[Q&A] with Stefnie

Any cost-cutting tips? Do prep work such as chipping walls for tiles or applying Polyfilla before the tiler and painter arrive. What would you do differently next time? I’d add drawers next to the stove for cooking utensils. Where did you get your ideas? Coffee shops, restaurants, old Home magazines and Pinterest. Any other hints or tips? Make sure you have ample plug points; we used pull-out plugs. What do you enjoy most about the completed project? I love the open kitchen and the fact that there’s space to cook together. It feels like the kitchen is the heart of the house.

What’s next? We’d love to revamp the outside entertainment area and create a boma. Total: R57 800 MATERIALS Pantry cupboards 6 000 Light fittings 1 500 Bricks, cement and epoxy 3 500 Tiles and tile cement 1 800 Sinks and taps 7 650 Shelving 950 Blinds 700 Paint 1 200 I-beam and IsoBoard 5 000 Electrical and gas materials 4 000 CONTRACTORS Kitchen island and floors 15 500 Ceilings and I-beam 7 000 Electrical and gas work 3 000 Copper-plated taps and a ceramic prep bowl (above left) have been fitted on the island. Although copper might stain if you use detergents, it will add character. A sleeper shelf (above centre) adds a rustic element to the space. Copper-plated taps from Victorian Side Bathrooms; sleeper shelf from Independent Traders

Stefnie created a striking pattern on the kitchen floor (above) with a stencil and Harlequin’s Furniture Chalk Paint in the colour Aged White; it was sealed with Stevensons Industrial Epoxy.