This Wooden-Clad Kitchen in Yorkshire Feels Like an Alpine Chalet — It's a Masterclass in 'Cozy' Interiors
With floor-to-ceiling reclaimed oak cladding and plenty of cozy touches, this is exactly where I'd want to spend a winter's day
Nestled in a small town in Yorkshire, this 1930s property has been reimagined as a modern ski chalet, with reclaimed oak-clad walls and black wood kitchen cabinetry. Equal parts cozy and sleek, this Scandi-inspired wood-drenched kitchen and living area has been designed with family life in mind.
From the peninsula island, ideal for entertaining, to the built-in nook for the family dog, every element of the design reflects the level of careful thought and consideration given by both MAIN, who handled the wooden kitchen and cladding, and Hideaway Interiors.
And this level of care was not solely for aesthetic purposes: sustainability was treated with the same degree of importance, with reclaimed and recycled materials used throughout the space, for a home that shows that style and sustainability can go hand in hand.
Inspiration
Tucked away in Haxby, Yorkshire, this gorgeous property was, from the outset, designed with family life in mind. With two daughters and a dog, the owners wanted a space that not only reflected their lifestyle but also actively supported it, with thoughtful design details that would become part of their everyday routine.
Your home can have a huge impact on the dynamics and relationships that you create within it, so ensuring it is designed to create an open, welcoming atmosphere comes first and foremost. "They wanted to create a unique home for their family where they could all be together," Alex Main, from MAIN, explains. And no kitchen layout is better suited to building this type of family community than open plan living.
"Incorporating an open-plan design was therefore essential," says Alex. However, one of the most crucial aspects to achieving a successful open-plan home lies in the art of zoning. Working alongside Hideaway Interiors, the team set out to create "the spacious kitchen-diner and living area using beautiful cladding to tie the spaces together, whilst each zone still has its own distinct features to break up the room."
When it came to the artistic vision, it's not hard to guess what the family had in mind. "From the walls to the floors and ceilings, wood was central to the overall design of the home," states Alex.
A step above the wood-drenching designs that have been gaining so much popularity, this home takes it to a new level, coating every surface of the ground floor in rich, textural planks.
The continuation of the same material from ceiling to floor could feel suffocating, but in this setting, it translates into magical coziness.
Inspired by the wooden-clad chalets from family ski trips, the family wanted to replicate the sense of warmth and cocooning quality they experienced on their trips. However, the problem with so many chalet-inspired properties is that, within the context of a British family home, the cabin decor can begin to feel like a set, rather than a place where people actually live.
By bringing a more contemporary, almost industrial spin on the farmhouse living room look, the team at MAIN managed to avoid this entirely, instead creating a home that feels uniquely modern and cozy, as well as natural to its surroundings.
MAIN specializes in creating bespoke kitchens, made-to-measure joinery, reclaimed wood flooring, and cladding. Every piece is designed with intention and crafted in its Yorkshire workshop, where traditional skill and modern precision come together. From the grain of each board to the proportion of every cabinet, its focus is on quality that lasts and materials that age with integrity. MAIN is the creator of unique spaces, where thoughtful design and true craft meet.
The Design
While many people shy away from taking a period home and making it modern, fearful of the decor police scolding them for ripping out original flooring or destroying what they consider its historic value, this couple instead embraced it, seeing the vision for their family home in the rundown property that stood before them.
"The property is a traditional 1930s Yorkshire with an unassuming façade, so the architecture of the home wasn’t the main inspiration for the design," says Alex.
Unlike Victorian, Georgian, or Edwardian properties, homes built in the interwar period are uniquely suited to renovation or conversion projects — largely due to their thinner walls and less complex layouts — making them an ideal blank canvas to project your dream home onto.
"The homeowners wanted to flip a traditional home on its head and create something totally different," says Alex. Not just in terms of style — the home underwent a complete renovation in every sense. "In a year, they transformed the property from a 6-bedroom home with little personality to a spacious and calming retreat with three bedrooms," says Alex.
Despite this total makeover, elements of the home remain reflective of typical 1930s properties. Perhaps the most notable example of this is the gorgeous checkerboard tile fireplace. Tiled fireplaces were a mainstay in suburban 1930s homes, albeit far less striking than this sage green and cream wood-burning model. It's a beautiful example of referencing the home's history, without sacrificing personal style.
In the kitchen area, the color scheme shifts slightly darker, with inspiration from Scandinavian design. Against the soft, oak canvas, the black wooden cabinets act as a point of contrast, bringing depth and edge to the cabin-like space.
"The raw cladding on the walls and ceilings provided a characterful backdrop for the kitchen cabinets to pop, balancing the intensity of the black wood whilst still looking complementary," explains Alex.
While an all-black kitchen may sound intimidating, with visions of a dark, heavy space springing to mind, when set against a base of natural tones and textures, it instead offers a sleek yet cozy look.
Black hardware brings a Japandi style to the room, while the green zellige tiles reconnect the space to a softer, earthy color palette, reinstating the property's connection to nature.
The Materials
While the wood-log ski chalets formed the original point of inspiration for this design, it was also reflective of the surrounding environment more generally.
"The couple always loved the wood chalet look and the warmth it provided. As the home is north-facing and Yorkshire is cold most of the year, they wanted it to feel cozy all year round," Alex explains.
To achieve this, a complete remodel was in order. "The home originally had Artex ceilings, so these were removed and replaced with wood, rather than plastering and painting," Alex says, "Plus, wood is much easier to maintain."
When relying heavily on one type of material, it becomes increasingly important to fully understand and invest in its origins, especially when it comes to materials like wood, where sustainability can vary considerably from one type to the next.
This is exactly why Alex chose to highlight recycled or reclaimed materials throughout this design. He explains, "The kitchen and cladding are reclaimed oak, breathing new life into old materials, the kitchen worktop is from Paperstone — a paper composite surface material made from recycled paper and natural resin — and the kitchen table is made from off-cut wood chippings and resin."
By using sustainable materials, they were able to create a home that fulfills the client's desires, without making environmental sacrifices.
Bring the Vibe Into Your Home
With enough space to comfortably fit eight diners, this is the ideal table for entertaining, and the reclaimed timber material makes it a more sustainable choice, too.
These handmade Moroccan Bejmat tiles would make for an absolutely beautiful kitchen splashback.
Plenty of plants are what bring this kitchen to life, and this hanging plant bundle from H&M does all the hard work for you.
If you love the idea of a cozy, wooden-clad home like this one, we reckon you'll be a fan of the après ski style, and we've got plenty of ideas on how to bring it into your home.
