss your own ideas for a kitchen in your hut, do get in touch with our friendly team at enquiries@plankbridge.com.
