HEART OF THE HOME

A calm, well-organised kitchen will make your life easier. Having clean, clutter-free surfaces and properly arranged cabinets and drawers will help to make your day-to-day cooking stress-free. Keep the room feeling personal, though – a good rule of thumb is to display your favourite trinkets and prettiest utensils out on open shelving while hiding bulkier items of equipment and more functional essentials away in cupboards. Good lighting will give the space an impression of being airy and open – try the collection at Ikea for kitchen-specific solutions. Nirvana bar chairs, £99 each; vases, from £8 each; other accessories, from a selection, all Dunelm. For a similar kitchen layout, try Harvey Jones