Traditional Shaker-Style Kitchen with a Modern Twist For Customers In Rochdale

Having decided to revitalise their kitchen, Mr and Mrs Walker from Rochdale knew they wanted to turn it into a true family centric space, where they could spend more quality time together. “A small kitchen wasn’t really working for us.” explained Mrs Walker.

Though they visited a few high street kitchen companies, Mr and Mrs Walker were drawn to Kitchen Design Centre from the very beginning. “We fell in love with the idea of complete project management.” says Mrs Walker. “We’d project managed ourselves before and the idea of someone handling it all for us was just perfect. And Suzanne knew exactly what we wanted!”

With the help of the Manchester showroom’s talented designer Suzanne Carter, the couple merged their existing kitchen with their under-utilised dining room. The result was a spacious, open-plan shaker style kitchen that blends traditional and modern aspects into a unique, timeless design – becoming not only a fabulous room to prepare delicious meals, but also a wonderful social space for the whole family to enjoy.

With the brief set out, Suzanne began bringing the Walkers’ vision to life as a traditional shaker-style kitchen that complements their period property in Rochdale, but with some superb modern twists. She also designed a brand-new utility room to give the couple some extra storage and workspace. The Walkers opted for shaker style cabinetry with lacquered doors in a mix of white and cashmere, and finished in an Oxford ash effect. They’re paired with kitchen worktops in an elegant River Valley White natural granite, and Light Vesuv laminate worktops in the utility room help to complete the chic, sophisticated colour scheme.

To ensure effortless functionality to match its stunning look, the kitchen was supplied with a variety of high-performance appliances. More traditional design elements include a powerful Ilve range cooker that’s enhanced with a Faber integrated cooker hood and a timber mantle feature, as well as a freestanding Neff American fridge freezer. Meanwhile, a Neff compact steam oven and compact microwave are housed in a modern, freestanding shaker style cabinet. All the appliances are carefully arranged around a central kitchen island, designed to give the Walkers valuable working space and huge amounts of storage while cooking, while also doubling as a perfect space for socialising.

The kitchen’s traditional plinths and cornices are contrasted by an innovative ceiling detail that adds an extra touch of modern style, and casts a soft glow. A Quooker fusion tap has been seamlessly designed into the ensemble, providing instant hot water. “I love the Quooker tap – it’s changed my life!” says Mrs Walker enthusiastically. “Now I can’t imagine ever waiting for the kettle to boil before I have my tea.” The Walkers are thrilled with the completed shaker style kitchen. “It’s exactly what I wanted – a space where we can spend all our time together.” says Mrs Walker. “Suzanne and Kitchen Design Centre have been fantastic. Everything happened when they said it would happen, and there’s been no delays or problems.”