Kitchen-diner

‘ The kitchen layout works really well. The building company obviously spent a lot of time planning a good, practical design, with lots of cupboard and worktop space. However, the basic cabinets on offer, which were included in the initial build, were high gloss or wood effect, which didn’t appeal to me, so I chose to upgrade to these grey Shaker-style units that look far more stylish.

I also wanted to change the original laminate worktops to quartz. We could have chosen the building company’s option, but I knew I could source something cheaper myself by shopping around, and I found this locally for half the price. I decided to go for an upstand, rather than tiles, and we also replaced the stainless steel splashback and the wooden windowsill with quartz to create a more streamlined, modern look.’

Measuring and fitting the new worktop was one of first jobs the couple did, and Kerry admits it was quite tricky trying to get the old worktop out and not damage the units. ‘ We were really lucky being able to get lots of the work done before we moved in,’ she adds ‘ We’ve had this table for nearly 10 years, but I’d gone off its original dark wood style. It’s a quality piece of furniture, so instead of dumping it, I sanded it down and then lime-waxed it, and now it feels like a brand new piece,’ says Kerry ‘I’m not one for bright colours, and I like to create a laid-back vibe, even at Christmas. The crackers, candlesticks and three-wick candle are from The Range, and the plates are from Wayfair