Just because your kitchen is a particular shape, doesn’t mean you have to stick to that shape when you re-design the space. I constantly reinvent spaces that are more suitable for modern living and the kitchen is one area in particular that you can really change the way you work in it, live it and enjoy it.
In the dark days of kitchen design, most were a U-shape, wrapping cupboards around three sides of the room, a central ceiling light, with one entrance/exit for the poor unfortunate soul that had to stay in there and rattle those pots and pans, as they say in the song.
This design was universal – and boring – and impractical. It is pretty much accepted now the kitchen is the heart of a house, the most used, most abused and most utilised for entertaining than any other room in the house. There are three key ingredients to a good kitchen:-
- Adequate, accessible storage
- Easy access into and out of the kitchen for more than on e person
- Generous bench space with good lighting
This kitchen shows how a space, even a very small one such as this, can be reconfigured to become a showstopper. It is both practical and easy on the eye. By ignoring the limitations of the original kitchen we opened up the whole space and incorporated a casual dining area as part of the kitchen, instead of going for the more traditional approach of separate dining table and chairs. In so doing, the kitchen now appears to be much larger, more practical (with the use of drawers instead of cupboards) and with clever use of lighting it has been totally transformed.
People often ask me to design them a kitchen that is “timeless”. If you truly want a timeless kitchen then steer away from current trends. Stick to basic colours, neutrals and whites, introduce colour and texture in items that are easily changed when trends move, such as back-splash, breakfast bar panels, stools, linen, etc.
Everyone in the household uses the kitchen, as well as friends and visitors, so make sure you open your mind to a new way of thinking when planning your new kitchen. When in doubt – ask a professional! Di Henshall Interior Design has designed literally hundreds of kitchens, all very different from each other, and I have personally designed thousands, winning many awards, which hopefully suggests that I am creating spaces that enhance the whole lifestyle experience.