A high Quality German kitchen for a former family home

Hannah and Steve moved in to the house Hannah had grown up in and although they wanted to change the dated bright yellow kitchen, which was over forty years old, they were keen to replicate the German quality but also the perfect family space which had created so many happy memories. Says Hannah, “ we knew we wanted a designer German kitchen as we liked the modern, streamlined, de-cluttered look but I also wanted a space to suit the way we live as a family.” The couple researched companies and went to a few for ideas and prices but Kitchen Design Centre stood out.

Says Heather, “we liked Lou’s designs far more than the other companies we visited. She had far more options for us to choose from. I really wanted to be able to sit in the kitchen as a family to eat and Lou’s design cleverly incorporated a unique shaped dining table that could seat six people. Her design was the best by far and whilst other companies dismissed the option to seat six together, Lou had a real can-do approach and came up with a clever, quirky design which made this possible.”

The family particularly liked the fact that Kitchen Design Centre’s Blackburn showroom had a range of different styles to choose from in their displays and this really helped them visualise and finalise their kitchen design. Says Heather, “ we loved the different styles on show and our kitchen is actually a culmination of elements from various displays. I loved the glass splash back from one of the displays, the lights from another and took inspiration from the worktops on a different display.”

Hannah and Lee found the Kitchen Design Centre fitters to be fantastic and the whole process from design to installation was headache free for them. They are delighted with the end result, as Hannah explains, “ I really feel like we have a kitchen to be proud of now. It enables us to function as a family in one place which is what we wanted. On top of that it looks fantastic. We’re absolutely delighted with it and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Kitchen Design Centre.”

Lou Roberts who designed the kitchen says, “ the brief for this kitchen was pretty tricky when you consider the space: the room had two entrances and one wall was taken up with sliding patio doors so wall space was really limited. However I love a challenge and the opportunity to design something a little different! The family wanted to be able to walk round the kitchen easily and top of their list was a separate dining area that could seat six people, with the majority having a view outside towards the garden. With a compact space in the first place incorporating all these elements was hard – but not impossible! An elongated hexagonal type shaped table worked and I introduced texture by choosing an Arizona pine effect German laminate which was replicated on the wall. Lower seating was essential for the children and this worked round this height of table without compromising the island height or size. I was also keen to differentiate between the kitchen and dining space and the table and bulkhead did that perfectly. I also worked around issues like the low window which wouldn’t facilitate a sink. By putting the sink on the back wall and going for a moulded Corian option, it kept this area practical and discreet. The addition of a Quooker tap also kept it looking sleek and clutter free.

One of the few elements of the old kitchen that they liked was thick worktops so they replicated these with a thick Corian worktop in white jasmine. To ensure a light, airy feel to the whole kitchen and to tie in with the overall neutral palate, magnolia high gloss doors were selected. Hannah and Lee wanted high-end appliances so they opted for Neff throughout: a hide and slide single oven, combination microwave oven, master partner induction hob and extractor were chosen together with a Neff fridge and dishwasher.

Says Lou, “I really enjoyed working on this kitchen as it was so different. The overall brief of a modern handle-less kitchen that also felt homely was achieved. I’m delighted the finished result and I’m especially pleased that Hannah and Lee are so happy with it.”