An honest approach to safety and style

When Christine’s sister relocated to the Lakes, she and her husband Malcolm leapt at the chance to buy her beautiful Saddleworth bungalow. Set in a peaceful cul-de-sac, it’s a world away from their former home, whose front door opened directly on to a busy street.

Now, with a garden, and a conservatory that looks out over the local countryside, Christine and Malcolm can enjoy the quiet life – socialising with friends, spending time with their grown-up son and just settling down with a good book and a cup of tea.

Christine commented:

“When we moved in, we left the kitchen as it was. It was really good quality, so we didn’t see a reason to change it. As the years went by, we updated the rest of the house room by room, leaving the kitchen until last.

“Then we ended up thinking that, if we were going to spend money updating all the appliances, we might as well go for something that was completely new – and completely ours.”

“Then we ended up thinking that, if we were going to spend money updating all the appliances, we might as well go for something that was completely new – and completely ours.”

Prior to the refurbishment, Christine and Malcolm devoted a lot of time to building up a clear picture of exactly what would work for their kitchen:

“We’d been and looked at lots of places, and we narrowed it down to three. What actually tipped it in Kitchen Design Centre’s favour was the fact that our designer, Suzanne, wouldn’t go along with our idea of having a peninsula.

“The other two companies were happy to go ahead with the design we’d drafted ourselves, but Suzanne came up with the idea of a breakfast bar instead – and we realised that was actually just what we needed: honest, professional guidance.”

Christine and Malcolm tasked Suzanne with creating a kitchen that would make life easier – quick to clean, safe to use and with plenty of storage.

Suzanne rose to the challenge, incorporating lots of pull-out storage into the design rather than traditional base units so that cookware can be neatly tucked away when not in use.

Cupboard fronts in Neo Shiny Magnolia from the Hacker range reflect light in the relatively compact space, their easy-clean finish helping to brighten the room, while long-line stainless steel handles offer ease of use and a modern, clean feel.

A glass splash-back in vibrant aubergine adds a bold touch of colour while its smooth, hard-wearing surface needs nothing more than a quick wipe-down to get it sparkling again; warm wood-effect panelling provides a stunning contrast.

The circular breakfast bar maintains the flow of space, while the edges of the work-tops have been rounded off to make the kitchen safer for Christine and Malcolm’s son, who has epilepsy.

A selection of Neff appliances combine practicality and safety: an induction hob featuring four rings in a line means less reaching, while an eye-level oven with an ergonomic sliding door minimises Christine’s chances of burning herself, and rules out the danger of tripping.

The microwave and warming drawer, also at eye level, reduce the need for bending and lifting, meaning that the kitchen will remain practical and user-friendly for Christine and Malcolm as they get older.

Smooth Corian counters in Sandstone embrace a neat moulded sink, complete with an Abode Fliq Monoblock Tap in Chrome, with little switches for hot and cold water flow. A slim-line 45cm Neff dishwasher fits neatly under the counter between plentiful soft-close drawer units, while a built-under three-drawer freezer, and a separate 70/30 split fridge-freezer, provide ample space for food.

Box light shelves illuminate above and below, giving a warm glow but still with plenty of visibility. Discreet LED lights fitted under the wall units provide an extra level of brightness when desired, allowing Christine and Malcolm to change the mood of the room as they like.

The couple were full of praise for Suzanne:

“Suzanne was brilliant – always available when we needed to chat, and so nice to speak to. Conversations were always very much a two-way thing so we felt involved all the way along.

Malcolm also made a touching observation, saying:

“We’re a working-class couple from working class backgrounds. Neither of our families ever had much, and this is the first kitchen we’ve had that’s got everything properly arranged – just as we want it.”

Christine was quick to agree, adding:

“One of the things I really appreciated about Kitchen Design Centre is that they never looked down on us because we’ve got quite a small kitchen. In some places, we really got the impression that we weren’t very important to them because we perhaps weren’t the biggest clients they’d got.

“But with Kitchen Design Centre, from the minute we walked in, we got the feeling that we were just as important – and just as valued – as anyone else. Everyone we dealt with from start to finish was just lovely.”