‘Wren brought our dream kitchen to life’
Lauren Hawtree and Adam Mather knew exactly what they wanted from their open-plan kitchen; they just didn’t know how to make it happen. Thankfully, the experts at Wren Kitchens had plenty of ideas
As far as home improvements go, a new kitchen is probably the biggest decision you will make. And, with so many options to choose from, deciding on those all-important details, from the style and colour scheme to special features, can feel overwhelming. That’s where the experts at Wren come in – its designers will work with you to create a kitchen that’s tailored to you and your lifestyle. Here, as part of the ffwrenovation series, which shines a spotlight on real customer kitchen renovations, Lauren and her fiancé, Adam, share how Wren helped them create exactly what they wanted.
EXCITING PLANS
When Lauren and Adam’s wedding was postponed due to the pandemic, they decided to invest their budget on a new house instead. ‘I was ready for a fresh project,’ says Lauren. With two small living rooms and a tiny kitchen upstairs, their new home presented the couple with just the kind of challenge they were looking for. They decided to knock down the wall between the living rooms so they could create the open-plan kitchen-diner of their dreams.
From the get-go, the couple had a clear idea of how they wanted their kitchen to look: modern, with plenty of room for entertaining, and easy to maintain. Looking for inspiration on Wren’s social media, one design stood out to Lauren. ‘I saw a black kitchen with marble worktop and I thought it was perfect,’ she says.
ON ANOTHER LEVEL
Keen to see the designs in real life, the couple visited their local Wren showroom in Derby where they met Dean, their Wren Designer. ‘Dean was amazing,’ says Lauren.
‘He understood the vision right away.’ Dean suggested lots of ideas that Lauren and Adam wouldn’t have thought of, such as a splashback to prevent the walls getting dirty and a shelf above the sink where they could display artwork and accessories.
Another part of the showroom that the couple loved was using the virtual reality experience. ‘ That was a game changer as it helped us understand the space in the room,’ says Lauren.
The couple were delighted that the delivery of the kitchen was just as smooth and straightforward as the rest of their Wren experience. Everything fitted perfectly and they were pleased to receive instructions and regular updates on the delivery timescale. Buying the kitchen appliances from Wren also helped make the whole experience as seamless and stress-free as possible.
HAPPY HOME
With their kitchen complete, Lauren and
Adam are thrilled they now have the modern space they dreamed of. As well as the room to host parties, the couple love how the kitchen has made a difference to their everyday lives. As the chef in the house, Adam loves the Bosch five-burner hob, under-counter wine cooler and all the space available for food prep and cooking. Lauren’s favourite feature is the heated drawer, perfect for warming plates, and everything about the island, from the colour, design, size and lighting.
‘In the evening when it’s lit up, it just looks incredible, and it creates a nice homey atmosphere,’ she says.
For their next project, the couple are going to renovate their utility room. They’re so happy with the service from Wren, that they’re planning to use the kitchen specialists for this makeover, too. ‘Going to Wren and designing the kitchen was so enjoyable,’ says Lauren. It was really easy and so straightforward.’