A clever design

“Their design was so much better than the other companies we went to. As soon as we saw this design we were sold. It was so different to all the others and Kitchen Design Centre were much more competitive price wise.” The brief was a contemporary kitchen with a minimalist, clutter free look. It had to be a workable area for day-to-day cooking but one which also allowed their daughter, a keen baker, to be able to store her ingredients and easily cook alongside Mum.

The design Will Hustler came up with enabled this. Instead of a large island that the couple suggested, Will came up with a clever design that wrapped around a wall and created a large worktop space, separate to the adjacent worktop area on the other side of the kitchen. This design allowed for a drinks area to the side and a breakfast bar on the other side of the room. The back wall of the kitchen cleverly houses the two Neff ovens, fridge freezer, dishwasher and pull-out bin.

The family got a great deal of inspiration from the Blackburn showroom, directly copying the shelves from a display and the wood background which was replicated around the hob to ensure continuity. They also bought identical lights for above the breakfast bar. One of the main things they liked was the way Kitchen Design Centre operated: Will gave them a really personal service and didn’t oversell like other kitchen companies had tried to do. They felt he genuinely suggested things that would work and loved his idea of the drinks area which now houses their various gins and champagnes and includes a small wine cooler.

The family are delighted with the space and feel Will has incorporated everything they were after. They especially love being able to cook together, “ I can be cooking tea and my daughter can be baking on the other side of the kitchen and we’re not in each other’s way.” The result is a stunning contemporary kitchen that utilises the space perfectly.

What the designer says,

“ The shape of the kitchen was quite different and designing something that the ticked all the boxes was challenging. The couple wanted an island initially and I explored this option but it took up too much precious space. Instead I came up with a peninsular unit that curved round one wall and a small breakfast bar to the other side of the kitchen. This peninsular felt like an island without taking up vital space. It also enabled us to create the drinks area which really works and is a fantastic addition. My main aim was to ensure the space wasn’t cluttered as there was a real danger of it feeling claustrophobic. I therefore kept the majority of the appliances at the back: I suggested higher Neff ovens in the tall bank of units at the back of the kitchen. This area also housed the Neff fridge freezer and the dishwasher. To create a light, airy feel I suggested light coloured Corian worktops to reflect the light off the existing cream coloured floor. To the right of the kitchen I created an additional cooking area with the Neff induction hob and Quooker tap. There was a lot to get in to a relatively small space and I’m delighted the design I came up with accommodated everything on the family’s list.”