Welcome my home to
‘WE TURNED A SMALL SPACE INTO A FAMILY-SIZED KITCHENDINER WITH A PRACTICAL L-SHAPED LAYOUT. THE HANDLELESS UNITS KEEP THE LOOK SIMPLE AND STREAMLINED.’ Knoxhult kitchen units, from £60 for a base cabinet with drawers, Ikea. Boston Light Grey porcelain floor tiles, £28.56sq m, Mandarin Stone
LARGE FORMAT FLOOR TILES MAKE THE SPACE SEEM BIGGER
Louise Putman lives here with her husband Phil and their daughter
Rachel, eight.
THE PROPERTY
A 1980s split-level detached house in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
WHAT IT COST
Kitchen units ........ £3,800
Oven and hood...£2,000 Sink and tap ............. £510
Boiling-water tap .... £700 Worktops .............. £3,200 Flooring ................ £3,300
Lighting ................. £1,500 Wall tiles ................... £270
TOTAL ................ £15,280
“It’s cosy in here, and so light
with windows all around – so it’s not surprising
‘The final phase of our house refurbishment was to update the kitchen and replace a UPVC conservatory with an extension. Phil is a surveyor and I’m an architectural designer (recreateinteriors.co.uk) so we designed, costed and projectmanaged it ourselves, using builders on agreed day rates within our £40,000 budget. We agreed on a simple grey and white scheme, choosing Ikea
SUPER-WIDE MIRROR
HUNG OPPOSITE THE PATIO DOORS TO REFLECT THE VIEW OF THE GARDEN units, but splashed out on quartz worktops and a boilingwater tap, which I couldn’t be without now! The lighting was crucial, so there are pendants and downlighters on dimmers, so we can get it right for any occasion. It’s a space we all use, now. We love cooking and everything’s close at hand. And when Rachel comes home from school, we can chat while I cook and she does her homework.’
HOW LOUISE AND PHIL DID IT
BELOW ‘THIS AREA PROVIDES AMPLE SPACE FOR DINING
WITH FRIENDS. IT’S PERFECT IN SUMMER WITH THE DOORS OPEN. I’VE MIXED NEW AND OLD ACCESSORIES HERE TO ADD COLOUR AND A SENSE OF FUN.’ Drio extending table, £750, Habitat, is similar. Series 7 dining chairs, £345 each,
Fritz Hansen. Aspen sideboard, £795, Habitat. Melodi pendant, £12, Ikea
ABOVE ‘I USED A BUTCHER’S BLOCK TROLLEY TO CREATE EXTRA STORAGE AND PREP SPACE. WHEN IT CAME TO CHOOSING THE MAIN FOCAL POINT – THE RANGE COOKER – RED WAS
THE NATURAL CHOICE TO POP AGAINST THE GREY AND WHITE.’ Richmond SE1100 induction range oven, £1,799, Stoves. Stenstorp trolley, £100, Ikea, is similar. Alzira red globe pendant, £78, Dusk Lighting
WHAT I’VE LEARNED “Avoid major building work over Christmas! Holidays, freezing temperatures and illness can affect its progress. In hindsight, we would have waited for a springtime slot with our builder”
For many of us, keeping our home clean and germ-free has become more important than ever over the past few months. Luckily, help is at hand with Marigold’s ingenious Let It Shine! microfibre cloths, £2.99 for a pack of four. From making kitchen and bathroom surfaces sparkle, to wiping down high contact areas, such as door handles, taps and light switches, these clever cloths will help you to keep your home beautifully clean and safe.
THE MAGIC OF MICROFIBRE
At least fifty times thinner than human hair, microfibres remove even the tiniest of dirt particles hidden in microscopic cracks on practically any surface, for a deep and thorough clean. Used wet or dry, Marigold’s microfibre cloths are perfect for cleaning, buffing and dusting all around your home. Plus, they remove over 99% of bacteria with just water*.
DEEP CLEANING
Allergic to chemical-based cleaning products? No problem! Marigold’s microfibre cloths will clean a surface thoroughly, just with water. What’s more, they’re machine washable, too, so you can wipe up messy spills quickly, then bung the cloths in the wash to get them like new again ready for their next cleaning job.
CLEVER COLOUR CODING
Just like restaurants colour code their chopping boards for hygiene reasons, Marigold’s Let It Shine! microfibre cloths come in a pack of four different colours to help avoid cross contamination while cleaning. In simpler terms, just pick one colour per job – use the green cloth for cleaning your kitchen, the orange cloth for your bathroom, the pink one for the loo and then save the blue one for cleaning and dusting your living room.
FOR MORE INFORMATION...
Find your nearest stockist at marigold.co.uk or find out more at facebook.com/marigoldofficial or instagram.com/marigold_uk
RUSTIC FARE
Small but sturdy, this classic design is made of solid spruce with a zinc top.
ALDSWORTH BUTCHER’S BLOCK, £290, GARDEN TRADING