Renton Hall: A story of patience and restorative care

There are buildings that wait. They hold stories in their stone and timber, patiently, until someone arrives who is willing to listen. Renton Hall is one such place.

It’s a project we hold close, and three years on, this much-loved home is settled, calm, and full of life. Returning feels less like a visit and more like a conversation continued. We thought we'd take a moment, open up more of the house, and focus in on what makes this kitchen special.

The revival of this 200-year-old Georgian manor in East Lothian, led by the thoughtful minds at WT Architecture, was a symphony in two movements.

The first, a careful restoration of the B-listed manor. The house was stripped back to its honest structural shell, a process of peeling back layers to reveal the integrity of its original form. We understand this deeply. It is a dialogue with what already exists, respecting the bones of a place to prepare it for a new chapter.

The second movement was a contemporary extension, reaching out from the side of the old house. This new structure had to speak the same language as the original, a conversation between centuries. Crafted with sustainably sourced Douglas fir and finished in a lime-render, it was designed to complement the Georgian stone. It is a sympathetic addition, not an imitation, bringing with it a quiet, modern voice.

This is where craft becomes a bridge between eras.

At the union of these two movements lies the kitchen. The soul of the home. Here, the past and future converge. We planned a kitchen that invites warmth and togetherness, allowing life to flow freely. This new heart beats with the rhythm of daily rituals, the morning light falling across a surface, the quiet satisfaction of simple pleasures like a freshly baked croissant and homemade jam at the kitchen island.

For Renton Hall, exposed timber brought the tactile, honest thread connecting the renovation with the extension. Real character you can feel in the grain. We designed a kitchen that echoed the needs of the client, the architecture, and its setting, utilising natural light from windows at either end and the open flow of the space into the extension.

A wall of our signature raw band-sawn oak cladding neatly houses Fisher and Paykel appliances and the concealed pantry. It’s rough, organic texture sits comfortably here among the old and new of the building.

The command centre, a vast, open-ended kitchen island in smooth oak veneer that sits centre stage, grounding the space. It provides abundant prep and cooking space for Tibi’s jam business and a gathering spot with views through the extension towards the wrap-around gardens beyond.

The understated elegance of Black Diamond Richlite cabinetry cloaks the clean zone, with bespoke oak shelving above. Burnished brass handles add to the quiet sophistication of this kitchen design.

An elegant glassware/crockery cupboard stands with quiet confidence, crafted from smooth, flat-panel Fenix contrasted with a band-sawn oak frame. Its design features a 16mm gap, giving it a lightweight feel. This was our first freestanding kitchen cupboard, a piece that has evolved to become part of our limited product series, IHP.411. Kubrick. The Pantry Cupboard.

At the social end of the kitchen, a bespoke Richlite low level bookcase houses books and retro memorabilia, quietly framing the owners cherished vintage skiing artworks.

Aged Copper on the walls by Fenwick and Tilbrook gives a feeling of restorative calm and connection to the outside.

Through into the extension, new carved out living spaces look out into the garden areas, capturing sunlight and views, reaching out toward the walled garden. A place to sit and read by the fire, or to gather on a winters evening and contemplate the day with a wee dram.

Why do we love this project enough to write about it a second time?

There’s a lot to love here but ultimately it is a home that has been reborn. Given a second chance by visionary owners and forward-thinking architects. A home that gives the feeling of living in the landscape, a testament to the power of thoughtful design, where materiality and traditional craft come together to create something truly enduring.