Tricks of the trade

When the Chestertons renovated their kitchen, they not only gained a new gathering space but also mastered new skills such as plumbing and tiling.

Reason for renovation

When Elaine, an interior designer, and her husband Richard, who works in the bicycle industry, decided to build a new bedroom for their son Justin, it had a domino effect. Soon they found themselves renovating the kitchen and dining area too! Starting in July 2013, they spent 12 weeks transforming their kitchen and acquiring useful new skills along the way.

“The old kitchen and dining area were small, separate rooms – an extremely impractical layout. You couldn’t see into the lounge from the kitchen and Justin’s bedroom opened up onto the dining room where he and his sister did their homework. My home office was down the far end of the house. Everything was completely disconnected and it just didn’t work for us,” explains Elaine. So when the couple built Justin’s new bedroom it made sense to demolish a wall and incorporate his old bedroom into the kitchen. “My desk is now in this new part of the kitchen so the kids’ homework, my work and cooking can all happen in a central area,” Elaine adds.

“We were only too happy to get rid of the kitchen cabinets as we never liked the style,” says Richard. “The only outside help we employed was for demolishing a wall, electrical work, laying the vinyl floor and fitting the stone countertop. It took six weeks and we spent another six on the cabinets and finishes.”