Located in one of London's most sought-after neighbourhoods, Primrose Hill, this townhouse underwent a complete renovation. The kitchen, which was once a pain point for the homeowners, was moved to the first floor and transformed into an effortlessly elegant cooking space.

There's something eye-catching about a white kitchen with marble worktops, it's elegant, sophisticated and timeless. With deVOL Kitchens chosen to undertake this transformation, we spoke to their senior kitchen designer, Kristina McIntyre, who worked closely with the homeowners on this ultra-stylish project.

They shared the key clever design details that were implemented to make this kitchen look so striking, and the tricks you can apply to your kitchen, too.

1. Team a high splash back with open shelving

'The tall splash back behind the sink and the simple stone shelf with deVOL brass brackets add an element of grandeur and luxury,' says Kristina.

The detailing that make a scheme work is often the smaller things – like taking the splash back higher up and having the shelf made in marble. Equally you could use a marble effect instead to save the budget. Another style tip to copy this look is to use the same metal across the space – the brass shelf brackets match the taps and create a cohesive look.

For a contemporary look opt for white floating shelf like the GoodHome Cusko white rectangular design from B&Q, 60 x 23.5cm, £14.

2. Consider a two colour scheme

Two tone kitchens have become really popular over the last year or so, and it's easy to see why. They allow you to be more creative, even if your scheme is subtle, and by choosing two shades, you're ensuring your space is unique.

The right colours will enhance your kitchen. 'The contrast between the light and dark cabinet colours and the bold veining in the Abrascato marble makes this space feel sophisticated and elegant,' says Kristina.

For similar paint colours, we like Skimming Stone for the pale units and Smelt Black for the island, both Farrow & Ball.

3. Invest in stylish lighting

Lighting ideas are key in any kitchen, and it's important to have different layers that cover various areas. In this kitchen, there's a combination of wall lights and a pendant above the island.

The wall lights highlight the shelf and the pieces on display; they illuminate the worktop and sink area too. For a similar design, check out John Lewis's Cartmel wall light in clear, £60; it has a heritage design and a twisted fabric cord.

4. Opt for a marble effect work top

'The Arabescato marble worktops in the kitchen are the real star of the show,' says Kristina. Marble is the ultimate in luxury when it comes to worktops. Yes, it is pricey and budget-dependent, but there are cheaper alternatives to check out – and it's a worktop style that looks great with white kitchens.

We're big fans of the GoodHome Kala white quartz effect laminate square edge worktop, £140 for 620mm x 38mm, from B&Q. It looks like marble and is resistant to scratches and stains.

Kitchen splashbacks needn't cost a fortune – if you want to invest, then think about how you can team it with something else, for example, you could use marble on the unit worktops but have a different surface on your island, or vice versa.

5. Rejig your layout

One of the reasons why the homeowner wanted to move the kitchen to a new floor was to make full use of the natural light, tall ceilings and original period features in this room. However, if did mean they had to get creative with the kitchen layout.

Issues did arise in terms of positioning and layout, Kristina explains, 'The room has two large windows with low sills and radiators that sit in front of each window, so we had to come up with a clever way of including all the essentials needed for a kitchen. We placed the sink, dishwasher and bins along the back wall to allow for a tall splashback, and we included an induction hob and integrated oven in the island furniture.'

6. Use your island as a seating area

With the kitchen being the hub of a home, kitchen island as much as possible is always worthwhile.

Kristina agrees, 'The island in the middle of the space creates an elegant centrepiece that is both functional and beautiful. This provides the perfect area for preparing meals and socialising. I would like to think that the island would be their favourite part of the kitchen, as it provides a warm and welcoming place to perch and chat while someone is preparing a meal in the kitchen.'

Add warmth to your marble kitchen island by choosing bar stools in a warm wood. Try these Loxwood counter height bar stools in solid oak, £69 each, Dunelm.

7. Use freestanding storage

'The positioning of furniture was limited to the side wall and alcoves on either side of the chimney breast, and the integrated fridge/freezer and larder cupboard both fitted beautifully on either side,' explains Kristina.

If space is tight then consider a freestanding larder cupboard that can be utilised. These are excellent for freeing up kitchen units and keeping worktops clutter free.

We like Dunelm's Salcome larder unit, £999, it's still an investment piece but comes with so much storage you'll wonder how you managed without it!

Recreate the look

Be inspired by this fabulous townhouse kitchen and if budget's are tight, there are still ways to elevate your kitchen scheme from ordinary to eye-catching by switching up your style details.

When Giles and Suzi moved from central London to rural North Wales, they found themselves with a home of two halves.

‘The front of the property dates back to the 1870s, while the back of the house was built in the 1700s,’ explains Giles. ‘The kitchen was unfortunately tucked away from the living spaces, and we wanted to connect it.’

An extension soon solved this problem, and the spacious new kitchen-diner now sits as the vibrant heart of the family’s home.

Working closely with kitchen company Pluck to bring their vision to life, the couple landed on a striking kitchen colour combination with wooden detailing. ‘Our kitchen isn’t for everyone, but we wanted to be bold,’ says Suzi. ‘And Pluck’s palette helped us to be braver than we thought we ever could be.’

Amid the strident pink and green scheme, the kitchen is home to an abundance of hidden storage, statement seating and mixed materials to add balance.

‘As the kitchen faces west, we didn’t want to be blinded by the sun reflecting off shiny surfaces, so we chose Silestone quartz in Ethereal Glow for the island worktop, which creates a soft, warm glow,’ says Suzi. ‘We also used distinctive London Plane wood throughout the space. It has an incredible grain and it’s a nod to our time in the city.’

‘Giles wanted a space where he could make coffee, so we created this dedicated nook with a fridge in the cabinet underneath it.’

‘Banquette seating was on our wish list, so Pluck created this curved corner design in London Plane with concealed storage.'

Get the look

Homeowners Lara and Darren wanted a hardworking family kitchen that invoked a sense of calm, was practical as well as stylish and within a realistic budget. With the couple both being professionals with young children, it was really important that this space worked on all levels.

The property is a former gamekeeper's cottage in the heart of a Somerset village with plenty of original features, with the existing kitchen being far from ideal. 'It was a peach-toned, colour-blocked space that felt dated and anything but calming. We set out to transform it into a place we’d truly enjoy coming home to – a light, airy, welcoming environment that feels safe, uplifting, and quietly restorative,' says Lara.

After plenty of research, Lara felt drawn to Tom Howley kitchens and chose the Hartford cabinetry.

These are the 7 design tricks that Lara and her Tom Howley designer, Lucy Nash, used to give this kitchen a high-end look on a realistic budget – with stunning results.

1. Multi-tasking central island

It's said that an island is literally the heart of the kitchen today, and for Lara and Darren it really is.

'The island plays a central role, acting as both a preparation space and a social hub for the family,' says Lucy. 'Zoning was crucial to ensuring the kitchen could handle multiple activities at once, whether that’s cooking, helping with homework or hosting. The space now feels intuitive to use and everything is exactly where you expect it to be.'

Lara loves the island and how it's really helped with family life, 'The island has completely changed how we use the space – the kids sit there to eat, do homework, or watch something on their iPads while we cook, and we didn’t have that sense of connection before.'

2. Marble style worktops

Marble worktops are a game-changer when it comes to adding style to your kitchen, but a kitchen worktop idea that looks like marble can be just as effective and save you money that you can put towards other parts of the kitchen.

'We were really focused on resolving a few key challenges from the outset – balancing Lara’s high-end aesthetic with a realistic budget was one,' explains Lucy. Lara chose a quartz worktop called Rapture by Brachot, it's got the look of refined marble with delicate veining.

There are plenty of 'similar-to-marble' worktop options to choose from for lower budgets, like the GoodHome Nepeta satin white onyx marble effect laminate by B&Q, from £334 for 300 x 62cm.

3. A hidden walk-in pantry

'Storage was a major consideration, so we looked at how to integrate everything seamlessly without compromising the sense of openness,' says Lucy. One of these solutions was to repurpose the existing cloakroom into a walk-in pantry.

'This was a pivotal move, as it allowed us to conceal clutter and free up the main kitchen,' Lucy explains.

'The pantry is my pride and joy,' says Lara. 'It looks like a cupboard from the outside, and when guests discover it, they’re always amazed. It’s so useful too, with plenty of worktop space for baking and prepping, and I can keep everything in one place when we’re hosting.'

Flipping the downstairs cloakroom into the pantry gave the family loads of hidden storage and allowed the rest of the kitchen to feel more spacious.

4. Integrated laundry space

Originally Lara and Darren had approached an architect to make the space larger for extra storage and to incorporate a utility room.

Lucy explains, 'I could see that the existing space was adequate for everything they wanted and they did not need the additional cost of the extension, so I prioritised storage solutions, aesthetics, and zoned areas to define the space.'

Instead the idea was to have a part of the kitchen as a zoned space, 'We didn’t have the budget for a separate utility, so everything was cleverly placed and a tall cupboard was created for the washer and dryer.'

5. An intuitive layout

'This kitchen design was about creating a kitchen layout that felt intuitive, maximised every inch, and respected the character of the cottage while supporting modern family life,' says Lucy.

With a triple aspect space to deal with, it was imperative to rework the original kitchen into one that could function efficiently for this busy family.

Lucy explains, 'Every element has been designed and positioned with purpose to support a natural workflow, from food prep through to cooking and laundry tasks. For example, placing the dishwasher near the plate storage and positioning the bins opposite the fridge helps streamline everyday tasks and reduces unnecessary movement.'

'We’ve got a lot of appliances, so fitting everything in was quite tricky,' says Lara. Everything in the kitchen just works – the layout is so intuitive that cooking feels easy, and the cleanup is quick. But more than that, it’s a place to reset.'

6. Two tone colour scheme

The couple really wanted a kitchen that felt calming and light. Lara had a clear sense of the aesthetic she was drawn to and wanted the result to feel high-end.

'A cohesive scheme within a defined budget was key, ensuring the final result felt considered, timeless and right for the long term,' says Lucy.

A contemporary two colour scheme using bespoke Tom Howley shades was chosen – Green Meadow and Hazy Sky. And with views out of the windows of the garden, these colours were perfect for linking the two spaces.

For similar shades have a look at Dix Blue for Green Meadow and Borrowed Light for Hazy Sky, both Farrow & Ball.

7. Attention to detail

High end finishes, beautifully crafted cabinetry and considered storage are all essential ingredients when creating a kitchen. Attention to detail is key, 'Everyday items needed to be accommodated without the space feeling cluttered,' says Lucy.

With that in mind bespoke elements came into play, for example, the coffee/tea area with shelving about the coffee maker, and a place for tea towels and trays. Door pulls and knobs were considered and matched the rest of the scheme perfectly.

Recreate the look

'We still have a long way to go with the house, but the kitchen is a huge milestone – it’s beautiful, practical, and built for the life we want to live,' says Lara. 'When I step into it, I just feel gratitude: that we can create memories here with our children and build something meaningful for our future. From our very first enquiry, the Tom Howley team was warm, open, and completely free of judgement. Everyone involved was so passionate and proud of their work, and you can feel that care in every detail.'

After buying and transforming several homes over the years, Ian and Lana finally settled on their 'final move' – an Arts and Crafts-style country house with rendered walls and a red tiled roof. They've always made each home theirs, and with this new one, they knew straight away it would need some work.

When they bought the house, it had a small bedroom with a tiny ensuite and just not large enough for what the couple wanted.

The aim was to upgrade and make it their own with a more refined flow for everyday use.

With sloping ceilings, the space had a lot of potential but was definitely going to be challenge to add an ensuite to.

'Our previous bedroom had the smallest ensuite and shower room – so tiny that I could only just squeeze into the shower but could hardly move. I do not have that problem now,' says Lana.

Ian and Lana wanted to create an ensuite that was eye-catching yet practical, and ideally with a large modern bath and walk-in shower. They love the colour teal so wanted that to be their main shade.

'I felt that it would give a more relaxed feel to bring the colours of the outside inside, so hence more greens, browns and golden colours,' explains Ian.

Logistical challenges

Due to the nature of the space Ian and Lana did have some challenges. 'We had to raising part of the first floor extension 28inches higher than the original flooring, and consequently raised the roof too. This allowed for the elevated gym ceiling below, which now makes it split level from the dressing room into the bedroom and ensuite,' explains Ian.

Clever details

'We incorporated plenty of clever features, perhaps the top one was creating the lowered wall divider between the bedroom and ensuite and placing wrought iron spindles atop for support.'

The iron supports really pack a punch and work so well with the rest of the design – a true design feature that enhances the space whilst being practical at the same time.

The Kurv matt white freestanding bath from BC Designs is a real statement piece too, and can be bespoke-painted to match a scheme.

Ian adds, 'Another feature is at the side of the bath with the tinted glass, achieving a glimpse of the ensuite from beyond, allowing more light into the bedroom and providing a bolder look and feel.'

The tinted glass in the shower and bath end was by Glass & Glazing Solutions Ltd.

Whatever the size of your bathroom, storage is key, and for Ian and Lana, it was important to have his and hers style with a bathroom cabinet and tall unit each. They chose wall-hung vanities from Hudson Reed to create a more spacious feel and completed the look with brushed gold fixtures and fittings.

Walk this way

The couple used the same tinted glass for the shower as the piece at the end of the bath. Again, the twin option was chosen, and the shower heads match.

A bench was incorporated at the side of the walk-in shower – if you have the space, then this design feature is always useful for getting dressed and for storing lotions on.

Get the look

'The main bedroom has now finally been transformed into a 30 foot long bespoke dressing room, bedroom and ensuite. It all works as a complete unit, but there's nothing like a long soak in our huge BC Designs Kurv bath whilst looking at either the stars at night or the blue sky and trees through our large gable window.'

Elle and Jonathan's home is classic detached Victorian but needed modernising when they moved in – it had a small kitchen that didn't work or fit properly with the proportions of the rest of the house.

Another issue was the light. Elle explains, 'There was no natural light at all because it only had a few small windows, so it was dark and not ideal for busy family life.'

What the couple really wanted was an open-plan layout with a design that was warm, inviting and felt 'lived-in', with clear zones where they could enjoy views of the garden. 'Our inspiration was to create a kitchen with optimum function and flow that could accommodate our needs; from cooking and entertaining to socialising and working.'

The design brief

'For the design, we saw that influencer Reena Simon had collaborated with The Main Company on a kitchen collection so when we saw her aesthetic we knew we wanted to use elements like fluted cabinets and soft woods in our design.'

Elle and Jonathan decided that a kitchen extension idea would be the answer as it would give them a spacious, multifunctional and bright kitchen as well as more living space.

'Alex at Main really understood our challenge and helped to create a kitchen that is as light and functional as it is stunning. Considering the flow of the kitchen to the garden was important given the step change in visibility, we spent a few months carefully mapping through the right colours, tones and textures as well as layout and use of space.'

A work in progress

'As we decided to have the builders and the landscapers for the garden in at the same time, the house being a construction site with so many people wasn’t easy,' says Elle.

The plan was to start remodelling the garden with significant structural work to create several flowing tiers. 'This allowed the landscapers to finish with the exception of finishing touches around the perimeter of the house, whilst the kitchen building got underway. The extension shot up surprisingly quickly, and whilst it was tricky living in a makeshift space at the front of the house, our new kitchen was soon being fitted in time for Christmas. To be honest, I think we were lucky with this project as we worked with a good team, and it largely went to plan.'

Innovative lighting solutions

One of the main issues with the original kitchen was the lack of light which made the space feel both small and dark. Creative solutions were needed to totally upgrade the former kitchen into one that Elle and Jonathan desired.

'Adding more light was a key part of our design brief, so the new floor to ceiling windows and large skylight over the roof of the extension have completely transformed it.'

Other design aspects that were implemented to cultivate more light were the white work tops across the units and island, light floor tiles and the back wall and ceiling were painted white.

Three fluted glass pendants were placed above the island for ambience and task lighting as well as clever additions, 'The lighting is really well designed. It’s as zoned as the room itself, layered across ceilings, inside and outside of cabinets, on shelves and even around the edge of the large skylight in the ceiling. People spontaneously comment on the range of options and dimming functionalities,' explains Elle.

Bringing the outside in

'When designing the kitchen with Main, we wanted to bring the outdoors indoors, so we introduced lots of wood cladding and a nature-inspired colour palette with green and rust painted cabinets along with the use of other woods throughout,' says Elle.

The colours the couple chose are Slaked Lime on the walls, Invisible Green on the kitchen cabinetry and Heat on the kitchen island, all by Little Greene.

'For me, the cladding from Main is my favourite design element in the room. It makes me feel like I’m in a ski chalet in the mountains as it’s so warm, welcoming and rustic, and it adds so much character and texture to the kitchen,' says Elle.

Storage solutions

Kitchen storage ideas were an important aspect – from fluted glass wall units that allow the light to pass through, to floor-to-ceiling cabinetry. 'Every space in the new kitchen has been utilised to its best ability with plenty of storage throughout, different seating options and touches of our personal style at every point. We also opened up the doorways into the back lounges so you can see and walk right through.'

Elle and Jonathan chose a combination of 'on view' storage and hidden which really adds an eclectic mix to the kitchen design.

'I really like our bespoke brass panel on the wall that ‘dresses up’ a gold pan hanging rail next to the range cooker. Not only is it a very functional way to store pots and pans, but it also looks good! It was handmade by a local artisan and has a marble effect reflecting the rustic orange tones in the room. It almost feels like a piece of artwork!'

Recreate Elle and Jonathan's kitchen style

'The kitchen is a totally different space now as it has doubled in size and allowed us to live in a new way. Previously, it was so hard to cook, entertain or work in there due to the lack of light, limited space and bad layout. It was designed for Victorian times, not 2026! The choice to add an extension was the best thing we could have done – and we have never looked back. It totally transforms the flow of the house and spending time in here is a joy. We can’t wait to get home at the end of the day to relax and spend time together.'

Fashion and textile designer Pearl Lowe, and her husband Supergrass drummer Danny Goffey, have recently returned to city life in London. The couple's pied-a-terre is a two bedroomed flat in the heart of Notting Hill and it encompasses Pearl's unique style perfectly.

Author of the Faded Glamour series of interior books, Pearl is well placed to design this charming flat that's full of original features. After designing her vintage kitchen which is full of treasures and understated elegance, next on the list was the bathroom and Pearl teamed up with iconic bathroom company BC Designs to help transform this key space into one that's oozing vintage glamour.

Art deco influences

Previously, the bathroom had been 'a functional shower room' that was rather dark.

'I’ve always been obsessed with 1920s Paris – the glamour and the sense of romance. I wanted the bathroom to feel like a forgotten corner of the Left Bank: decadent, slightly cinematic, and full of atmosphere rather than perfection,' says Pearl.

Pearl chose Bert & May's metro skinny tiles in Little Greene Rolling Fog and Iris that were used vertically.

There were some issues initially due to unmovable pipes, Pearl explains, 'The pipework ran straight across the floor, which completely dictated the layout. Instead of hiding the problem, we turned it into a design feature, creating subtle steps to conceal it and Bert & May's Hampton large hexagonal white marble tiles which gave the solution real beauty.'

The statement piece

The most transformative aspect of the makeover was the bath, 'Without question,' says Pearl.

However, there was some discussion as to whether the bath Pearl had chosen would work in the space. 'The BC Designs freestanding Senator bath with feet was deemed too big, too heavy, and too impractical by our builders, but I was determined. Now it’s a statement piece in the room, completely grounding the space. It has changed everything.'

Let in the light

'The bathroom was dark, so we added a piece of star-etched glass. It catches the light in the most unexpected way, subtle and almost dreamlike,' says Pearl. Recreate this look without investing in new glass by checking out Purlfrost's Sunburst patterned window film.

To enhance this faded glamour Art Deco feel Pearl used the windowsill for extra decoration, 'I’ve placed all my vintage perfume bottles along the bottom, and it looks so beautiful.'

Vintage detailing

Pearl wanted to create a vintage look teamed with contemporary elements like the 'striped' tiled walls. The classic looking towel radiator, basin taps and shower in brass add warmth to the scheme and soften the overall look which gives it a more glamorous feel.

The Victorian washstand by deVOL has a marble topped sink and offers storage for towels underneath and on the side.

Antique finds

'My favourite part of the bathroom is the small vintage shelf I rescued from our beach house. It’s full of trinkets, objects, and little fragments I’ve collected over the years, which I keep adding to. I often lie in the bath staring at it.'

For a similar pink shade to the wall behind the shelf try Crimson Red by Farrow & Ball.

Pearl loves to spend time scouring vintage fairs and antique markets for unique finds to create her iconic romantic style in her home.

'The makeover has completely changed how I use the bathroom now, it went from being a purely functional shower room to a space you want to stay in. The deVOL marble-topped sink and Senator bath brought in a sense of elegance and indulgence. Now it feels like a room for lingering, not rushing.'

Shop Pearl's vintage bathroom look

Vintage glamour is a lovely theme for a bathroom, it's relaxing yet elegant and you can make it your own by teaming it with antique buys.

When Samantha and her family bought their house in March 2024, it was a blank canvas with plenty of challenges. ‘In October, we started refurbishing it. We did a two-storey extension, first floor and loft – and we lived in the house during the eight-month build!' she says.

A major focus was on creating a layout that worked for their family. The previous owners had three children's bedrooms on the first floor and the main in the loft. ‘We have two children and wanted to be on the same floor as them, so we flipped the layout. We knocked two rooms together on the first floor to create a main suite and the loft is for visitors.'

The loft bathroom, however, has become one of Samantha's favourite rooms. ‘It was created as a guest bathroom but it's so beautiful that I like going up there. It's calm and quiet. It feels quite feminine, and I live in a house with three boys, so it's a real treat.'

‘As a beauty editor, I always have lots of products in our en suite bathroom downstairs. It’s much more calm up here, with nothing out on show – my mum can even leave her toiletry bag and toothbrush in the drawer for when she visits,' says Samantha.

A large Velux window fills the space with light, making it feel airy and inviting. ‘Lighting was really important to us,' says Samantha. ‘It was something we considered carefully in every room.'

‘Daylight floods in through the Velux window and we added a carefully thought-out layered lighting scheme of spots, strips, under-cabinet and wall lights.'

Materials add warmth and texture to the space. ‘We wanted to mix natural materials to give an interior-designed feel without actually using an interior designer. The fluted marble and the reeded wood-effect tiles feel very Scandi and the floor brings it all together.'

The loft bathroom was the trickiest space to plan. ‘There were missed measurements in the initial designs and once insulation was factored in, we lost head height, especially where the shower is,' Samantha recalls.

‘The room is long and thin; it meant the shower could only go in one place, which didn't leave much head height as it was under the slope. My husband spent ages finding a shower head that would fit in the tiny gap – it was either that or having to crouch under the shower.'

‘The shower head looks really architectural because it’s not on an arm. In reality, it was the only one that worked here,' she explains.

In summer, the refurbishment was complete. ‘We finished around July and now we're happily enjoying the house, although we're still having some of the snagging done,' Samantha says. To see more of Samantha's renovation, follow @samantha_silver_

Get the look

Ben and Gaby Hillman had always planned to convert their home's existing loft space into their en-suite bedroom, but with a whole house to renovate and extend, the project was pushed down to the bottom of the list. Once savings were in place, they were ready to start.

‘The loft room was a multi-room, but with no real purpose – the girls would play up here, I had my office and we stored stuff,' says Ben, a presenter on Channel 4's A Place in the Sun and an interior designer from ITV's 60 Minute Makeover (@benhillmantv). ‘It had been built with the original house and didn't have a door or dormer and felt hemmed in without a visual connection to the outside. Our goal was to create a lovely light bedroom with a feeling of space.'

Without question, Ben and Gaby needed a dormer, which, as well as adding 6sq m floor space, created volume, head height, light and views.

Before

‘Fortuitously, the start date tied in with a break from filming, so I had time to take over the building work from second fix – making fitted furniture, fitting lights, skirting boards and so on – alongside a plumber and electrician,' says Ben.

With the staircase already in place, Ben designed the en suite within the dormer above the family bathroom to make plumbing easier. He toyed with the bed facing the window with a partition wall behind for a walk-in wardrobe.

The finished look

‘On the plans, there wasn't quite enough room and the layout felt less open and more clunky,' he says. ‘Whereas coming into the room and seeing the bed in front creates a pleasing visual.'

For a light and calm space, Ben took a muted approach to interiors with plans for oak tones, linens and Farrow & Ball's Setting Plaster on the walls. But, impressed with the plasterers' work, he changed his mind. ‘I loved the silky pink sheen finish that had texture and tone, so I left the walls bare,' he explains. ‘I then painted the wardrobes a soft white-grey so they fade back with contrasting deep-blue wall panelling to put the focus on the bed.'

The room infuses hints of mid-century modern in the bedside tables, linen lights and bouclé bed; lightweight curtains and pale oak flooring nod to Scandi design.

‘The new window is made with toughened glass and set as low as possible while still meeting Building Regulations. A favourite detail is the oak reveal I made that’s given the window a picture frame quality.’

‘The bold abstract art came last and draws the colour scheme together,' says Ben. ‘We're really pleased with the dormer and big window, we love all the light and feeling of space – it's a real treat to have our own hideaway.'

‘We feature a “hot property” in A Place in the Sun and I saw a similar look in a high-end house in Oléron, France,' Ben explains. ‘Interior lighting and oversized handles add to my design.'

Shop the look

Anyone who has ever renovated a period home will be very familiar with the challenges facing Julia and Jenks McColl as they set out to breathe new life into their characterful 17th-century maisonette.

‘Not a single wall or floorboard was straight,’ says Julia. ‘The entire house is beautifully wonky. I dropped a tomato in the kitchen earlier, and it rolled all the way to the other side of the room.’

The previous owners had lived there for more than 20 years, and while the maisonette had been loved, it needed some serious attention – especially the kitchen ideas.

Starting the renovation work

‘The survey basically said “Don’t buy me, I’m going to fall down”, and I think that put a lot of people off,’ says Julia. As well as significant roof repairs, pinning cracks on the front of the house and refurbishing the original draughty sash windows, the entire house also needed new electrics and plumbing. ‘It was quite a big project, but because we didn’t knock down any walls, it doesn’t feel like a huge transformation. Lots of the work was behind the scenes, bringing the property up to date.’

To minimise disruption, Julia and Jenks sought to complete as much of the renovation as possible while they were still living in their rental property. ‘It made sense to upgrade the kitchen at the same time as we were doing the wiring and plumbing, rather than do half now and the rest a few years down the line.’

Designing their dream kitchen

Working with deVol, the couple brought their pencil-sketch kitchen to life – complete with Julia’s dream cocktail corner. ‘We love to entertain, and I enjoy making cocktails, so it’s lovely to have a dedicated place for that,’ says Julia.

The cabinet, nestled beside the chimney, needed to be built bespoke to accommodate the wonky floor and unconventional dimensions.

‘You can really see the wonkiness when you look at the baseboards: on one side of the room they are three inches deep, and on the other they are triple the height,’ says Julia. No strangers to the quirks of period properties, the experts at deVol took it in their stride, and each worktop is perfectly level.

Overcoming challenges

As is often the case, the project took longer than planned as they waited for Jenks’s dream Lacanche range cooker to be delivered. ‘We moved in with the kitchen part finished,’ says Julia. The cabinets were fitted with temporary worktops, and a small 1970s oven saw the couple through Christmas.

‘We bought the range from a father-son business in North London as we would have never had the confidence to measure everything accurately enough – especially with the narrow front door and the awkward corners on the stairs,’ adds Julia.

‘Lots of our furniture had to come in through the window because the front door is so narrow.’ Even with the expert measuring, delivery was not smooth sailing. ‘There was a point where they got stuck halfway up the stairs and had to call in reinforcements. We were holding our breath and thinking, “what are we going to do if it doesn’t fit?”’ Thankfully, the range slotted into place, shored up with the help of a wooden block – ‘even the oven’s adjustable legs couldn’t manage the sloping floors,’ jokes Julia.

Selecting a colour scheme

DeVol then returned to fit the copper worktops. ‘I knew I didn’t want the classic marble or marble-look worktops – so it was either going to be metal or wood. Then, when we were at our local pub, I spotted the copper bar, and I loved how it looked like it had been there forever,’ says Julia. ‘It just seemed like the perfect fit for our kitchen. I love how it reflects the sunlight and the way that the living finish ages with you; there is a real beauty in its imperfections.’

The warm undertones were a natural partner to the cabinetry painted in Little Greene’s Hopper. ‘I’ve got a bit of a thing about green, but was nervous about committing to colours, so I booked in for a colour consultation with Little Greene,’ says Julia.

Kate Humphreys from its Islington Showroom came to the flat, looked at the space, the light and the colours Julia had shortlisted, and then helped the couple come up with a colour palette that really shone.

‘Lots of the colours now in the house were ones that I’d originally picked, but where and how Kate used them really brought everything together.’ It was Kate who suggested using a lighter pistachio shade of green (Little Greene's Pea Green) on the original sash window frames, a detail Julia really loves. ‘It’s such a great service if you can’t afford an interior designer, but still want that expert input.’

Adding charm and character with vintage finds

Vintage finds complete the space – a natural choice for Julia, who runs an Instagram antiques business @sistersundaysantiques with her sister, Lydia. ‘For me, it was adding all those vintage and antique pieces that I’ve collected over the years that instantly made the house feel really homely. The pineapple chandelier, for example, has been in the attic of the last two places we’ve rented. I brought it back from Paris on the Eurostar, and I knew that when we bought somewhere, I would find the perfect spot for it.’ And she did. It now hangs in pride of place over the antique dining table.

The pendant isn’t the only thing that has found a forever home. ‘When we are sat here of an evening, enjoying our dinner, with the candles flickering and a fire roaring, it feels as though this has always been our home.’

Get the look

This feature first appeared in Period Living Magazine. Click here to subscribe.

Two weeks before Alice and Charlie Huntingford were to be married at their country home, the farmhouse where Alice grew up, a fire caused by an electrical fault devastated the property. Luckily, the family were safe, but they lost almost everything.

With impressive resilience, the couple reframed this misfortune as an opportunity to achieve their dream home.

‘We’d always planned to remodel the old-fashioned interior of the house, especially the kitchen,’ explains Alice. Now, they were able to start from scratch.

While they wanted the outside of the house to remain traditional, inside, they dreamed of timeless yet characterful kitchen ideas.

‘We worked with Hush Kitchens, and founder Chris Spink was willing to try new ideas,’ says Alice. The kitchen consists of an L-shaped run of units and a large kitchen island with quartz worktops and cabinetry painted a striking green.

‘At first we panicked because it felt brighter than expected,’ says Charlie. ‘But we soon realised that it’s an uplifting kitchen colour.’

The pristine white Aga fits in with the traditional look of the kitchen, but with a smart, fresh feel.

As a foil to the solid wood cabinetry, a copper worktop and sink on the island create richness and warmth. And, precious items salvaged from the fire, such as pottery belonging to Alice’s mother and grandmother and original butler’s bell buttons, add a personal touch.

Metallic finishes, from the island surface to the taps, add warmth to the crisp white and green scheme.

‘We couldn’t be happier with how it’s all turned out,’ says Alice.

Get the look

The inspiration for Saoirse and Richard’s new kitchen was sparked by accident, after deciding to remove an Aga cooker from the existing space. ‘I wasn’t particularly confident cooking on it, and once we looked at removing it, we realised how much extra kitchen space we would be able to gain without it,’ explains Saoirse.

The pair then went on to extend the space further, turning what was once a narrow kitchen and dining room into a striking, sociable hub. ‘It’s a very modern-looking kitchen, but we’ve kept a lot of the period features,’ says Saoirse.

The couple worked closely with Kasia Piorko, lead designer at boutique kitchen company Kate Feather, who encouraged them to make bold choices, particularly when it came to the dark mineral worktop.

‘Kasia had beautiful Caesarstone quartz at the showroom, and we loved it,’ says Saoirse. ‘We wanted to create texture against the black cabinets and white walls, and we thought this option really anchored it all.’

Despite some dark choices, the space rarely feels flat. ‘We wanted to soften the black and white colour scheme – the touches of wood and brass do this beautifully.’

The kitchen also integrates some clever design solutions. ‘I wanted the lighting to be almost invisible, but still provide plenty of light. These aged brass wall fittings were the perfect choice,' adds about the elegant pendant and wall lights.

'Kasia also designed us a bespoke pocket sliding door for our utility room. It feels really seamless.’

‘We’ve got a light well in the roof and big French doors to bring light in, which then reflects back off the mineral worktop,’ says Saoirse. ‘The kitchen is ageing beautifully, and we’re so happy with it.’

Get the look

When Lorna and her husband Harvey took on their 1960s barn conversion, it needed a complete overhaul, and one of the last spaces to be tackled was the bathroom — now one of the most striking rooms in the house. ‘My mother -in-law says it’s like stepping into one of the bathrooms on the Titanic, which I love the thought of,’ says Lorna. ‘Timeless, but with a fresh, modern twist.’

The main inspiration for the bathroom colour scheme came from an Alice Palmer wallpaper that Lorna loved. ‘I wanted something fun, and the colours worked so beautifully together,’ she says. ‘I had also long admired the stripy Ca’Pietra tiles and now had a chance to use them.’

‘Wall cladding adds a traditional, country-cottage feel, and makes the space feel warmer and cosier. Having all the wallpaper might have felt too much, and it would have probably dated a lot quicker,' she adds.

Having a decent bath was also high on Lorna’s wish list, as was a space that made a statement. ‘I wanted a wow moment the second you walked in,’ says Lorna. The vanity and bath take centre stage, while the loo is discreetly tucked away around the corner.

Throughout the process, Lorna worked closely with Jaye from JJ Bathrooms, with whom she had previously collaborated on other projects. ‘Jaye knows bathrooms inside out. We could move through decisions very quickly,’ says Lorna.

Today, the finished space feels both timeless and bold — a balance Lorna credits to trusting her instincts. ‘You have to go with what you love,’ she says.

Get the look

When Louise and Graham Foxton moved into their new home, a detached Edwardian house, the kitchen was cramped and disjointed, and they decided it would have to be renovated to meet the needs of a modern family. ‘Our previous home had an open plan kitchen/living area that worked well for us, so we wanted to recreate that feeling,’ says Louise.

Working closely with the designers at Tom Howley, Louise made tweaks to her original plan in order to achieve her dream space. ‘Kitchens are a big investment, so we visited lots of different showrooms,’ she says. ‘But Tom Howley understood our vision and made useful suggestions. We were going to put the sink on the island, but they suggested we move it. I’m so glad we did; it would’ve looked cluttered otherwise.’

The final result is a practical yet pretty family kitchen that incorporates many of Louise’s original design ideas. ‘This isn’t a rustic kitchen, but I did want to add natural elements. Our colour palette is neutral so that we could easily layer different textures. The wooden butcher’s block and pantry help the kitchen feel more grounded,’ says Louise.

‘It’s a kitchen and living space, so we wanted both areas to flow and feel cohesive, instead of battling with each other,’ she adds. ‘Now, it’s the heart of the home and we’re so happy with it.’

Get the look

When Katie and her family moved from East Dulwich to Streatham Hill two years ago, they knew their new home had potential - but just not quite for family life as it was.

‘The couple who lived here before had been here for a long time,’ says Katie. ‘It was set up to suit a couple, rather than a family – the kitchen was tucked away in the darkest corner at the back of the house.’ Meanwhile, the garden was breathtaking. ‘They were amazing gardeners. We’ve inherited this beautiful space, and I think that was the focus.’

Their first Christmas here was the catalyst for change. ‘We hosted 12 guests, which felt cramped,’ says Katie. ‘The kitchen didn’t work for us, despite the large room size.’

Katie envisioned a kitchen that was part of the home’s flow rather than hidden away. ‘I wanted a kitchen that works for entertaining and family life, but closer to the light and nearer to the garden,’ she says. ‘So we brought it right into the main room. It actually takes up more space now, but somehow it makes the room feel bigger.’

That’s when she turned to kitchen, cabinet and furniture makers, Herringbone House. ‘I’d heard amazing things from friends who thoroughly recommended them,’ she says.

‘And because everything is solid wood, I knew it would be durable – something the children could bash around without breaking. Plus, everything is fully bespoke, which was really important to me, as I had quite specific ideas.’

One of those ideas was shaped by her work. ‘I’m an upholsterer,’ says Katie, ‘so I wanted the island to be the perfect width for a roll of fabric. It means it can double as a cutting table, which is brilliant.’

Plus, there are hidden sockets installed under the island, which are ideal for using a vacuum cleaner or laptops.

‘Open shelves were essential – I needed a place to display my flea market and eBay finds without it feeling cluttered.'

Designer Lucy from Herringbone House helped transform those ideas into a cohesive plan. ‘She completely understood what we wanted and added a few great design suggestions I’d never have thought of, including clever hinges and tea towel hooks,’ says Katie.

‘In fact, the first design was almost perfect – it’s all the small, considered details which make it amazing.’

‘Lucy suggested an appliance garage – our coffee machine, toaster and air fryer are stored there, with plugs built in and a bifold door to hide clutter while keeping everything ready to use. It’s a great addition to the kitchen.’

The pantry cupboard is full of innovative storage options, from door-mounted spice racks, deep drawers and adjustable shelves to sockets so the microwave can be hidden inside. An internal worktop creates space for breakfast prep, keeping mess to a minimum.

‘The worktops are quartz but have a vein running through them, so make a good alternative to marble but are much more hardwearing. The island is perfect for entertaining – we can lay out all the food on it.’

Even the installation was seamless. ‘Nothing went wrong – literally nothing,’ she says. ‘They finished the installation a week early, which was lucky because I’d booked a surprise 70th birthday party for my mum. They really pushed to complete it on the day.’

Now the kitchen feels like a calm, characterful space and is completely theirs. ‘I love the colour – it’s not quite sage, not quite blue, just this soft shade that goes with everything,’ says Katie. ‘And the brushed brass gives it a lovely lived-in quality. I wanted a durable, solid wood kitchen because I knew it would last a lifetime.’

Get the look - invest in key pieces inspired by Katie and Nick's kitchen

Ben and Gaby Hillman bought their house nine years ago with plans to gut the rooms and extend. One of the projects was to tackle the family bathroom, but the job went on the back burner when building work costs overran. Six months ago, the bathroom update came back on the agenda.

‘We’d somehow hobbled through with the old bathroom for years,’ says Ben, a presenter on Channel 4’s A Place in the Sun and an interior designer from ITV’s 60 Minute Makeover (@benhillmantv). ‘The main issue was lack of space and light. But what bothered me most was opening the door and being faced with a blank wall – the dream was to see right through to the garden.’

The update got going when Ben and Gaby began converting the loft above. As part of the project, Ben designed 3D drawings for the new 2.4x3m family bathroom layout, made bigger by extending into the adjacent shower room. The doorway was moved back onto the landing, an up-and-over window added above a bath, and a walk-in shower placed on the old shower room footprint.

‘We briefly considered an open wet room by tucking the WC into the old shower void,’ says Ben. ‘But it wasn’t really practical in a kids’ bathroom.’

‘The shower is in almost the same place as when it was a separate room,’ says Ben. ‘I brought the tiled wall out to conceal the pipework.’

Builders gutted the spaces, knocked through, blocked up the side windows, built new internal walls and fitted new windows. A plumber and electrician came on board, and Ben used his DIY skills to level the floor, lay underfloor heating and do the tiling. Although terrazzo has experienced a revival in recent years, Ben says the pretty stone had made an impact on him long before.

‘I remember being fascinated by a seamless terrazzo staircase in a shop when I was a kid,’ he says. ‘As my aim was to create a lasting bathroom scheme in a palette with a relationship to the garden, terrazzo with honey brown flecks was perfect as it’s timeless and natural.’

'I didn’t want a print, but real stone flecks running through the whole tile,’ says Ben. ‘I was able to cut and create a smooth polished edge that doesn’t need a trim.’

‘A plain white rectangular tile doesn’t compete with the terrazzo, and the structured vertical arrangement makes a pleasing contrast with the random stone flecks,' he adds.

A fluted oak vanity and a tactile oak window reveal followed, bringing warmth and texture while leafy plants thrive in the light and warmth.

‘I was looking for an interesting wood vanity and thought the fluted style was perfect for the girls,’ says Ben. ‘Curves nod to Art Deco and hint at the age of the house and steered my decision to curve the edges of the terrazzo splashback.’

‘I made the oak reveal as it was an opportunity to add another natural material to the room and I’m really pleased with the detail,’ he adds.

‘The design of the house means the bathroom projects out a little at the back, prompting the idea of a conservatory feel. I designed the up-and-over window.’

‘The whole window wall and the view out is my favourite feature. The reality is even better than my ideas.’

Get the look

When Mel and her husband Slev bought their Victorian terrace in 2016, the ground floor had been revamped by a developer just six months before – but they could already see the work had been shoddy.

‘Cracks ran across walls, and when you got a bit closer, tiles were literally falling off,’ says Mel. ‘There were no drawers, not even one for cutlery. The kitchen wasn’t functional, and it didn’t feel like home.’

The couple wanted a kitchen that felt light and spacious, where friends and family could gather, especially at Christmas. Their north-facing ground floor felt dark, while the existing side-return layout and old shower room blocked the garden view.

‘We had to have the lights on as soon as we woke up in the morning and on all day. We realised that by adding a wraparound extension we’d gain lots of space, as well as a kitchen that felt bright and welcoming.’

As an architect, Mel was careful to preserve the home’s character during the design stage while also creating a contemporary space. She chose steel doors and windows for a sleek finish, inspired by a nearby Victorian stable block.

‘Steel felt more modern than timber, and we could choose any colour we liked,’ she explains. ‘We both love colour, so picked a bold red hue for the frames.’

The green and white chequerboard kitchen floor was also selected to warm up the north-facing space. ‘Plus, we always knew we’d have some kind of exposed timber, otherwise it would be too hard everywhere – oak cabinets were the obvious choice,’ says Mel.

‘Picking the floor and window frames first made everything else fall into place. We knew that the other colours and details would all work together.’

Despite the extensive work, the couple enjoyed the process. They had previously worked with local builders Neal and Harriet from Lorne Lofts, who ensured the process ran smoothly.

Mel’s only regret is not putting a plug socket in the island; ‘We had so much going on at the time – and we just couldn’t face bringing the electrician back again, but it annoys me every time I need to use a hand whisk or blender there!’

Today, the kitchen is bright, functional and full of character — a space that reflects the couple’s style and daily life. ‘It feels warm, cheerful and completely us,’ says Mel. ‘Even little details, like the orientation of the island or the colour of the windows, make a huge difference.’

Get the look

'Love at first sight,’ is how Julia described her and husband Ray’s first viewing of the spacious Victorian-Edwardian house that they now call home.

With its large rooms, plentiful windows and tall ceilings, the property had good bones, plus the previous owners had extensively remodelled to create a layout that worked for 21st-century living. In spite of this, the rear of the house – specifically the kitchen – needed attention.

‘The kitchen was about 30 years old and feeling its age,’ explains Julia. ‘It also led onto a small and draughty conservatory, which provided space for a dining table but also zapped warmth from the entire downstairs.’

Knocking down the conservatory

There was no question that the conservatory had to go, but Julia and Ray didn’t want a straight replacement.

‘We were looking for something that still brought the outside in, without feeling like it had just been stuck on the back of the house.’

After chatting through ideas with architect Jonathon Williams from Sketch Proposal, the couple opted to extend the kitchen, adding bifold doors and a ceiling lantern to bring the bright and open feeling of the conservatory, without the previous compromises.

This was easier said than done. ‘We spoke to lots of builders, and always had an issue, whether it was radio silence, massive estimates, or just not fully trusting them. Trust is so important when hiring a builder, because you are giving them your home,’ says Julia.

Finding Phil Ovenden at Dovecote Homes was a godsend: ‘We had got to the point where we were considering not doing the build because we couldn’t find anyone to do it.’

Creating an open-plan layout

Extending the space also meant a new open-plan layout. ‘We’ve ended up with three kitchens in one,’ explains Julia. ‘You’ve got the green area, which is the main cooking and social space; then you’ve got the cream cabinetry, which houses the coffee station and the pantry storage, and then the dining area with the red run of cabinetry that doubles as a server.’

While the extension and open floor plan sought to modernise the kitchen, Julia and Ray also wanted to keep the feel of the space firmly planted in traditional kitchen design. ‘We started by looking at original Victorian and Edwardian kitchens to see what elements we could incorporate into our space,’ says Julia.

Lanhydrock House, visited many years ago on a family holiday, provided a particular spark of inspiration. ‘We loved the large prep table and how it created a central point in the large room,’ says Julia.

Historically-inspired design

Originally, the pair considered a traditional dairy table-style island, but that would have compromised kitchen storage. ‘We loved the characterful look the tables had, but they just didn’t feel functional for our busy family,’ says Julia. However, they still wanted to find that perfect piece that felt historically inspired and brought a sense of uniqueness and personality to the space. A French-style oak bar, custom-built by The White Kitchen Company and inspired by the piece in Lanhydrock, with its curved edges and marble-look quartz top, proved the perfect solution.

‘It looks as though it has always been there,’ says Julia. ‘We love how the curved island feels like a piece of free-standing furniture but still has plenty of storage. It’s the perfect centrepiece and people naturally gravitate towards it when they enter the room.’

The kitchen’s colour palette also nodded to history. The red of the server is drawn from the classic Victorian tiles in the hallway, and the sage-toned green honours the link with the outside that Julia longed for, also taken from a heritage palette.

For similar colours, try Lick's Green 02, available at B&Q paired with Dulux's Heritage Pugin Red Velvet, also from B&Q.

Sourcing the splashback

The tiled splashback, another love at first sight choice, was more of a challenge than first anticipated. ‘We ordered the tiles months before we needed them, but were told that Mandarin Stone had discontinued them,’ says Julia. All was not lost, though, as Sue Bell at Mandarin Stone called up every shop requesting their samples and leftover stock, managing to gather enough tiles for Julia and Ray to create their dream splashback.

Perfect finish

The finished kitchen is truly timeless, perfectly bridging the traditional feel of the property with modern life.

‘I remember sitting in the old kitchen with Ray and deliberating whether to do the renovation or not, and my parents turned around and said, “Do it! It will change your life”, and it really has,’ says Julia. ‘We wanted to create a kitchen that was in keeping with the house and that hopefully, in 20 years, it’ll just be a case of repainting the cabinetry and maybe replacing the worktops. We’re so privileged to have been able to do the renovation and to have such a lovely space to work with.’

Get the look

Throughout the latter half of the 20th century, modernisation was in vogue. This trend saw hundreds of period properties stripped of their original features and filled with insensitive, and now very dated, decor.

Like so many prospective homeowners, this was the scene that greeted Sharon and Jim Hornsby when they stepped inside their 1920s lodge home. ‘Everything was very 1980s. We knew from the start that it was going to be a huge project,’ says Sharon. ‘But, it was the location that really sold it to us; it’s on a private lane, and surrounded by countryside. Everything else we could fix.’

And they did – especially when it came to their kitchen renovation.

Relocating the kitchen

Two kitchen extensions doubled the house’s footprint, with the previous kitchen – at the front of the house – being carved up to create a pantry, utility and home office, and the old living room was extended and stripped of its 1980s carpet and wallpaper to create a spacious kitchen-diner.

Navigating lockdown

February 2020 marked the end of six months of building work, leaving Sharon and Jim with an empty shell – ready to decorate and restore. However, that March brought lockdown.

‘We didn’t have any proper bathrooms or a kitchen,’ says Sharon. ‘Thankfully, we still had the 1980s shower and sink in the downstairs toilet, and I had also already ordered the kitchen cabinets, so they were on the way.’

Lockdown made hiring workmen impossible, so Sharon and Jim set about installing the cabinets themselves, with Jim also taking on the plumbing the kitchen sink and appliances. Lockdown brought financial implications, so the plan had to adapt and they had to work out how to do the kitchen renovation on a budget. ‘We fitted the cheapest quartz worktop we could find, hoping to make the kitchen functional for a few years, while we saved up to turn it into the space of our dreams.’

After four years of patience and saving, Sharon and Jim set to work making that dream a reality. ‘Having that break gave me time to actually live in the space. I realised that some things that I’d originally planned didn’t work,’ says Sharon. ‘The second stage of the renovation let me update my design. It was a real benefit of this way of working.’

One of the most significant changes was to the kitchen island. ‘It was originally three metres long, but it meant we couldn’t use the far wall,’ says Sharon. ‘We decided to remove the end piece and add an open shelf instead.’ Freeing up the wall meant Sharon could create a dedicated coffee station – using the island off-cut as the base and adding shelves and seating.

Returning period character

With the lodge’s original features lost in previous renovations and the addition of copious amount of steels demanded by building regulations, Sharon felt the identity of her 1920s home slipping away. ‘I didn’t want the space to look newly renovated. I wanted it to feel classic with a hint of something new,’ says Sharon, who let this concept guide her design.

‘I really wanted a standout worktop that would shine against the neutral units,’ says Sharon. With its rich veining, Caesarstone’s Mirabel porcelain worktop elevates the cabinets, painted in Little Greene’s Clay Mid from the Decorating Centre, and ties together the room’s colour scheme. Brass details, including the taps, drawer pulls, and rail – like this from Amazon – complete the look.

Dark wood kitchen flooring, chosen for its authentic feel, grounds the space, and is lifted by the light cream cabinetry. The green metal-framed doors – the colour echoed in the pantry interior (for a similar shade, try Lick's Green 18 at B&Q) – add vibrancy, while the fireplace was an eBay find. ‘Due to the age of the house, I didn’t want to put in a Victorian fireplace, but this one is a bit more Art Deco. It’s not authentic, as the house is just a lodge – but it works because it’s of the right era.’

Disguising unsightly steels

However, a major challenge remained: what to do with the exposed steel beam that ran the width of the room? ‘You could land a 747 on our house with the amount of steel that building control insisted on,’ jokes Sharon. Most got incorporated into the ceilings, but some, like those in the kitchen, were too large.

‘Originally, we just painted it with fireproof paint, but it didn’t work. It’s just not that kind of house.’ Instead, Sharon found a company that made pine beam casings – like these from Traditional Beams – and then spent days with a hammer and chisel putting notches into it to make it look more natural. A few layers of paint and wax later, and it looks as though it has been supporting the house for 100 years.

The finished result

Now complete, was the kitchen renovation worth the wait? ‘Undoubtedly, we’re so happy with the kitchen now. It’s such a sociable space, and we often find ourselves just staying in here all evening.’

Get the look

After 25 years without a single update, Emily’s bathroom was overdue a transformation. ‘I told my husband I was going to paint it green to match the existing tiles, and he just looked at me and said, “Why don’t you get a whole new bathroom?” He was right — it was time,’ says Emily.

This wasn’t a shared bathroom, but one Emily used as her own. ‘That made it easier – I didn’t need to compromise on design, we’ve got quite different tastes. Instead, I could just go with what I loved.’

Armed with Pinterest boards and a clear vision for her bathroom ideas, she began building a look that felt both restful and warm. ‘I knew I wanted that marbled, off-white palette — calm, but not cold. The gold taps were non-negotiable! And I needed wood in there, because we have natural textures throughout the house. It adds warmth.’

Emily worked with Ripples in Newbury to finalise the design. ‘Leanne, the assistant manager, was amazing — if I had an idea, she’d either back it or gently suggest a better alternative. I wanted the whole room tiled at first, but she suggested painting a few walls, and it’s made the room feel cosier.’

Bathroom storage was cleverly built around existing pipework. ‘Because the house is a bungalow, the plumbing had to come down from the ceiling — so we boxed it in and turned it into ledges and alcoves. Now I’ve got loads of places to keep things and add decorative pieces.’

One of Emily’s favourite features is the lighting. ‘We’ve got overheads, but honestly, I’ve never turned them on. I use the ambient lights and my backlit mirror — it’s just the right balance.’

She also chose a smaller, free-standing bath for both comfort and practicality. ‘I’m not tall, and I didn’t want to slide down a huge tub. I love reading in the bath and this one fits me perfectly.’

The project took just over two weeks, thanks to their reliable installer, Rafal of RSInteriors Thatcham. ‘The install part was our biggest fear, after hearing lots of horror stories, but his attention to detail was fantastic,’ says Emily. The result is a bathroom that feels personal and peaceful. ‘It’s a lovely place to be.’

Style must-haves

When Simon and Clemmie swapped south London for the Kent coast, they were looking for more space for their growing family of four daughters. ‘We were lucky to find a beautiful old house in Ramsgate,’ says Simon. ‘It had been a doctor’s surgery, then a hotel. We’ve been on a mission to turn it back into a proper family home.’

One of their first challenges was the water pressure – or lack of it – upstairs. ‘We’d always planned to give the girls the top floor as their own space, with a shared bathroom, partly to contain the mess!’ says Simon. A pressurised tank sorted the water issues, but the real transformation came through clever design and help from West One Bathrooms.

‘The bathroom had always been there, but with the sloping roof it was tough to work out where to fit everything in,’ says Simon. ‘We decided to pinch a bit of space from the laundry room next door and create a walk-in shower.’ Having a hand-held shower – in addition to the overhead rainfall shower – was an essential to make cleaning the shower enclosure easy.

When it came to aesthetics, Clemmie took the reins: ‘We wanted it to feel like the girls’ bathroom – colourful and playful, but also to be super practical. It had to be easy to clean and low maintenance, but still full of personality.’ The West One Bathrooms design team helped the couple to embrace the quirks of the space.

‘To work around the sloped ceiling and make the bathroom more accessible for the girls, they suggested lowering the units and washbasin slightly. The basin we chose is deep with double swan-neck taps – perfect for little hands.’ A shelf running across the entire length of the room is perfect for keeping essentials close to hand, providing plenty of space for all four girls' things.

In terms of style, the couple wanted to echo the property’s heritage. ‘We’ve kept most of the original features throughout the rest of the house – cornicing, woodwork, that sort of thing – and we wanted to carry a bit of that feel to this space, too,’ explains Simon.

‘But we also recognised that the girls wouldn’t appreciate antique furniture.’ Their solution was a mix of old and new. ‘We chose a slightly modernised roll-top bath with bold black feet – it gives a nod to tradition, but still feels fresh.’

One last-minute decision ended up being a game changer. ‘I hadn’t even thought about underfloor heating, but Clemmie suggested it just before the work started,’ says Simon. ‘It’s electric and really helps dry the space quickly, which is essential with four kids splashing around!’

See more of Simon and Clemmie’s home renovations on Instagram @thehouseofhooper.

Get the look

When Natalie, her husband Tim and their three-year-old daughter moved into their Victorian terraced home in Shoreditch last May, they faced a major renovation project. It hadn’t been lived in for years and the kitchen was in dire shape. ‘The old floorboards were rotten with holes, and the bathroom at the back had damp and mould,’ says Natalie. ‘Naively, I thought we were just going to need to make a few repairs and knock through a wall or two, but then the entire back of the house had to come down, steels went in, and we ended up needing to pour a new concrete floor, too.’

Rather than extend, Natalie and Tim decided to work with the original footprint, retaining the bay window at the side, which adds a lot of natural light. Their vision for the space came to life thanks to kitchen designer Dave of Herringbone House. A close friend of Tim’s, Dave became an essential part of the process early on. ‘I kept going back to Dave for advice. He just got it – he understood my style from the start,’ says Natalie. What began as a few casual sketches quickly evolved into the entire kitchen plan. ‘One of his first designs is what we went with – he nailed it straight away.’

‘Having all the tall cabinets at one end – to house the fridge-freezer, pantry cupboard and oven stack – meant we could then have a low run of units at the other end with just a shelf above them,' says Natalie. 'It looks really slick.’

Large-format floor tiles from Mandarin Stone were a last-minute switch after issues with the planned microcement floor. ‘They actually saved us money and look even better,’ says Natalie. ‘They’re easier to maintain and work really well with the rest of the kitchen.’

Originally, the plan was to have a downstairs loo at the very back of the house, but Dave advised against placing it within sightline – recommending instead a clever curved wall in the middle of the house, mirroring other curves, and allowing space for a bespoke dining bench and table.

Grouping all of the tall cabinets at one end and running low units with open shelving along the other, gives the space a sleek, uncluttered look.

A last-minute structural change made one of Natalie’s wishlist features suddenly possible: the pantry cupboard. ‘We always wanted one with pocket doors, but we couldn’t fit it around the old chimney breast,’ she says. ‘Then, by chance, our neighbours removed theirs, which meant we could remove ours – and suddenly the dream cupboard was back on the table, it felt like it was meant to be. It’s honestly one of my favourite things in the kitchen.’

The finished kitchen functions as a hub for family life and entertaining. Thoughtful design decisions mean the space is as practical as it is beautiful. ‘I’m totally obsessed with it – it’s a space that works for all of us,’ says Natalie.

Get the look

Nicola and Phil fell in love with this house as soon as they saw it, with the exception of the kitchen, which they instantly disliked. ‘It was so dark, and it was located in the centre of the house. Plus, the rough stone floors didn’t work with three very young children toddling around. It just wasn’t a comfortable or inviting space to be in,’ says Nicola, who knew it would need more than a few kitchen ideas to transform it.

The couple had previously worked with interior designer Lucy Burt from Nest Interior Design on other rooms in the house, and they loved her style, so they were keen to get her involved in their kitchen makeover, too. ‘I was lucky to find Lucy via a mix of Google searching and social media, and then she recommended kitchen designer Francesca Quansah from Design By Helium to us, and we loved her portfolio, too.’

Lucy and Francesca came up with a plan that would completely transform the back part of the house, taking it from dark and dingy to open and light.

‘The previous owners had done an extension, but they used it as a lounge/dining area,’ explains Nicola. ‘The house came with a huge integral garage, so we decided to knock through the back third of it to give us much more space to work with. It also meant the existing bifold doors could become part of the kitchen, allowing a lot more light in. We went for an open-plan kitchen-diner/living area.’

Determining the kitchen style, colour, and finish was a collaborative process. ‘Lucy and Francesca had a great understanding of how we wanted the space to look and feel, while keeping in mind the practicalities of living with three children and a puppy. We wanted the kitchen to look great, but it also needed to be durable,’ says Nicola.

There were tricky areas to navigate, Nicola recalls: ‘The house had difference levels – the kitchen, outside decking and the garden, plus the ceiling pitched in two areas, which made lighting more challenging. The only regret was not adding blinds or an awning as although I adore the south-facing light, it can get very hot in the summer.’

The project took around six months, but the result is a beautiful, functional space that the family spend most of their time in. ‘The boys have their breakfast together at the kitchen island each morning, and we have the doors wide open all summer long – it really is the hub of the house now.’

Get the look

When designing a new kitchen – no matter the time of year – spare a thought about how your space will work during this busiest season. Will the oven be large enough to fit a turkey? Do you have room to wash those big pans and serving dishes? When entertaining, will the kitchen be part of the action or serve as a peaceful retreat where you can lose yourself in the culinary task at hand?

For homeowner Belle Daughtry, her small kitchen is the perfect example of country charm – exuding a warm and welcoming ambience in the depths of winter – while still being able to withstand the onslaught of entertaining.

‘The kitchen was the one room in the cottage we wanted to make our own,’ she explains. ‘It is located at the back of the cottage, an extension of the catslide roof. It has brick floors, beautiful sloping beams and windows looking out to the fields behind. We inherited the previous owner’s cosy black Rayburn stove that heated the cottage, too,’ explains Belle (@just_belle).

Updating the existing kitchen

Building upon the existing L-shaped kitchen layout, photographer Belle turned to British Standard by Plain English to update the cabinetry, which Belle chose to paint in All White by Farrow & Ball, available at B&Q. The lighter hue sang against the wooden worktops, brick flooring, and black range cooker.

One of the main challenges of this kitchen was its compact size. In addition to the limited floor plan, the sloped ceiling made the space feel smaller, which made it all the more important that the kitchen felt as bright and light as possible.

Kitchen lighting also required careful consideration. Spotlights above the workspace provide ample ambient and task lighting without infringing on the already limited head height. For similar, try these recessed downlights from Amazon. Belle accents this during the festive period with flickering candles on the open shelves and window sills.

Achieving a minimalist look

A saving grace in this compact kitchen is the pantry, which often offers a lifeline when organising a small kitchen. It provides a home for the fridge, appliances and additional ingredients. Removing these elements from the main space has resulted in uncluttered work surfaces that help to create a peaceful and serene room, always ready for cooking dinner or baking sweet treats.

Drawing on the traditional feel of the picture-perfect 17th-century cottage, Belle opted for Shaker-style cabinetry inspired by the shutters at Stowupland Hall, which perfectly complements the ceiling panelling.

Dressing with reclaimed materials

‘We love lightness and simplicity, so it was essential for us to soften the hard textures of the brick and beams in the traditional Suffolk cottage,’ explains Belle. She traded the previous dark worktops for lighter, reclaimed scaffolding boards.

‘The boards were so connected to their roots that they still had the metal plates on the wood,’ says Belle. Opting for reclaimed materials gave the new cabinetry a more rustic edge, too, and perfectly complements the rich patina of the cracked and chipped brick floor.

Decorating the kitchen for Christmas

Now complete, the kitchen is an oasis of calm during the busy festive season. ‘We keep kitchen decorations to a minimum so that the worktops are free to prepare food, but we love to decorate our windows, shelves and doors with fresh-cut foliage and blooms,’ says Belle.

‘Our favourites are mistletoe, ivy and holly. Not only do they look beautiful in vases, pots or hung as boughs, but their earthy, seasonal scents really add to the kitchen ambience. We tend to decorate a little later in December so that the foliage will smell and look its best for Christmas Day. A final addition is always candlelight, creating a cosy, soft glow against the whites and greens.’

To channel the same cosy ambience and fill your kitchen with the fresh and festive fragrance of Christmas foliage, try this Skog candle from Amazon.

This feature first appeared in Period Living Magazine. Click here to subscribe.

A period home should feel warm, welcoming and full of personality. Too often, however, insensitive modernisations – even when done to a good standard – eradicate the sense of heritage that makes these properties special. This was the challenge facing Sarah and John when they purchased their Georgian townhouse.

In an effort to return the personality to their home, the couple undertook a complete kitchen renovation, introducing colour and character to the heart of their home.

‘When they moved in everything was painted in what Sarah described as “Banker’s Grey”. The whole house just felt very sterile. There were lots of shiny surfaces, glossy cabinetry and brilliant white,’ says interior designer Emilie Fournet, who was drafted in to help breathe life back into this Grade II-listed property. ‘It was the total opposite of Sarah and John’s style and personalities.’

However, the couple could instantly see the potential, especially in the soulless subterranean kitchen. ‘My aim was to create a kitchen that felt timeless, and was filled with the colour and patterns that Sarah and John love,’ says Emilie.

While the house itself was in good condition, the kitchen had signs of damp, meaning the room had to be gutted and tanked before any decorative work could take place.

Despite having been stripped back to a shell, Emilie was not faced with an entirely blank space. ‘The house’s listed status meant we had restrictions for the design,’ says Emilie. There was no option to extend, nor move any internal doors, so Emilie had to optimise the kitchen layout to incorporate the essentials without altering the footprint of the room.

This came hand in hand with another restriction. ‘We had to make sure that the original chimney breast remained visible. However, it is located right in the middle of the only suitable space for a run of full-height cabinetry,’ explains Emilie.

To overcome this, she built kitchen cabinets to encompass the chimney, adding glazed doors and directional lighting above it to turn it into a feature. Not one to waste space, Emilie added shelves in front and covered it with a Soane Britain wallpaper. The print is inspired by a late 18th-century ‘chafarcani’ cotton quilt. ‘The wallpaper also prevents the chimney from being too angular or industrial,’ says Emilie. Opting for glass front kitchen cabinet doors shows off the wallpaper and provides a space to display crockery and glassware.

Graham & Brown's beautiful Diane wallpaper, available at B&Q, is a similar design.

Yellow may seem a bold shade for such an already dominant piece of cabinetry, but Emilie instinctively knew that it would shine in this space. ‘Even on a damp, grey day, the cabinets still bring the sunshine into the room,’ she says. For a similar shade, try Lick's Yellow 03 available at B&Q.

The secret to working with bolder colours as part of kitchen design is balance. ‘If you’re going to have a pop of colour in one part, you have to tone down the colour in another element.’ Something that is perfectly exemplified in this home: monochrome walls and floors anchor the room, which provides the perfect base for a more vibrant palette across the painted cabinetry and island. For a similar shade to that used on the island, try Lick's Red 06 Matt available at B&Q.

The dining and kitchen area is sprinkled with green accent,s including the open shelves and jute rug under the table. For a similar rug, try Amazon's scalloped area rug from Arts of Jaipur, which features the same green trim and scalloped detailing.

Despite the generous Georgian sash window, natural light was still scarce, intensifying the importance of artificial lighting. Directional kitchen lighting above the full-height furniture provides an ambient backdrop, while task lighting comes in the form of brass wall lights beside the range and pendant lights above the island, one of the many mid-century accents throughout the home. For similar wall lights, try this LEDSone design from Amazon.

Having brought a lot of mid-century items with them from their flat, Emilie was tasked with the challenge of incorporating the couple’s favourite pieces into the kitchen, without feeling like she was trying to force a Georgian house into a mid-century mould. ‘Creating a traditional backbone – here with the Shaker cabinetry, hanging rail and vintage-style wall lights – meant we could work in more contemporary accents,’ says Emilie.

The clever combination of bold colours and artificial lighting means that despite its basement location, the kitchen is now one of the brightest rooms in the house. ‘As soon as you step down into the room you feel at ease. It’s such a joyful space
and sets the tone that this is a functional kitchen, but it’s also very much part of a stylish home.’

Front porches are the first thing visitors see when they enter your home, but even though they're used by you and your family every single day, they're so easily forgotten about. That's exactly what happened with our porch after we lost the front door key and were using the side entrance during the major renovation works of our 1970s extension.

Determined to reinstate the area as our main entrance, but with dregs of a budget leftover (we tried to limit the spend to sub £150), my partner and I used scraps from other parts of the reno, plus a couple of new buys, to remodel our vestibule area with our favourite front porch ideas.

This is how we managed to keep the budget low and completely transform the existing look of our enclosed porch and narrow hallway ideas.

1. I worked with materials we already had (~£20)

During the renovation, we had engineered oak flooring put down from The Solid Wood Flooring Company - it's one of the best decisions we made. It runs throughout the ground floor of our home. Before the carpenters got to laying it, my partner had the ingenious idea of having a single line from the front door directly out to the new patio doors leading to our courtyard garden without door jambs or divides.

That means it runs through and integrates the porch into the rest of the layout, rather than it being a pokey afterthought. The impact of this throughline is unreal and by far better than the tiny black tiles that used to be on the floor of the porch, which I had admittedly grown to love/resent during our time at the house.

Even if we had not had any flooring left over from the rest of the house, I would have still found a way to allocate budget to this area - the sheer amount of traffic through a porch or hallway needs high-quality, durable flooring.

2. DIY-ed a shoe rack bench and coat hooks (£45)

There used to be a fairly manky bench with poor storage underneath along the side of the porch. We liked the idea, less so the execution, but we couldn't afford anything new. So, we designed and built a new storage unit and put on our best haberdashery hats to make a long cushion for the top. We fell in love with the fabric from a local shop, and it was fairly simple to make using spray glue and a staple gun.

The storage base wood was sourced from our old roof, and the foam, fabric and ply for the cushion together cost around £25 as we were using so little of it.

Our coat rack was mustered up from an off-cut piece of wood and some repainted Dunelm hooks (they were originally blue, but against the pink, it looked like a bad Cath Kidson homage).

3. Painted the walls and woodwork (~£20)

The porch is incredibly dark without a window light in the door (a potential future project), so I continued the off-white I used in the main living areas of the house (White 06 by Lick to make the narrow hallway feel bigger.

I'm a big believer in having colour themes throughout interiors, so the woodwork was painted in Mizzle by Farrow and Ball (that is also on our windows and exterior) and the door itself in Studio Green by Farrow & Ball to match our mid-century-inspired room divider. The combination of pale blue-green and muddy, almost-black green works to add interest to an admittedly simple wall colour.

As we had used these colours elsewhere in the house, once again, they were the dregs of the tins, so they saved us yet more money.

4. Sourced new lighting (£60)

The previous owners had used an overhead pendant light on a chain that was incredibly menacing - I'm not a tall person, but even I ducked when coming in with the shopping. During the rewire I chose to switch to a wall light that sits above our coat hook.

Again, as the space is super dark, a multi-light design was essential, and I found this design from Lights.co.uk for a bargain. It picks up a cheeriness with the green, and the wash of light is much more appealing and is far less oppressive - especially with our low ceilings!

Transforming even a small room like a porch for £150 isn't easy, but a few canny decisions and reusing leftover materials and paint can save alot of money.

When Amy and John moved into their north London Victorian terrace ten years ago, their daughter was just three months old.

‘We did some light refurbishments early on,’ Amy says, ‘but we always knew the kitchen would need more attention one day.’ That day came 18 months ago, when the family decided to unlock the potential of the dark and disconnected layout.

The existing kitchen had once been extended into a conservatory-like structure at the rear, but the interior walls had remained intact. ‘It meant the kitchen and dining space ended up in the middle of the house, where it was dark and awkward,’ Amy says.

To reimagine the space, they enlisted the help of Maria from Ohma Studio.

‘I’d worked with Maria before and knew she’d be incredible – super pragmatic, great with budgets and very aligned with our style,’ says Amy. ‘She’d say, “Spend money here, save money there.” Like, go for an expensive cheap floor, not a cheap expensive one!’

The new layout opened up the back of the house to the garden with picture windows and dual sliding doors, while creating a snug at the front of the house.

‘As the kids got older, we found we wanted more zones; a space where they could hang out, and a quieter space for us.’

The layout has been broken down into zones. ‘I love all the different areas we have now. There’s the island, where the kids sit and draw, a seating area for us to relax in the evening, and the dining table where we all come together.’

Inside, zones flow together naturally – a central island, a small seating nook and a spacious dining area.

‘We can all be in the same room, doing different things – drawing, chatting, cooking – but it doesn’t feel cluttered.’

While the space is now light-filled and expansive, the design remains calm and considered.

‘I didn’t want bold units or walls,’ says Amy. ‘I’ve got enough stuff to bring personality. I wanted the space to act as a blank canvas.’

Custom-built kitchen units, painted in a soft white, were designed to run floor to ceiling. The interiors are lined with oak veneer to bring warmth. ‘It gives the appearance of solid wood without the cost,’ Amy notes.

The kitchen features thoughtful touches such as under-shelf lighting, the utility room hidden behind cabinets and drawers instead of cupboards to keep things accessible.

‘We’ve got a lot of stuff – keys, hair clips, school things – so having places to hide it all has been life-changing. Now it feels harmonious. Simple lines, warm tones, and space to add colour through the things we love.’

After living in their Victorian terrace in Penge for nearly 20 years, Hannah knew it was finally time to tackle the kitchen renovation.

‘It had the classic long galley kitchen layout, with a tired lean-to bathroom tacked on the back,’ she says. ‘It was narrow, damp and not a space we ever wanted to spend much time in.’

They had done a temporary spruce-up years earlier — a coat of paint, some wallpaper and a basic kitchen — but it wasn’t solving the space or kitchen layout issues. ‘It was always meant to be a stopgap. I’d been dreaming about this kitchen design for two decades — with a Pinterest board full of glazing ideas and architectural details.’

Extending the kitchen to create more space

Hannah had always wanted a full-width rear kitchen extension with a large glass roof to flood the space with natural light. She also had her heart set on exposed steel beams that followed the slope of the glazing, rather than a standard horizontal support. ‘It was all about keeping that open, uninterrupted view. And once I’d seen that kind of structural detail was possible when designing a kitchen, I was fixated!’ she says.

Working with a local architect, the couple planned out the extension and sourced a specialist glazing company. ‘The rooflight and oversized back door were the biggest design decisions. We didn’t want bifold doors, so instead found the biggest single door we could get — it’s 1.5 metres wide and makes such a statement.’

Designing the kitchen layout and cabinetry

The couple chose Pluck to make the cabinetry.

‘They’re local, sustainable and their kitchens are beautiful and practical — we had a great experience from start to finish.’ The layout is a classic U-shape with floor-to-ceiling cabinetry on one side. ‘I didn’t want a peninsula, but the U-shape works really well in this long space. It means we’ve now got masses of storage and work surface, which we never had before.’

An induction hob with integrated extraction allows a completely open view. ‘I didn’t want anything to obscure the glass. It’s flat to the worktop and looks beautiful.’

Embracing colour

Design-wise, Hannah’s love of colour was important to incorporate. ‘I always knew I wanted warmth in this space — so we went for soft pink walls, yellow-painted beams and a mix of green and coral cabinets. It sounds like a lot, but it just makes me feel happy,’ she explains.

Yellow steel beams and window frames highlight the unusual details. ‘We had to paint layers of fire retardant paint, then three or four coats of yellow,' says Hannah.

For worktops, the couple chose terrazzo from Diespeker & Co in south London. ‘It was such a fun process — they let us rummage through hundreds of samples. My husband loved this black-and-white one. After just seeing small samples, it was a bit of a shock to see the worktop turn up in huge slabs. But once it was fitted, it was totally the right choice.'

The kitchen tiles are Brazilian slate. ‘It felt like the perfect neutral base for the colours around it — and it works well with the underfloor heating, which was a must,' says Hannah.

Installing a dreamy pantry

The best feature? In Hannah’s opinion, it’s the pantry. ‘It’s beautiful, practical, and I use it every day. It’s genuinely changed our kitchen storage and how we cook. If we did everything again, I’d maybe take off one cupboard — the central space is quite generous. But really, it’s perfect!’

Get the look

Struggling to find an affordable property in their favourite part of London, Poppy and her partner Luke came across this one-bed flat in a converted Victorian terrace in Dulwich, London. Despite the tired interior and cramped kitchen, they could see its potential.

‘The property had changed hands every two years since 1994,’ says Poppy. ‘The constant turnover of owners had left it looking unloved, but we knew we could transform it into something special with a contemporary kitchen extension.’

The awkward, L-shaped kitchen space was not big enough for the kitchen-diner of their dreams. ‘You could just about squeeze a tiny table in there, but that was about it,’ recalls Poppy.

French doors from the bedroom, which stepped down to the side return, meant planning the layout wasn’t straightforward. The couple got round the issue of different heights by integrating a small internal courtyard.

‘We hired a large construction firm who did the architectural drawings and managed the project so we could move in with my mum in Devon while the work was being done,’ says Poppy. Despite regular site visits, the project was overshadowed by problems.

‘Our brand-new glazed door had to be replaced when one of the builders cut metal close by, leaving shards of steel embedded in it. And our epoxy resin floor ended up with a big crack down the middle after being laid.’

Poppy and Luke decided enough was enough, and moved back to a building site with a temporary kitchen, calling in the help of their own tradespeople to get them across the finish line. ‘With hindsight, we wish we had managed more of the project ourselves from the start.’

‘We wanted the kitchen to blend seamlessly into the space, that’s why we chose flush-fronted, handleless units.’

The modern kitchen fills one wall. ‘Our goal was to have a functional, minimal kitchen with a streamlined look. Adding the pocket shelving makes it feel homely and is also a handy display space.’

Poppy sourced the Concrete Collaborative tiles through Instagram and imported them from the US. ‘Although these tiles were a splurge, I’m so happy with how they look. They bring warmth to the room and add visual interest too.’

Graphic designer Poppy even created an intricate splashback pattern plan on Photoshop for the tiler to follow, so it turned out just as they were hoping.

A fully glazed roof above the side extension gives uninterrupted views of the sky. ‘I wanted a glass roof despite living in a built-up area of London,’ Poppy says.

'We put a lot of thought into the layout, and we love the way the extension flows from inside out to the garden,' she says.

'As we are both obsessed by the little details, it was a good idea to live in the space first. You never know when inspiration will hit you,' says Poppy.

‘I had a wobble about the colour of the kitchen units the night before they were being sprayed with paint. I swapped from sage green to charcoal without seeing a colour sample, which was a risk, but I love how they’ve turned out.’

Despite the setbacks, the couple is now thrilled with the finished result. ‘Our favourite part is our island, which is the social hub of the kitchen. We both love cooking and holding dinner parties, so this allows everyone to be part of the conversation.’

Having lived with a small galley kitchen for years, when the chance came to upgrade, Rachel knew she wanted to create something light-filled and spacious that would act as a hub for family and friends to spend time in.

‘Essentially, it had to have lots of places for sitting and hanging out,’ says Rachel. ‘I’ve got a big extended family and we like to socialise together as often as we can.’

She kept this in mind as she set about planning the new kitchen, to be housed in an outbuilding that was linked to the main house. The objective was to harmonise the traditional charm of the house with more contemporary design elements to achieve a timeless yet modern look. ‘It’s a Grade II listed farmhouse – the oldest parts were built in the 16th century – so we needed some proper expertise with the build,’ says Rachel.

A friend recommended Ray Munn Kitchens. ‘I had a chat with the creative director, and I just got a sense that I could work closely with him. He comes from a fine art background, so the advice he offered was not just about the functionality of the kitchen. He paid attention to proportions and fine details too.’

To enable various large social groups to gather comfortably, the new layout has an open-plan design which opens to the reception rooms off it. ‘It means that people can drift in and out, while still feeling connected to the main action,’ says Rachel.

Rachel discovered that working with existing buildings, especially listed ones with restrictions, can initially make you feel like you have to make compromises, but that often those compromises turn out to make the resulting space really interesting. ‘For example, I was keen to make the most of the lovely setting – the house is in a very pretty part of the countryside – so a picture window was the starting point of the whole design.’

Similarly, to fully exploit the beauty of the existing vaulted ceiling, open shelves rather than wall cupboards create a less fitted look. A seamless blend of modern and traditional, with Shaker-style units by Davenport, provides just the right touch of country kitchen style.

When it came to the kitchen colour scheme, Rachel was keen to create warm and inviting vibes. ‘I didn’t want anything too strong that might jar with the outside, and so settled on a pretty, soft pink that fits the bill perfectly.’

Style must-haves

Having taken on a house with a large garden thirteen years ago to give their sons some room to run around, Lucy and husband Tiff decided that their home needed some care and attention.

'Renovating my neglected house gave me the boost I needed to enter the BBC’s The Great Interior Design Challenge,' explains Lucy, 'where I got into the final and finished as the runner-up. '

'My background is in textile design, and although I was an amateur designer when I entered the show, I realised that’s what I should be doing professionally, and so set up my business.'

'Fast forward to a couple of years ago, with the business growing, it became obvious that I needed a separate space to work from and I could no longer do it from the house, because of the noise, people coming in and out, and the disruption to family life.'

'The obvious thing to do was to put a studio in the garden,' continues Lucy. 'We’d inherited some sheds, and while we’ve used a couple for storage, there were two with power connected on an existing concrete base right at the end of the garden, which seemed the ideal spot to build a garden room and would cut down on costs to use what was there, in terms of the base and electricity. '

'One base was 6x4m, which was a great size for the main studio, and the other shed, which is 3m sq, could be painted and used for storage. I had a very specific idea about what I wanted, and I started looking for the right company.'

'I found exactly what I wanted at The Landscaper in Hadleigh, Suffolk. I designed the new studio together with the builder. We sketched out ideas first and discussed materials, which was important to me.'

'We used reclaimed windows from eBay and weatherboarding for the storage section, and smart black windows with Siberian larch cladding for the main studio.'

'I liked the idea of grey and black together and I’d also done a lot of work in the garden, painting other sheds, then adding my signature bursts of colour, so it all ties in together.'

'Light is so important for my work, and I factored in a lovely big window with a view, plus a small rectangular one which only has a view of the back fence, and two large roof lights to maximise the light coming in, whatever the weather and the time of day.'

'The other big essential was a Swedish-style cabin bed,' explains Lucy. 'I do love a nap, and sometimes when I’m working, I get so carried away, I forget the time, and then a little nap refreshes me. We built one in, and then I decorated the plain wood.'

'After looking at various options, I chose OSB board for the floor. It’s very versatile and durable, as well as being inexpensive. Although it was the most affordable option, I also really like the finish of it, so it wasn’t just about the cost.'

'It comes varnished, and when the studio was first fitted, I thought I would be worried about getting paint on the floor as I’m messy, but now I’m not bothered about paint splatters and like them as part of the design.'

'With the basics in, I wanted to make it feel homely, and I’ve added a mix of new and old furniture and storage, some of which belonged to my parents and other upcycled furniture ideas that I've completed.'

'I needed plenty of shelving and there’s also a bookcase for my design books, as well as a storage trolley and a big bin for rolls of paper, as some of my canvases are fairly big.'

'I wanted to keep it light and fresh in there, so the basic scheme is white and green, keeping the green quite pale. I’ve then papered a section in some of my own wallpaper and put up curtains in my own fabrics at the big window and also across the cabin bed, to make it feel cosy even when it’s dark outside.'

'It also reflects that we’re in a garden as the wallpaper and fabric are covered in flowers. I love flowers, especially wild ones, and my favourites include anemones, dahlias and hollyhocks.'

'There are a lot of my latest products from my collaboration with Next in there, but also old things from childhood and favourite bits and pieces. Inspiration is all around, and I’m more than happy being in here, painting away, rather than being in the house. It's worked out really well.'

Get Lucy's look

Focus on... Creating a stylish sleeping nook

• Decide which corner of a space you will put the cabin bed in and try to avoid a wall with a window in it. Decide who’s likely to sleep there, what size bed they’ll need and make sure there is enough headroom. 
• Measure up carefully, and if your DIY skills are up to it, buy a raised slatted bed platform and fit it yourself, leaving a little extra room beyond the mattress size, or track down a trusted carpenter. 
• Add shaped decorative framing to the sides and at the top in a colour scheme that matches the rest of the room. 
• Think about what type of storage you will put underneath and how you will screen it off when not in use. Some simple curtains will hide everything away and let you have a proper sleep inside. 

After living in Australia for three years, Liney and Jonathan returned to the UK with their three children and assorted pets, on a mission to find a family home. ‘We stumbled across this house almost by accident when we were looking at schools for the children,’ says Liney, adding that the large garden and Dorset village setting instantly appealed.

The kitchen, which was once a barn attached to the house, was an immediate attraction, given its generous size and lofty height. Less appealing, though, was the wood-on-wood-on-wood finish of the room. ‘Oak units, dark timber beams and roof trusses felt quite oppressive,’ says Liney. ‘In any event, the cabinets were getting to the end of their life.’

The family had a three-month window before they needed to move out of the house they were renting in Salisbury. ‘I realised that we should tackle the kitchen renovation while we had the chance, otherwise we’d never get around to it,’ she says.

Designing the perfect kitchen

While Liney was choosing curtain and blind fabrics at Compton Smith Interiors, owner and designer Carina Syms recommended bespoke kitchen company Guild Anderson.

‘It was my lucky day,’ says Liney. ‘I rang, and it turned out that they had just had a project postponed, so I was able to grab the slot. I wanted a bulletproof kitchen with a big island suitable for lots of family use. It also needed to look classic and accentuate the light feel of the room.’

Luckily, the designer, Nick Anderson, was on Liney’s wavelength and came up with a scheme that looked and functioned perfectly. ‘Nick created beautiful cabinetry that looks like a freestanding kitchen, rather than ultra-fitted,’ says Liney. ‘It really suits the proportions of the room.’

To accentuate the ‘unfitted’ feel of the furniture, Nick also created a kitchen layout that avoided building cabinets into the corner of the space, leaving a nice spot to enjoy the garden view.

Maximising storage and incorporating appliances

The bespoke cabinetry was brought to life by a coastal-inspired pairing of Little Greene’s Hicks’ Blue and Slaked Lime for an uplifting kitchen colour schemes.

A large island acts as the central food-preparation station, with the Everhot range cooker built into a large niche between two pillars. Along the back wall is plentiful kitchen storage, including a wet zone for washing up and pantry cupboards. Tucked out of sight around the corner is the bulky fridge-freezer. An elegant dresser cabinet catches the eye against the outer wall, its slender depth allowing for a generous walkway around the island.

With the bones of the kitchen established, everything else quickly fell into place, with several features proving to be game-changers. ‘We installed a standard dishwasher to the left of the sink and a single DishDrawer dishwasher – in the island – the second dishwasher has made life so much easier and kept the kitchen a lot tidier,’ says Liney. This DishDrawer dishwasher from Fisher & Paykel on AO.com is a similar integrated dishwasher.

Due to the room’s expansive size, Liney and Jonathan added half-height tongue-and-groove panelling along the back wall to create balance in the space. The panelling also helps to zone the dining area and provides an ideal backrest for the bench seating.

Emphasising the focal point

The range cooker was always destined to be the main focal point of this kitchen, but Liney accentuated it further by framing it with a custom-made overmantel. Not only does it draw the eye, but it also conceals a structural beam and an hidden extraction system, which vents outside.

The overmantel’s clean and simple look is a natural fit with the traditional style of the Shaker cabinetry. To complete the space, handmade glazed brick tiles create an eye-catching splashback in Fired Earth’s Landscape Dusk tiles, which perfectly mirrors the cooker below and complements the blue finish of the island and dresser.

Now complete, the finished kitchen is full of natural light and more than up to the task of catering to this busy family of five, plus it still looks beautiful while doing it.

What is your favourite part of this kitchen makeover?

Having recently purchased a ground-floor flat in a Victorian townhouse on the trendy Portobello Road, London, Pearl Lowe turned to luxury kitchen designers deVol to help realise her vintage kitchen vision.

'There is a real sense of storytelling in this kitchen. From the framed prints to the mismatched crockery, you can feel that every piece has been chosen with care. The whole kitchen embodies Pearl’s world, her history and her eye for beauty,’ explains Francesca Froggatt, kitchen designer at deVol, whose love of antiques and sense of period style perfectly placed her to help give this London townhouse kitchen a much-needed refresh.

Bringing vintage charm

Home to singer-turned-designer Pearl Lowe and her husband, musician Danny Goffey, it was inevitable that this flat was going to be special. Pearl’s name has become synonymous with vintage style, from her trademark dresses to spreading her love of all things floral and lace in her online store.

The challenge facing Pearl and Francesca was to embody this light and dainty look in the engine room of the home, a space that is, by its nature, industrial and functional. Thankfully, the Victorian Portobello townhouse flat was on their side.

From the moment you step into the open-plan room, the eye is drawn to the high ceiling and its ornate cornicing and ceiling rose. ‘There’s a romantic, time-worn quality to the building that we wanted to echo in the design,’ says Francesca. It was a natural fit for Pearl’s love of faded glamour.

Overcoming layout challenges

However, this didn’t mean the flat didn’t present a couple of hurdles to overcome. ‘The boiler is positioned high on the top left-hand side of the wall – behind what is now the top cupboard – and could not be moved,’ says Francesca. ‘This affected the flow of the layout and meant we had to design around it.’

The nearly full-height cabinetry, built both to hide the boiler and provide valuable kitchen storage, was softened with glass fronts and ruched fabric inserts, ensuring it didn’t dominate the room. ‘There was the option to mimic this on the other side of the sink and create a symmetry to the design, but Pearl had her heart set on a cream Smeg fridge – available on Amazon,’ says Francesca.

The free-standing fridge and blue Lacanche range are at once beautiful and functional, channelling traditional kitchen design, rather than modern concealed designs.

Choosing the colour palette

‘The colour palette was all Pearl,’ says Francesca. ‘We had considered leaning into the lack of light and channelling a Gothic style with a moodier colour scheme with dark oak furniture, but in the end Pearl chose to go with the brighter scheme – it’s a lot more in keeping with her style.’

Pairing cabinetry painted in Farrow & Ball’s Mizzle – available on B&Q – with Farrow & Ball’s Setting Plaster – available on B&Q – on walls creates an instantly soothing backdrop, lending a more lifestyle feel to the space.

‘When faced with such a dark floor, most homeowners would instinctively sand it back to lighten it, but here, it grounds what could otherwise be quite washed out,’ adds Francesca.

Meeting the demands

Designing a kitchen that sits within a flat rather than a house also posed challenges. ‘Like with most flats, this room is the only living space, so it has more demands than your typical open-plan kitchen. It needs to feel like a room where you can relax – the ability to cook is almost secondary,’ says Francesca.

‘At the same time, you can’t rely on utilities, pantries or larders for additional storage.’ Freestanding kitchen furniture solves both simultaneously, and pairs brilliantly with freestanding antique pieces in the wider room.

‘The deVol cabinets are always lovely, but it is Pearl’s styling that makes this kitchen special. The whole space is so her,’ says Francesca. ‘It’s fairly easy to choose nice furniture for a kitchen, but how you make it your own is the real art.’

Any chef’s home kitchen is fundamentally different to that seen in a typical family home. Mimicking the efficient designs of the professional kitchen, everything should be on hand and easy to access – something that goes against the current trend for invisible kitchen designs – and cooking should be a streamlined process.

At the same time, the kitchen still needs to feel warm and welcoming, and sit harmoniously within the rest of the house and landscape beyond. Balancing all these elements was the challenge facing kitchen designer Nicholas Sykes, founder of Irving Sykes, while renovating chef Crispin Chetwynd’s kitchen.

Taking inspiration from nature

It was the rolling Welsh landscape that proved to be the starting point for this farmhouse kitchen design. ‘Crispin wanted the kitchen to pay homage to the house’s beautiful surroundings, especially since the back door opens out onto the garden and hills beyond.’

The first step in achieving this sense of harmony was incorporating locally sourced ash wherever possible. ‘There are ash trees in the garden that can be seen from the window and open door, so it was a natural fit.’ Elements of ash are incorporated throughout the space – from the worktops and open shelving to the plate racks and fitted unit that houses the fridge – and work to tie the scheme together.

You can incorporate elements of ash into your own kitchen with smaller elements such as this chopping board from John Lewis or Etsy has a wide range of handmade ash plate racks like this from Harbour Woodwork.

‘With the run of wood worktops, we wanted it to seem like it was constructed from a single piece of ash,’ says Nicholas. ‘So we had to match graining and knots to create a sense of visual continuation – especially around the oven.’

While this was expertly executed, it was a challenge to install. ‘The pieces of wood were 50mm thick and very long, so navigating them through the doorway and getting them in situ was a logistical challenge,’ admits Nicholas.

Adding character

With no original features in the room save for the silhouette of the old fireplace, Nicholas sought to incorporate elements of the house’s heritage through the kitchen layout and decorative details.

‘There were copper water pipes running up the wall, so instead of boxing them in, we decided to leave them exposed and made them a feature by creating copper pipe shelving and taps,’ he explains. ‘Exposing these elements helped create an industrial kitchen that honours the property’s history.’

Prioritising practicality

The industrial look also fed into the practical side of the kitchen layout. ‘Crispin is used to working in a professional chef’s kitchen, and he wanted to bring the same practicality into his own home,’ explains Nicholas.

Displaying frequently used items on open shelves and incorporating copper hanging rails – this from Etsy has a similar look – was vital in achieving this aim. Ash crates, built for storing vegetables, provide a decorative alternative to the trays and boxes used for storing vegetables in professional spaces. Ash plate racks also offer kitchen wall decor, kitchen storage and a convenient way to dry plates, too.

Finalising the colour scheme

With the practical elements in place, Nicholas turned his eye to decor and painting. ‘The plaster pink kitchen walls, chosen by Crispin, perfectly harmonise with the pinky tones in the copper pipes and pair beautifully with the warmth and grain of the natural ash elements,’ says Nicholas. T

This was balanced with the Squid Ink colour of the cabinetry, which grounds the room. ‘It’s a unique colour that changes in response to the light throughout the day – ranging from dark green to a light blue – and brings a rich depth to the room.’

For a similar kitchen colour scheme, try Paint & Paper Library’s Squid Ink paint for kitchen cabinets and Farrow & Ball's Setting Plaster available at B&Q across the walls.

The finished kitchen is beautiful to look at and to cook in. ‘It really represents Crispin’s personality, both as a chef and an artist,’ adds Nicholas.

When scrolling through Instagram with my morning coffee a few days ago, the algorithm handed me a photo that made me verbally utter 'oh wow'. The source, you ask? Zoe Ball's warm and colourful kitchen.

Every time I see an inspiring kitchen colour scheme in a real-life home, I'm instantly impressed. It can be hard to veer away from neutral schemes, particularly when it comes to big investments, but choosing an invigorating palette instantly makes a kitchen feel like the heart of the home.

Working with Arior Design, Zoe Ball's kitchen and living room came to life, resulting in a cosy yet on-trend space that you just don't want to tear yourself away from. Plus, she didn't even need to rip out the original kitchen. This is how they created it.

1. Choose multiple shades

If you're wanting to breathe new life into a space then colour is the easiest, and often most affordable, way to do it. Green has been a huge kitchen trend in recent years and continues to be popular, but by combining it with the orange kitchen island, it makes it even more stylish.

'The Howden’s kitchen was already in place, very well arranged and practical, the only thing we wanted to change was the colour. The house was very nice, but everything painted white with the grey kitchen it just wasn’t Zoe and it didn’t reflect her colourful personality, having worked with Zoe on a previous project I knew her style and love for colour. This is a great example where the use of paint really changes a space and enhances any original features,' explains Catherine Smith, director of Arior Design.

'It was important to pull the colours through both rooms, using the lovey Little Greene Paint company Masquerade pink on the walls, skirting boards, built in cupboards, shelves, doors and frames – we chose to paint the ceiling and window frames in a soft white – Slaked Lime Mid by Little Greene – because the living room bay window had white shutters that Zoe wanted to keep,' she adds.

2. Work with the layout

When Zoe bought the house, the layout worked well for her needs and it was just the style that wasn't to her taste. The 'before' was a very pared-back palette, which hugely contrasts the rich scheme Catherine was able to bring in.

As Zoe has an open plan kitchen layout, it's important for the colour scheme and style to flow naturally between the cooking and living spaces.

Not only did Catherine match the wall colour in both rooms but she also subtly pulled through feature colours like the green armchair which parallels accessories on the island and art on the kitchen wall.

'I wanted to make sure the fabulous Jules Et Jim framed poster would be set off against the wall colour and be complemented in the new kitchen paint colours,' Catherine explains. 'It made sense to combine these tones and she was brave enough to go bold on the island, giving a glowing warmth. I pulled everything together with beautiful curtain fabrics, in both the living room and kitchen, new green armchair and lamps to ensure it all made sense throughout both rooms.'

Considering your kitchen layout comes down to the small details, too. Think about how you are going to use the space on a daily basis to really dial into whether it will work on a practical level.

'One thing to mention is that we wanted to add curtains for warmth, pattern and to soften the edges, however with the oven so close to the right hand curtain, we had a bespoke curtain pole and rings made to ensure this curtain can be pulled right the way over to the left when cooking is in progress for safety,' adds Catherine.

3. Add the finishing touches

Once you've decided on a colour palette and layout, the finishing touches are what bring the entire look together.

'Zoe had the same pendant light over the island in her last kitchen and loving it so much she wanted to have one again. It is a beautiful traditional style by Devol Kitchens,' says Catherine.

'We also changed the handles to update the look, they are from Corston Architectural, I love their hardware, really reasonably priced when you need so many. The finish we used is Antique brass – it is what they call a “living finish” meaning they will darken/change tone with use over time.'

Shop Zoe's Kitchen

Zoe's kitchen is a perfect example of how to breathe new life into a space that is lacking character and doesn't feel like 'you'.

Trying out a kitchen colour scheme with three core shades adds so much dimension to a space and actually makes it easier to form the core of your design. Which shades would you put together?

Luxurious kitchens don’t have to break the bank or demand expansive extensions. Instead, take a lesson from Laura and Marcus Moore’s kitchen and let a few carefully selected high-end materials take centre stage, incorporate some hidden luxuries and channel symmetry throughout the design. It's surprisingly easy to make a small kitchen look luxurious.

Despite its finished splendour, the Moores’ kitchen was far from luxurious when they first moved into their Victorian home. Having been previously rented, it was in a sorry state. ‘The kitchen was very dated, and the layout just didn’t make sense,’ says Laura. ‘It was a U-shaped kitchen and it had the dishwasher on the opposite side of the peninsula – with no easy access from the cooking area – and the fridge was positioned on a limb next to a sofa.’

Extending the space

The first step was to strip the room back to its bones and straighten some impractical curved walls. Then, they knocked down the wall separating the old dining room and kitchen, creating an open-plan kitchen layout. ‘We have a small garden, and we didn’t want to compromise its size for a larger kitchen, so we opted for a side return extension instead,’ says Laura.

However, the extension was more involved than Laura imagined. The rear of the house had to be held up with steel, which meant dismantling the bedroom and bathroom above the kitchen. ‘We moved out while the work was being completed as we’d lost access to all three of the main rooms in the house.’

Channelling symmetry through design

With the foundations in place, thoughts turned to design, and there was plenty of expertise to hand. Marcus and business partner Georgia Burne, who own interior design and project management company BOMA Projects, led the renovation, using cabinets from John Lewis of Hungerford.

‘Symmetry was the keyword,’ explains Laura. The bookmatched marble kitchen splashback – where two pieces are chosen to create a mirrored effect – provided the perfect starting point and are a perfect example of quiet luxury in the kitchen. This symmetry was continued in the cabinetry layout, with the main run bookended by two full-height cupboards – one of which housed the fridge and the other the washing machine. ‘I had wanted marble worktops, too, but Georgia advised against it as quartz is more family-friendly.’

A recessed extractor fan in the ceiling meant that Pooky pendants can take pride of place above the island

Designing the freestanding cabinets

The cabinetry’s profile is echoed on the opposite side of the room, with two full-height pantry units alongside banquette seating.

‘These cupboards bracket our days,’ explains Laura. ‘Every morning, the left-hand cupboard is used for breakfast, and each evening, we open the right-hand drinks cabinet once the children have gone to bed. We also have a wine cellar hidden under the floorboards, but it’s not as decadent as it sounds.’

When they knocked down the wall between the kitchen and the old dining room, they discovered that the space below the floor was hollow. ‘All we had to do was add a trapdoor at the top of the steps which lead to the playroom,’ says Laura.

Choosing the perfect colour scheme

Keeping a minimalist colour scheme of white and green lets the marble shine. However, finding the perfect shade of green had the potential to be a stumbling block. ‘The kitchen is north-facing, which can make the colours very cold,’ explains Laura.
‘I don’t like the look of blue-based greens; they feel so unwelcoming in our kitchen, so I was on the hunt for a rich, yellow-based green.’ Thankfully, John Lewis of Hungerford’s Evergreen was perfect.

While channelling luxury, the finished kitchen still works perfectly for the family. During the day, it provides space for everyone to enjoy cooking and eating meals together, then come nightfall, the space offers Laura and Marcus somewhere to relax with a glass of wine or a G&T.

When Sarah and Pip bought their Bedfordshire barn, it's safe to say they had their work cut out for them. With crumbling wooden beams and an almost non-existent roof, their kitchen was low down on the list of priorities.

With dreams of creating a sleek, industrial-inspired barn, Sarah wanted their soon-to-be kitchen to add edge to the countryside surroundings. Finding a modern kitchen idea that fitted the bill was hard - gloss would be too jarring against the barn backdrop but traditional Shaker was too classic for what the couple had in mind.

And then there was the budget. Overstretched and dwindling, bespoke kitchens were out of the question. So, Sarah and Pip decided to build it themselves. By utilising an IKEA kitchen for the carcass, undertaking a hefty bit of DIY and instructing Foxstow to design the stylish fluted fronts, they achieved their goal and cut their kitchen costs from £40k down to £15k. Here's how they got there.

The project

Despite the traditional appearance of their barn, Sarah had a very precise vision for an uber modern interior. The dichotomy of old and new works particularly well in conversion properties, but it's important to tread the line carefully.

In their Grand Designs episode, we see Sarah becoming increasingly frustrated with budget constraints impacting the aesthetic decisions of the project. What should have been sleek roof tiles turned out mismatched and quirky, and what should have been a high-end bespoke kitchen became a lesson in DIY.

But this didn't stop them. After some initial quotes from a kitchen company that didn't fit their budget, Sarah decided to draw up the layout on Sketch Up so that she could have complete control. They then took this to IKEA to buy the carcasses for significantly less.

Choosing the statement cabinets

Sarah planned the layout herself, but IKEA offer free design services to help if you're not confident with doing this yourself. After a £40,000 quote from another retailer for a slim Shaker kitchen, Sarah and Pip decided to look elsewhere for a more affordable option.

The couple decided to opt for IKEA carcasses and when researching door fronts, came across Foxstow who offer doors for IKEA and Howdens cabinets.

This allows you to create a much more bespoke design with trendy style doors without the cost associated with other retailers. Sarah explained how 'we found the reeded fronts and I knew instantly 'that was it', they were the perfect blend of slightly more modern but still Shaker style.'

Opting for Foxstow's fluted cabinet fronts added the perfect level of depth and texture to the design, helping to warm up a large and airy up. The cabinets are painted in Farrow & Ball 'Off Black', which Sarah did herself. In our conversation she mentions that 'the one thing I would do differently would be the painting. We had 38 doors to paint in the end with a ridiculous system of drying them on racks.' Let this be your lesson to call in the professionals when needed!

Thoughtful details

A kitchen isn't just about style and design, it also has to be functional for everyday life. If a cooking space is tricky to navigate with not enough room around worktops to maneouvre, you'll quickly become frustrated and the glamour of a pretty space will wear off.

To make the space work for them, Sarah thoughtfully increased the depth of the worktops and the width between the kitchen island and wall cabinets.

'All the countertops on the wall runs are actually 70cm deep instead of 60cm,' Sarah explains. 'Having that extra 10cm of depth is amazing. It makes it so much easier to prepare food and store essentials like the knife block without it getting in the way.'

The same can be said for the distance between the island and cabinets, extended from the standard 1 metre to 1.2 metres. 'It means if you're standing at the cooker and someone is at the sink behind you, we don't feel like we're in the way of each other.' It's a masterclass in avoiding marital arguments.

In an open plan kitchen, sociable seating is essential. A kitchen becomes a place to not just cook but also to host and dine.

'Just off the island we have a little sofa kind of set up opposite the kitchen. We call that the gin sofa because you can make a gin, go and sit and chat to those in the kitchen,' Sarah adds. 'For us, also having an L-shaped seating arrangement on the island was the right answer. It's much more sociable.'

It's worth thinking about how you want to socialise within a kitchen before you start designing. Sarah also expertly explains her theory of the 'velvet rope', where you want to create an invisible rope in an open plan space to encourage guests to socialise with you within the kitchen area, as opposed to being too far away in a sitting room.

Plenty of storage

Aside from picking a kitchen design you love and ensuring the layout works, good kitchen storage ideas are essential.

Sarah was inspired to add bin storage into the kitchen island. Situated along the edge near the wooden worktop, the idea is that this creates a dedicated prep zone where you can chop veg and then easily sweep the offcuts straight into the bin. It also means you don't have to have anything unsightly on show.

Just off the kitchen in a separate hallway is the couple's pantry storage. 'I keep the things I use everyday in the cupboards above the cookers,' Sarah explains. 'The pantry really becomes a place to keep extra stock of dried ingredients.'

The finishing touches

Despite going for more affordable kitchen carcasses and doors, Sarah has adopted a high-low approach with more expensive hardware from Corston.

Knowing where to spend and save on a kitchen will be personal to everyone, however, spending a little more on the details you see and use every day will make a design feel much more high-end. The brass handles stylishly counteract the dark cabinets and the matching picture light above the open shelving illuminates cookbooks and decorative touches.

Adding open shelving is a handy way of breaking up banks of cabinetry, particularly when it's in a rich shade, while also making use of dead space that is hard to access in the corner of a room.

Shop Sarah and Pip's kitchen

Does this kitchen renovation inspire you to try your hand at DIY?

Faced with a dated bathroom colour scheme and a layout that didn’t flow, home owner Claire Sanderson had plans for a makeover in the pipeline, but decided not to make any major changes immediately.

‘The bathroom we inherited didn’t really work for us,’ says Claire. ‘It was a generously sized room with a big window, but the bath was in the middle, which felt awkward and didn’t utilise the space very well. There was also very little storage, and the mustard-painted walls really weren’t to our taste.’

‘However, we had so much renovation work happening in the rest of the house we decided at first not to make any major changes but just give the room a freshen up.'

'That was until we discovered the bath wasn’t properly plumbed in and the shower door had broken! As the cost of fixing everything started to mount up, we decided to tackle the room properly.’

The bathroom before

‘We wanted to make the most of the bathroom space and knew by moving the bath to underneath the window we would open up the room and be able to fit in a spacious walk-in shower, large double vanity unit (with underneath storage) and some freestanding shelving for all our towels.'

'We wanted the bathroom to be an extension of the bedroom and make our upstairs space feel like a hotel suite… a relaxing space to unwind in at the end of the day.’

‘The biggest challenge we faced was relocating the waste pipe from the toilet as the bathroom is located centrally in the house. The pipe needed to run away at an angle to the side of the house which was at least 20ft away, and this meant navigating around the supporting beams in the floor cavity and there was no room for error!’

‘Initially we had wanted to move the toilet, but this issue meant it had to stay where it was. We also had to bring in plasterers to fix the wall between our bedroom and bathroom because when we stripped it back to redecorate, we realised it wasn’t secure.’

‘We didn’t have a fixed budget, but because of issues with the waste pipe and adjoining wall we spent more money than we thought we would.'

'To balance the extra spend, we saved money on the open shelving which we found in Ikea, got a good deal on our shutters and although we splurged on the bathroom floor tiles, we chose a cheap but practical tile design for the walls.’

‘I’d had my eyes on these Lily Hex floor tiles from Tiles Direct for several years, so it was a great opportunity to use them somewhere in the house.'

'We went for plaster pink paint for the walls as it’s in our bedroom too and we wanted continuity throughout both spaces. The bathroom colour also gives a lovely warm contrast to the deep, blue painted vanity unit, tiles and black and gold accents.’

‘I adore the tiles and love having so much storage in the room. The more casual freestanding shelving unit makes the bathroom feel more relaxed and a room to hang out in rather than just a functional space.’

'I designed a bespoke double vanity unit with my joiner to fit the dimensions of the allocated space perfectly. It needed to fit two sized basins and to maximise on storage. Having an extra basin is much more practical for busy family life, it means there is no queue in the mornings to clean our teeth!’

The choice of matching round mirrors and overhead lights above the double vanity unit creates a lovely focal point and pleasing symmetry in the bathroom.’

‘By redesigning the layout, enough room has been created for a large walk-in shower. It’s a much more practical and multi-functional space without being on top of each other.’

'I’ve gone for an elegant freestanding bath that now sits under the large picture window. It makes much more sense of the space and also means I can enjoy the views across the garden while having a soak in the bath.’

‘The patterned hexagonal tiles are such a showstopper I didn’t want to distract the eye with anything else, so I chose simple white, gloss metro tiles for the shower area and basins to keep the space grounded.’

‘I’ve used the same floor tile for the shower nook, which is a simple but effective design detail that makes the shower feel connected.’

‘We’re so pleased with how it has turned out. It’s easy to maintain and the colour scheme we’ve chosen is fresh and characterful. We really enjoy using the bathroom, it’s a luxurious space to relax in, enjoy a bath or take time to do some pampering – if we had to start over again in here, we wouldn’t change a thing, we love it!’

For more of Claire's space, you can check out her Instagram @rightbacktothestart.

When it comes to older homes, designing the perfect kitchen can come with its challenges and this was no exception for Anne and Philip Parkinson when they embarked on their recent kitchen renovation.

When the couple first moved into their home over a decade ago, the kitchen had a minor update, but as their family grew it became apparent that the room was too small and the kitchen layout needed changing to make the most of the space.

Identifying problems

‘The previous kitchen was half the size it is now and while this was fine when our sons were little, they are now pushing 6ft tall,’ explains Anne. ‘The small kitchen couldn’t cope with four adults and we couldn’t all fit around the kitchen table anymore.
We wanted it to be an informal family-friendly kitchen and a welcoming hub.’

The second motivator was the temperature of the room. While this beautiful Tudor farmhouse has many redeeming qualities – including the beautiful beamed ceiling – it had a lack of insulation, which made heating it difficult.

‘As soon as the heating was turned off, the room would become freezing cold – it just wasn’t a hospitable place at all,’ says Anne. So it was high time to create a larger and warmer kitchen – especially as it marked the end of a long house renovation project, which saw them reintegrating a separate flat back into the main house and removing an upstairs kitchen.

Designing the new layout

To help them realise their dreams of reconfiguring the space, the couple turned to Joseph Interior Design who measured the kitchen and created nine potential kitchen designs for them to choose from. ‘It was hard to whittle down all the options,’ says Anne.

The final kitchen design was chosen for its elegant simplicity, spacious seating area and a good sense of flow. ‘We use the door into the kitchen as our main way into the house so needed a design that offered a spacious thoroughfare,’ says Anne.

The couple initially wanted to knock down the wall between the dining room and kitchen to create a large informal space, but structural challenges meant they had to make adjustments. ‘Originally we wanted to fully knock down the wall between the dining area and the kitchen, but we discovered that it was a solid stone supporting wall, so it had to stay,’ says Anne. This meant that the couple had to go for more of a peninsula-style layout.

However, it has made for a more characterful open-plan layout, which they are really pleased with. ‘I like how the hob is tucked around the corner, so if you’re entertaining you’re not fully on display, and it makes that corner of the booth-style seating feel so cosy,’ says Anne.

With the design in place, the couple turned to Hush Kitchens to transform their paper plans into reality. Its Shaker-style cabinetry instantly channels traditional kitchen ideas, the perfect partner for this 16th-century house

Creating warmth

With the floor plan in place, building work could begin. The choice between underfloor heating or radiators was surprisingly easy.

‘Wet underfloor heating was transformative – even though it was messy to install,’ says Anne. ‘The builder also suggested adding insulation. We don’t have a cavity between the ceiling of one room and the floor above, so we lowered the ceiling height in the kitchen, creating a space that we could pack with insulation. It is now the warmest room in the house.’

Once the underfloor heating was in place, Anne and Phillips installed Beswick Stone's's burgundy beige porcelain tiles which perfectly complement the green and cream cabinetry and natural wooden beams.

Illuminating ideas

Kitchen lighting also played a vital role in creating the cosy, warming kitchen of Anne’s dreams. Joseph Interior Design created an electrical plan – designing a balanced and versatile lighting scheme which brought a whole new perspective to the design.

‘However we did face some problems during installation and for a while, we thought that we wouldn’t be able to have the mood lighting we desperately wanted,’ explains Anne.‘Thankfully, it did eventually get resolved, but we did have to shoulder the additional costs.’

Spotlights provide ample illumination throughout the kitchen, while Jim Lawrence pendants above the banquette seating provide a more decorative touch.

Finishing touches

The finished kitchen ticks every single box. ‘We used to avoid being in the kitchen because it was so unwelcoming – often we would eat dinner on our laps in the living room because the kitchen was so cold and the dining room felt too formal. Now we always eat together at the kitchen table, it’s such a lovely way to spend time together,’ says Anne.

With its bespoke seating and thoughtful design, the kitchen now works for all the family.

When this family moved into their new house two years ago, the entire property was in need of renovation. The existing kitchen wasn't big enough so they embarked on a project to extend the rear of the house to incorporate a large, open-plan kitchen-dining area.

When it came to kitchen ideas, they had a clear idea of their likes and dislikes. ‘We really knew what we wanted,’ says the homeowner. ‘I love Scandinavian-style interiors, with neutral colours and lots of wood. And steel-framed windows were a must-have – it all needed to work around those.'

They worked with architect Maria Steimberg from Ohma Studio to design a sociable kitchen extension space big enough for the family of five. ‘We spend so much time in the kitchen, it was important to get it right,’ explains the owner.

‘I wanted to be able to do things while the children were in the same space, doing their homework. Or if I’m hosting a dinner party or cooking for my family and they’re at the dining table I want to be part of the conversation – that’s why we decided to have a large, central island with me facing the dining table while preparing food. Food is a big part of our family, we want to be all together in the same place, and the big open-plan kitchen idea allows us to do that.’

Building work went smoothly, with the family moving out for the messiest parts. ‘We didn’t have any issues and I think that’s because we were 100% sure on what we wanted before we started, with very detailed designs that we were involved in from start to finish,’ she says. ‘The studio did an amazing job translating my ideas into reality.’

Mixing wood, exposed brick, and industrial steel-framed glazing with a white kitchen has resulted in a pared-back, but considered scheme that’s full of texture. ‘In every house I’ve lived in we’ve added white kitchen ideas – they're a great starting point to decorate around,’ she says.

Although all the major renovations on the house have now been completed, they are now considering adding doors to the snug, which is next to the kitchen. ‘We always wanted something that was connected, but after two years of being able to hear my kids shouting while playing the PlayStation, I’m ready to close it off!’ she laughs. ‘But it would have to be steel-framed or glass doors – I love the light that flows from the front to the back of the house.’

As Scandi kitchen ideas go, the owner has always been a fan. 'I love everything being neutral,' says the owner, 'because I don't want to get bored in a few years with the handles or the colour of the kitchen. I can add interest with accessories and decorations.’

'The floating wooden kitchen shelving gives us the option to decorate with books and plants or keep useful things to hand,' she says. 'I think the kitchen would feel a bit too neutral and plain without them.'

The kitchen island features a sleek Silence induction hob from Miele. 'I was concerned that the built-in extractor fan on the hob wouldn’t be as powerful as a traditional one,' explains the owner, 'but it works well and looks much nicer than having one in the middle of the ceiling.’

'I’m so glad after that lots of discussions with the architect we chose an exposed brick wall behind the dining table' says the owner. 'Mixed with the steel-framed windows and wood it makes the kitchen feel warm and well put together.'

When choosing her kitchen flooring, the owner eventually had to compromise. ‘I wanted solid wood flooring to contrast with the white kitchen,' says the owner, 'but was worried it wouldn’t be hardwearing and practical enough with our three boys. We went for porcelain tiles which look almost identical to wood and they're super-easy to clean.’

The main focus in the room is the kitchen island which is highlighted overhead by three Noko wicker dome pendant shades by Nkuku and flanked by a row of GoodHome Maloux black bar stools from B&Q.

‘We use the kitchen island and bar stools a lot – for breakfast time and homework as well.' says the owner. 'There are two sockets in the kitchen island, hidden away under the worktop, which meant the fitters didn’t need to cut the stone.’

Get the Scandi look

Combine these key buys in a sleek white kitchen for Scandi-style success

Good bones and a strong colour scheme are the key elements that lie behind any striking kitchen makeover. This is what Jess Daines, a content creator and stylist found when creating this bright and cosy space.

Jess, her partner and baby boy have lived in their Norfolk home for about 6 years. Ideas for the kitchen were the first step in turning the house into their dream home.

'When we first bought our house the kitchen was extremely dark but it was solid so it was a great canvas to work with and build on. It was one of the first rooms we tackled,' explains Jess, who can be found at @mrsjessdaines. 'I think the biggest challenge was understanding the light as it’s a north-facing room.'

The existing space was a good size with plenty of storage, however, the dark wooden cabinets and black kitchen worktops were soaking up any light coming in from the window over the sink.

Before

'My ultimate goal was to create a much brighter and lighter feel but still remain cosy,' says Jess. 'Tongue and groove panelling and a quartz worktop were top of the list.'

Adding more kitchen lighting ideas was also high on the list to brighten up the cooking space. 'We added in recessed spotlights fairly recently which helped to brighten the space particularly when cooking but as they’re recessed they emit a much softer light,' she explains.

After

One of the biggest changes that Jess made to the kitchen structure was removing the upper cabinets. When deciding between wall cabinets or open shelving in a kitchen, when light is an issue open shelving can go a long way to make a space feel more open and light.

'I think one of my biggest tips is to limit how much ‘stuff’ you have. We do not miss the top cabinets at all because we have a very functional dresser which houses our plates, pots and pans, baking dishes and everything we use day to day,' Jess says of the decision. 'We also have a larder cupboard which offers fantastic storage for our dry foods/ tins and spices.'

A smart kitchen colour scheme has also helped Jess to balance that cosy but bright look. School House White by Farrow & Ball has been used on the cabinets and panelling and with the help of the white quartz kitchen worktop helps bounce light around the space. The earthy Jitney by Farrow & Ball has then been taken up the walls and onto the ceiling. 'Painting the ceiling has helped the space to feel cosy and it also helps to make the ceiling appear higher,' she explains.

The finishing touch is the striking kitchen splashback idea that uses Green Porcelain tile by Ca Pietra. The pop of colour complements the neutral shades throughout the kitchen and creates a focal point that instantly draws your eye to the cooker, and the area next to it which has become Jess' favourite spot to display her favourite kitchenware.

'I love to display a mix of old and new pieces, from little antique finds, to the functional daily must-haves like our large wooden pepper grinder that we got as a wedding gift,' she explains.

This stunning jewel box of a kitchen is a world away from the ordinary wooden kitchen it started as.

Moving from a rental flat in Manchester into their dream home in Yorkshire, transforming the tired living room was top of the hit list for these home owners.

‘We’d been renting a two-bedroom flat in Manchester for some time, but life was so hectic and with our busy jobs my husband Michael and I felt like passing ships,’ says Jamila Bray.

'After deciding to move back to Yorkshire near our families and friends, we viewed over 20 houses before deciding on this three-bed semi in Harrogate, North Yorkshire for our new house. We both got new jobs and have never looked back!’

‘It was love at first sight with this house. Having the living room, kitchen and conservatory all open-plan for entertaining was a massive tick for us. It had been on the market a while, so we got it for under the asking price.'

'After tackling the damp proofing, electrics, boiler and fixing a couple of broken windows, we turned our attention to the living room reno as the whole space needed re-plastering.'

The living room before

'The living room looked tired and was pretty boring and beige. The lining paper was holding together some very old plaster and the previous off-white blinds were broken and rusty. Although we did save money by keeping the existing carpet.’

‘Having lived in several white rented flats, we couldn’t wait to make our home cosy with darker colours and tones. The starting point was the blue living room feature wall, but we kept the rest fresh and white.'

'I fell in love with the colour as it’s a warm deep blue rather than a cold blue, and everything else slotted into place. If one day we want to change it up, we can just paint over the feature wall and have a completely new look for the room.’

‘The big ticket items are neutral, like the grey sofas, but we added elements of wood and autumnal accent colours like burnt orange. I’m also drawn to gold and brass as they make a room feel warm and cosy.'

'If something is the wrong colour – like the Homesense mirror above the fireplace – I’ll just use gold Rub n Buff (a metallic finish) to change it.’

‘I love pieces that have special meaning for us. My favourite is the artwork of me and Michael that my friend created, which is placed in front of the fireplace. I’m wearing a dress made from Ghanian Kente fabric to celebrate my heritage, and there’s a glass of French wine as I lived there for six years.'

'The Yorkshire Rose is for Michael’s background and he’s reading his favourite book, The Hobbit, while the little bee symbolises our time in Manchester.’

‘There’s also a photograph of me by the TV near the window where I was modelling - I felt the eyeshadow colours matched the living room so well!’

‘Everything has been done on a budget. I love a good rummage through the clearance sections and I always search online to find the same items for less using Google reverse image search. My Instagram @prosecco_lifestyle often has ‘spot the difference’ posts showing things I’ve found cheaper.’

‘Michael’s a typical Yorkshire bloke and tends to leave the decor up to me. I normally put three things in front of him and see what he prefers. As long as I can make the money tally up, he’s a happy man!’

‘Looking back I’m so glad we replaced the bay window and got new blinds as it’s really elevated the room and the rich dark wood adds so much character.'

'The final piece of the jigsaw was the rug which tied everything together and highlighted some of the pieces that we already had.’

‘Although I’d love a more simple angular fireplace with a log burner and the same flooring running throughout the ground floor, we love how the living room has turned out.'

'It was decorated in such a way that we could change the colour in future but still keep the same big ticket items. There are lots of pieces with special meaning and if you buy something you really love, it’ll last and transition into different interior styles over the years.’

Get the look

When Ben and Rocio Warren moved into their Wimbledon home, the layout was typical of a terrace: two adjoining reception rooms, a skinny kitchen at the back, a toilet utility room between the kitchen and living rooms and a side return.

‘While it was liveable, the rear of the house was in need of refurbishment. The place was dark and had a bulky concrete staircase from the kitchen down into the garden,’ says Ben.

The kitchen renovation project involved extending and redesigning the rear of the Edwardian terrace and integrating it with the garden and the rest of the house.

Because the terrace is in a conservation area, the only way to extend was to fill in the side return with a narrow, metre-wide extension. The couple chose Yard Architects to take their project on, who helped transform the small, dark kitchen into a functional and flexible space.

As well as the side return, the old, clunky toilet-utility room was replaced with a sleek loo under the staircase and the traditional WC annex in the garden became the new utility room. ‘Having the washing machine and dryer in the annex turned out to be a great idea,’ says Ben. ‘It’s convenient and keeps the noise outside!’

An important factor in the success of this kitchen renovation was the lowering of the floor to the level of the garden, creating a large open space with a much higher ceiling than before, connected to the garden via extra-large and extra-slim sliding patio doors.

And for added continuity and flow, the garden terrace and the kitchen have the same tiled flooring. ‘We love that the entire area downstairs – the two living rooms, the hallway and the new kitchen-dining area – is fully integrated,’ says Ben. ‘We can now see the end of the garden from the front of the house. Plus, the Portman pocket door between the living rooms and the new kitchen-dining area allows us to create two separate spaces, each with its own individuality.’

They love the pocket door, which can either be 'hidden' completely to create a single large space downstairs or revealed to create two entirely separate zones.

The larder between the two doorways adds much needed kitchen storage space, and includes a hidden worktop with a microwave and a coffee machine, which gives the rest of the room an uncluttered feel. The handle-less cabinets also add to the minimal aesthetic.

Ben says that they didn’t want a typical statement kitchen. ‘On the contrary, the idea was to give the kitchen less prominence by using a sleek design that merges the units and the wall.’

The kitchen island provides a useful workspace that offers extra storage and functions as an additional table during dinner parties. The oak cladding contrasts with the polished quartz worktop.

Below, the shelf is predominantly used for kitchen plants to enhance the natural feel.

Although the project dragged on much longer than expected, as is often the case, the family couldn’t be more pleased with the finished result. ‘For a while, we moved out to avoid the most intrusive bits of building work, but when we came back, the house was far from habitable. So the four of us camped out on the first floor for a month,’ explains Ben.

‘But we now have a large open-plan space downstairs with lots of natural light and clear, sleek lines, warmed up with plenty of oak. It’s not only a kitchen with a dining area, but a comfortable place for our whole family to enjoy throughout the day.'

Get the Look

Jules Morris lives in a detached Georgian house in Oxfordshire, with husband Ben and three children. They recently embarked on an ambitious renovation project which involved reconfiguring and updating the main bedroom en-suite bathroom. The project cost £18,000 in total.

Ever keen to see a new bathroom renovation, we were eager to take a closer look at the space and find out about the transformation.

After making the move from London to a village just outside Oxford, Jules and Ben found this recently decorated Georgian house. They ended up living in it for several years before starting to update rooms to their taste. ‘When we moved in, there was only a shower in our en suite so the key thing I wanted from our revamp was a bath,’ says Jules.

‘As the room is on the back corner of the house, it has windows on two sides – although that’s lovely, it means there isn’t much wall space. To ensure we still had a separate shower as well as the bath, we used part of our walk-in wardrobe. It was the best solution to create more room and have a large walk-in shower tucked just out of sight. As it’s quite long there was no need for glass or a door.’

A neighbour recommended Ripples Bathroom to the couple. ‘They provided lots of help and advice throughout,’ remembers Jules, ‘including layout ideas and plenty of options for the bespoke vanity unit.’

When it came to decor, Jules wanted the bathroom to be in keeping with their period property: ‘I love a modern classic look, and wanted the space to feel timeless, with clean lines and natural materials.’

But it wasn’t just their house that inspired the couple. ‘Years ago we went on holiday to Tuscany and stayed in a beautiful villa with terracotta floors. We came back and said to ourselves that when we redo the bathroom we should incorporate that into the bathroom flooring design. The herringbone reflects the wooden flooring we have downstairs, and was another way to add pattern to the room’.

The bath was a key requirement, and important to get right. ‘We’re both tall, so the bath needed to be long,’ explains Jules. ‘We opted for a cast-iron one so that it retains heat well. But we underestimated how heavy it is. Floor joists had to be strengthened before it could go in, and it took six big guys to carry it upstairs!’

It was installed on an angle to make the most of the space. Jules said she didn't want a bath on feet, but rather one that went all the way to the floor, as she prefers the simpler, clean look.

'The plumbing is hidden away in the corner behind the wall, which also provides a surface for a candle or drink next to the bath,' she explains.

'The terracotta floor gives the space some warmth – it’s natural, tactile and earthy. And apart from having to seal it, it's very practical, because it's hard-wearing and works well with our underfloor heating.'

'The vanity cupboard provides lots of really good bathroom storage for everything. We didn’t have space for a double sink but this wide version feels luxurious.’

The half-tiled wall ties the room together and provides a practical splashback to the basin backdrop.

The zellige shower tiles add interest with their glossy finish and subtle variations in colour tone.

‘The niche provides a place for bottles,' Jules says. 'We couldn’t have a wetroom-style shower as the floor is terracotta. But the shower tray is at floor level, which gives the same effect.’

‘It used to both look and feel cold in here, with marble wall and floor tiles,’ says Jules. ‘It wasn’t a room you wanted to linger in. Now it’s lovely and warm with a heated towel rail, underfloor heating and a cast-iron radiator under the window. I wouldn’t change a thing if we did it again - we’re delighted with it.’

Get the look

When Laura and Jeremy Barnett were planning a loft conversion, they started to question whether the upheaval and cost would be worth the space they gained. It wasn’t until they started to look at local properties for sale that they realised moving might be a better option than extending their space.

‘When we walked through the front door here I was wowed by the hallway,’ says Laura. After seeing the large, long garden the couple were sold. ‘We just thought to ourselves, "There is so much space for our son to play". Our old garden was the same size as just the patio here.'

So with three previous renovations under their belts and a passion for rejigging floor plans, the couple made the big move.

The new house had been extended at the back, but it felt awkward and disconnected, with a central pillar in the way. The couple enlisted the help of Mesh Architects to maximise the space and turn it into a family-friendly design.

‘I really love the clean lines of mid-century architecture and wanted to include a nod to that,’ says Laura.

Unfortunately, the work was more complicated than first expected. ‘The kitchen extension was so bad it had to be completely removed.'

‘We wanted a handmade bespoke wooden mid-century kitchen but couldn’t afford it, so we decided to recreate the look,’ says Laura, who combined Howdens cabinets with doors from Naked Kitchens.

‘Working with one company for the carcasses and one for the doors meant I had to become a kitchen designer overnight!’ she laughs.

The colour choice came to her when she was putting their son to bed. ‘I envisioned yellow and black after spotting my son's toy watering can,’ she says.

'I loved the idea of a monochromatic scheme,' says Laura. 'We chose a nearly black colour for the tall units, to complement the yellow.' The different cabinet colours create distinct areas within the kitchen.

'The dark colour contrasts with both the white worktops and the paving stones outside,’ she adds.

‘After I finished university, I travelled to Banff in Canada and have always remained inspired by the sense of expansive space and cosy cabin architecture,' recalls Laura.

‘I wanted to replicate this so I had the high roof line designed at an angle with skylights,’ she says.

‘As it’s an open-plan space,' says Laura, 'we opted for an induction hob with a built-in extractor. It’s great that we didn’t need to have the overhang of a vented hood on display.’

An angled countertop maximises the usable worktop area while minimising the floor space taken up.

Laura and Jeremy store their everyday crockery, dried goods and breakfast appliances in a pantry to ensure the open-plan space looks neat and tidy.

The couple chose to install a boiling water tap by Qettle in order to free up worktop space as meant they would no longer need a kettle.

A cat flap has been installed in the wall facing out into the garden to give the family cat, Maude, easy access to the outdoors.

A cantilevered window seat provides garden views and a quiet spot to read. 'The window seat is a fantastic way of adding extra space to the room without groundworks, by using a steel-framed box,' says Laura. 'It also means we have additional space than just our sofa for guests.’

Outdoors, the garden design followed when Laura took a course. ‘I started a garden design course because it took us nine months to get a quote for the building work, so I thought I’d focus on that while we waited,’ she says.

Jeremy loves cooking, so the couple installed an outdoor kitchen, with a Gozney pizza oven and a BBQ which is perfect for pizza nights on the patio.

‘Now, the downstairs space is wonderful and flows to the outside,' says Laura. 'It’s a lovely place to be in and easily absorbs all of our needs.’

Get the look

With contributions from Fiona de Lys

It was the property’s period features that sealed the deal when the buyers found this Victorian semi-detached house back in November 2022 - and they moved in just in time for Christmas.

‘We just fell in love with all the period features’ says the home owner. ‘It’s late Victorian and there are unique fireplaces in almost every room, along with beautiful period stained glass windows. It also made my dream of owning a house covered in wisteria come true, as the whole façade is covered in winding foliage – and we loved that it had a ready-made wine cellar!'

‘Though the previous owner had really looked after the house and installed period, cast-iron radiators and restored the original floorboards, despite this, the decor wasn’t to our taste - especially the dining room - so we set about putting our stamp on the place.’

The dining room before

‘In the dining room, the colour of the walls was a bold, tomato red which did make it feel quite festive, but it just wasn’t ideal for us year round. We wanted something more versatile, that would still feel cosy for candlelit dinner parties with friends and family.’

The dining room now

‘After a bit of research, we opted for Obsidian Green by Little Greene for the walls, which looks almost black in some lights. I love it as the colour makes it so cosy in the evenings and at dinnertime, but also makes me feel inspired and energised when I work at the dining table.’

‘We also chose a jade-coloured dining room rug from Ruggable, with a whimsical floral pattern on it that works beautifully in this room. It’s machine washable too, so ideal for under a dining table.

The details...

‘The size of the room meant we could include a nice large dining table and this one from Graham & Green was an ex-display – it’s perfect for the space and hopefully we will be able to keep it forever and pass it on at some point. My biggest bargain was the chairs, though, which I got from Mallams auction house. They were sold as a job lot and I got 10 for £250 – they’re all totally unique and in perfect condition.’

‘I also love my French-style armoire, which came from an auction house too. It holds so many treasures, and is perfect for storing extra plates, napkins and cutlery for dinner parties. I prefer furniture items which have a story to tell, and if they can’t be antique then I like things that are at least sympathetic to the period of my home.’

‘As it’s such a nice size room, I can fit a full-size Christmas tree into the dining room alcove, which makes the room feel really festive. I’ve gone for a seven foot, pre-lit design from Balsam Hill, which is a flip tree that is super easy to set up and take down.’

‘I’ve decorated the room with a blue and teal theme with a sprinkle of burgundy red for our Christmas décor this year. I’m obsessed with bows and I’m glad they are having a bit of a style renaissance – I’ve used velvet ribbon to tie bows on the tree as well as adding an oversized one as a tree topper.

‘We’ve really gone wild at flea markets and auctions to fill our home with unique finds and it’s brimming with beautiful things that have so much history. I have an art history background originally and love that I can display my passion for art with so much gusto in this home.’

‘I love to collect original artworks, some of my favourites recently have been from Camilla Perkins, Frankie Thorp and Rachel Bottomly. There is something so joyful about supporting creatives and having something that you know is completely one-of-a-kind.’

‘As it's a pre-lit Christmas tree, there's no worry about wires and tangles when setting it up. This year I used some metallic baubles and lots of velvet ribbon bows to decorate it. I’ve gone for the prettiest gift wrap and velvet ribbon from The Danes.’

‘I adore the fireplace. The original marble makes such a statement and it’s so much fun to change the mantelpiece decor seasonally throughout the year. This year for the garland I used a mix of faux and real foliage and stems, with some red berries and pretty blue hydrangeas. I’ve hung our artwork above it using picture rail chains from Yester Home.’

‘The dining room is perfect for entertaining. We love to invite friends around for winter cheeseboard nights, light a few tapered candles and natter the night away.

‘I love how the room has turned out, it’s cosy and cocooning at night and light and energising in the daytime. I can’t wait to host Christmas here this year.’

As kitchens are considered the heart of the home, it stands to reason that the way we decorate them should be a reflection of ourselves and our personal tastes. To that end, the trend for white kitchens is no longer king and colourful kitchens are becoming more and more popular. Green kitchen ideas have been hugely popular in the last year and are set to continue to grow in popularity. But other shades like blue and burgundy are set to give green a run for its money.

This kitchen is an excellent case in point and is filled with unusual design combinations - like blue with red or graphic tiles with traditional furniture. On paper, these may seem surprising but in execution, they create a stunning kitchen that is packed with personality.

‘The term that sprang to mind when we first visited our new home was European apartment,' explains the owner of this mansion flat in north London. 'It had the high ceilings, parquet wood flooring and airy rooms that reminded us of flats we’d stayed in on trips to Paris and Rome'.

It was with this in mind that the owner and her husband planned their kitchen refurb, starting with a knock-through between the existing space and an adjacent bedroom.

They enlisted the help of kitchen designer Rowena Sim of Bybrook Bespoke who was recommended to them by a friend. ‘We worked with Rowena in minute detail on every aspect of the design and she gamely took on all our demands! We oscillated over whether or not to have an island, before agreeing a kitchen table was more in keeping with our European vibe.

We debated fitted versus freestanding kitchen ideas before plumping for a combination of both, and we jettisoned spotlights entirely in favour of a flexible mix of wall, picture and pendant lights.’

Get the look

The one element there was no debate about was colour. ‘I’d discovered this deep red Mylands paint shade for the cabinetry and wouldn’t be swayed. Against an earthy brown for the woodwork and a pale blush for the walls, it radiates warmth,’ says the owner.

Black honed limestone worktops and a mix of new brass cup handles and pulls, alongside some fancy antique ones repurposed from an old chest of drawers, create a pleasingly eclectic materials mix, while the La Cornue range is a serious investment piece. ‘It’s a beauty, and the fact that the doors are solid rather than glass was a big plus for us, aesthetically. There’s a ‘configure your own design’ option too, which allowed us to pick colour, trim and hob preferences.’

Hand-painted, natural clay Zellige wall tiles from Otto Tiles & Design were the last piece of the design jigsaw to come together. ‘They absolutely make the kitchen. We bought one-third solid blue tiles (in three different shades), to reduce the cost, to two-thirds in the pricier geometric pattern, and arranged them randomly behind the cooker and as a splashback. They put an individual stamp on the project that feels very us!’

‘The pantry cupboard has been built into what was a chimney breast. Fluted glass blurs the products within, but also looks pretty, especially when the interior light is on, adding an atmospheric glow in the evening.’

The finished kitchen is a triumph of colour and pattern. ‘It’s everything we dreamed of,' says the owner, 'right down to the antique brushed brass rocker switches!’

When Liz Willingham moved to her home over 20 years ago, the kitchen was a far cry from the light, open-plan space you see today. The existing space had a dark and narrow kitchen-diner with worn-out fittings and an impractical layout.

‘The layout had never worked,’ remembers Liz, ‘and eventually the cupboards and appliances were falling apart. The room overlooks the garden and I wanted to harness more natural light, and for the kitchen itself to be tranquil, minimal and in tune with my Edwardian house, but with top-spec gadgets as well.’

Liz embarked on a mission to transform the kitchen into the space she wanted it to be. £60,000 and a lot of design decisions later, she can confidently say it was worth it. Here's a closer look at her kitchen renovation in detail.

The kitchen layout was reimagined with expertise from KTM Design and Now Architecture. Light and space were priorities, so the old kitchen was extended by about two metres.

‘The room was made wider, with glass bifolds fitted along one side to maximise light and garden views,’ explains Liz. Then the kitchen was relocated to the other end, closer to the utility room, which improved flow. ‘To promote that “inside-outside” idea,’ she says, ‘I chose concrete-effect porcelain tiles that work in the kitchen and on the patio. These were more affordable than natural stone and easier to maintain.’

It’s not just the layout that has been updated, however, as Liz explains: ‘I chose simple, dark-stained oak furniture, white work surfaces and beautiful, aged-brass fittings, with lots of leafy plants for energy.’

Apart from the range cooker and wine cooler, there are no appliances on show, which keeps the space streamlined. In line with this, the units are mostly handleless to continue that understated feel. A false wall extends the existing utility into the kitchen, creating a separate pantry.

‘I have great kitchen storage,’ says Liz, ‘so the work surfaces stay clutter-free, which includes the hidden pantry area. I’ve extra fridge space in there, as well as small appliances like the coffee machine and toaster,’ says Liz. ‘I would have loved Carrara marble worktops but they were expensive. I’m pleased with the quartz I chose - it gives the look, but it’s practical and more affordable.’

‘I wanted a traditional ceramic sink, and a singlebowl design is ideal for large pans,' Liz tells us. 'This run includes a lot – the bins and dishwasher are hidden either side of the sink, there’s a nifty wine cooler, and the beautiful integrated tray slots and chopping boards.’

‘I love how this cutlery drawer sits within the deeper drawer so no space is wasted', Liz says. ;The kitchen furniture was all made to measure and the quality of workmanship is very impressive.’

Everything in the space was carefully selected, including the kitchen lighting ideas. Liz decided on pendant lights above the island, which were fitted to work with structural ceiling joists.

‘The kitchen island is a favourite piece,' Liz tells us. 'I’m pleased with the neat brass handles, and the reeded glass detail looks cool and disguises the contents if they’re not perfectly tidy.’

When we ask her if she has any regrets, Liz says that she wishes she hadn't thrown her old dishwasher out. 'It was still fine, and could have been useful in the utility room.'

Beautiful oak doors conceal an integrated fridge and glassware storage. Online reviews helped Liz select her range cooker, which has a sleek, easy-clean induction hob.

Project-managing the work was the most challenging part of the renovation, but fortunately Liz had helpful suppliers. ‘I was lucky to have some fantastic people on board and I’m really proud of what we’ve created.

Get the look

This Victorian property was once a former pub, and it was the old-world charm and cottagey feel that made Chloe Bates and her husband fall for it when house hunting in 2011. The couple had made headway opening up the ground floor to create a more suitable living space for the family of five, but the bathroom upstairs had been untouched for 13 years and had seen a lot of wear and tear.

The couple, who live with their three children, undertook this ambitious bathroom renovation project, which included complete gutting and reconfiguration to create a contemporary cottage feel with plenty of storage. The project cost £30,000 in total, but the couple say the new bathroom was worth every penny.

‘Frankly, I was dreading another upheaval, but once the drawer runners stopped working and cupboard doors started falling off, I knew I couldn’t put it off any longer!’ After making contact with a few bathroom companies but being somewhat disappointed by their designs, Chloe enlisted the help of Sophie Harrold of Simply Bathrooms Surrey Ltd (@simplybathroomsltd), thanks to a friend’s recommendation.

‘I wanted a bathroom that was more in keeping with the house; something cottagey but not twee, with plenty of storage and counter space that was also going to be easy to keep clean,’ Chloe says. She had a good idea of the features she wanted to incorporate and the look she wanted, but she sought Sophie’s help especially with optimising the layout of the fairly compact bathroom.

‘We went with the design that allowed for the largest custom-made vanity unit we could squeeze in, giving us the storage we craved and a double basin.’ The bathroom was completely stripped and extensive work was undertaken to the floor to ensure it was a durable, smooth base for the luxury vinyl wood-look floor Chloe had chosen to add warmth to the space.

‘We maintained the old pub floor downstairs and have a lot of oak beams in the kitchen so I went for a wood-look floor to create a link with the rest of the house,’ she explains.

Sophie also custom-designed extra-wide wall panelling to fit the period cottage aesthetic, while also cleverly disguising the uneven walls and lower ceiling heights. Traditional-style brass hardware was chosen to add warmth while remaining sympathetic to the period of the house, while the candy-striped tile splashback and warm pink furniture add a playful contemporary twist to the design.

‘I love a stripe so we chose the tiled splashback to add interest and a splash of colour, but without selecting anything too flashy that would soon date,’ Chloe tells us. 'And we considered real marble for the walls, but compromised with high-quality porcelain marble tiles. It’s easier to keep clean, especially with three kids!’

The mirrored two-door wall cabinet looks fabulous, but also provides extra storage for small bathroom ideas. Chloe also decided to build in two shower niches because there was previously so many bottles lined up along the edge of the bath. 'We also put the shower mixer on the wall so you don’t have to bend around the shower screen to turn it on,' she adds.

‘The print on the wall is from Charleston in East Sussex, which I visited during the bathroom renovation,' Chloe explains. 'And the towel rail is a lovely thing to behold. I didn’t want everything to feel brand new so I chose it as the brass will develop a patina over time.'

When we ask her how she feels about the bedroom now, Chloe can't help but gush. 'I used to dread using the old bathroom and would spend as little time as possible in there, but now I love being in here and I’m a total shower convert since it’s been installed.'

‘It’s amazing how much it’s impacted day-to-day life too – my children aren’t trying to clean their teeth in the sink while I’m washing my face and everyone gets ready much faster! It’s been a total game-changer.’

Get the look

Transforming the cavernous hallway into a welcoming entranceway was a challenge. The space was drab, had no flooring and was charmless, plus being a rental home meant there were other restrictions too. But with a large footprint, the tenant knew that with some work and smart hallway ideas it could become more than just a doorway to the rest of the house.

‘I was determined to inject some ‘wow’ factor as the stairs are the first thing you see,’ she says. ‘But as the rest of the house is quite small, the hallway also needed to work hard as a space to get ready to go out, and it needed to include plenty of storage.’

‘People are always surprised to hear that my home is rented from a Housing Association. We were originally renting a garden flat in a busy town but I yearned for a place in the country and this house, being detached and surrounded by fields, ticked all my boxes.’

‘I had to think hard about the hallway decor because, being a new build, the place felt like a bland white box. My last home was quite neutral, but I wanted to be brave with colour here. However, my biggest fear was tackling the hall as it's such a huge, open space so I initially found it daunting.’

The hallway before

‘When I move I may need to return the place to its former white look, but as tenants we are allowed to decorate as we want to make the house feel like our homes, which suited me as I had big ideas for the hallway. It’s the first place people see so I wanted to create a bold statement that would make people go ‘wow’ when they step through the front door.’

‘Although some Housing Association homes come with flooring, sadly this place didn’t, so that was my starting point. However, I’d been planning my move for some time, putting money aside each month, so I had savings earmarked to lay the floor and went for a neutral, warm-wood laminate.’

‘I began my dramatic makeover by painting the staircase black, with the help of my boyfriend. It was a bold move and not to everyone’s taste, but as soon as I painted the first spindle I knew it was the right decision, so much so that I decided to let the stairs shine in their own right rather than dampening the look by adding a runner. We used Al Fresco Inside/Outside range paint in Blackjack by Frenchic.'

‘The next task was thinking about the high wall running up the stairs but first I had to wait for heating to be installed. I was one of the first properties trialing an infra-red heating system; it’s like electric wallpaper wired directly onto the walls and ceilings, and when it’s turned on via a remote or app, the surface radiates heat.’

‘When it came to wall decor, I originally planned to have a gallery wall going up the stairs but it wasn’t possible because nails would restrict the flow of heat, so I decided to add interest using patterned wallpaper instead.’

‘The heating engineers agreed to paper the space whilst their scaffolding was up, but this meant I had to make a quick decision. I ordered loads of samples, all completely different, only knowing that pink was a definite no. However, after being told the gold sample I preferred would interfere with the heating system, I did a quick U-turn and decided to give the pink version a go. I surprised myself but I loved the look and it complements the black so well. The design is called Wonderland Tropical wallpaper in Blush Holden by World of Wallpaper.'

‘Then it was a case of dressing the space with both good-looking and practical hallway storage ideas. Hallways are often forgotten about, but this space was so big that I wanted it to act as an extra room, so the decor and furniture had to mirror that.’

‘The shoe storage rack was originally white and had a bit of water damage, but it’s a great piece of storage so instead of throwing it away I gave it a quick sand and then painted it to complement the new decor. I used the same paint as for the staircase but in a shade called Dusky Blush.'

‘A heavy lined curtain in front of the door helps to keep draughts at bay.’

‘I thought the room was done but the white ceiling felt stark against the rest of the warm space so I took our shoe rack to be colour matched and we painted the ceiling the same colour.’

‘I don’t believe wreaths are only for Christmas, and like to consider the outside of my home as well as the interior.’

‘For a hallway mirror idea, I positioned the over-sized mirror at the top of the stairs which creates a statement and allows the light to bounce around the space, making the landing feel bigger.’

‘The house was fitted with radiators before the new heating system was installed so I’ve used the shelf to utilise the space above and also add a decorative touch.’

‘Adding the bench was an obvious choice to create a space to sit and take shoes on and off, and the hooks give an extra spot of easy-to-access hanging space.’

‘I love this space now. It functions well and I’m proud of what I’ve achieved, proving that you really can create a beautiful, statement space on a budget.’