I caught up with my first ever kitchen design when I was on holiday in Spain last week. Its now 30 years ago that I made six items of Punk Gothic furniture, all in different styles for Sam Chesterton’s house in Tooting, London. The design was a protest against the boring fitted kitchens of the time and started me off on discovering that a kitchen could be made with furniture plus ‘hidden’ ergonomics. I wrote about it in my first book, The Art of Kitchen Design.

Sam later took the kitchen to the Andalucían Sierra, via a short stay in Kensington Church St. With his wife Jeannie, they run Finca Buenvino, a wonderful B & B, and rent out holiday cottages in the grounds of their estate. They offer superb personal hospitality, grow and cook the most fantastic food  - from a kitchen that has the chopping block I made for them at one end. These days it resides in grace as a food display table.  I never envisioned the kitchen would find a home at the top of a Spanish mountain or would be used to cook so many fine meals. Their swimming pool has the best views over the mountains imaginable.

I’m told all clients of Johnny Grey will get special treatment. For a relaxing holiday I can’t recommend a visit more highly.  All this is available at modest prices. The Sierra of Andalucía is beautiful, unspoilt and full of history, visible in their cities and villages.  Finca Buenvino is easy to get to – just over an hour’s easy drive from Seville airport. 

From Andalucia