‘Our Wren designer blended traditional charm with modern touches for our dream kitchen’
Wren’s extensive range of unit and colour combinations and expertise enabled Sarah Payne and Lee Butt to design a kitchen that exceeded their wishes
Whether you’re starting from a blank canvas or would like to incorporate existing tiles or appliances into the scheme, it can be difficult to know where to begin when designing your new kitchen. With many of us using the room not only for cooking but as a home office, social hub and entertainment zone, this hard-working space needs to deliver on both form and function. That’s where the experts at Wren come in – a knowledgeable designer can take you through each step of the design process. From understanding your individual needs and suggesting storage options, to showing you the layout using virtual reality, each and every detail is considered. Here, as part of the ffwrenovation series, which shines a spotlight on real customer kitchen renovations, Sarah Payne and Lee Butt share how they collaborated with Wren to create a traditional kitchen that is packed with modern conveniences.
MAKE IT INDIVIDUAL
Soon after Sarah and Lee moved into their bungalow in 2016, the couple began working on their kitchen extension and renovation.
As they were keen to maximise the light and to complement the rest of their home, the couple knew straight away that they wanted a neutral scheme. Ample storage and space for built-in appliances were also priorities, especially with two growing children – Ivy, six, and Oliver, five. A lack of utility space was another pressing issue for Sarah and Lee. At the top of the appliance wish list was a large fridge-freezer, which the new layout would need to incorporate.
Having decided on their fridge-freezer, the couple visited their local Wren showroom to browse the various kitchen styles. ‘We were immediately impressed with the large showroom, wide range and colour and style combinations on offer,’ recalls Sarah. ‘ There was just so much more choice than we had been expecting.’
Looking for neutral tones to co-ordinate with their home’s décor, the couple worked with their Wren designer, Daniel, to create a tonal grey scheme. They chose the combination of Shaker Ermine Charcoal Matt for the cabinets with Shaker Gullwing Matt for the island to create a timeless feel.
FAMILY FOCUSED DESIGN
With the kitchen’s colour palette selected, the all-important storage was next on the list.
‘ The collaboration with Daniel was brilliant,’ says Sarah, who was able to fit their fridgefreezer into the design with Daniel’s guidance. ‘He helped with all the dimensions and suggested different layouts and options,’ adds Lee. Deep drawers provide plenty of room for crockery and make access easy while cooking, and the children can help themselves to the cereal cupboard at breakfast time.
Due to the tight space requirements of the kitchen, seeing their design with Wren’s Virtual Reality experience helped the couple understand how the layout would work and ensured that their choices were functional.
Daniel came up with clever solutions to include all of the sleek, integrated appliances Sarah and Lee sought, which include an AEG fully integrated dishwasher; NEFF induction hob; NEFF built-in double multifunction oven; and Zanussi integrated washing machine. Storage was given a further boost with the inclusion of an island. As the couple have two young children, they selected curved, smooth edges for the island to prevent accidents. ‘We are so glad that we have a separate island,’ smiles Sarah, ‘It gets lots of compliments.’
SEAMLESS SET-UP
Once they had designed their dream scheme, Daniel arranged for members of the Wren team to measure Sarah and Lee’s existing kitchen to ensure their chosen layout would fit in the space. The delivery and installation were as seamless as the design process, as Sarah’s dad, David, fitted the kitchen following Wren’s instructions without any problems.
The couple are thrilled with their new kitchen, and their Wren experience from beginning to end. ‘I love hosting family and friends in my open-plan kitchen. The big island means I still feel included while I’m preparing food,’ says Sarah. Pairing sleek integrated appliances with Shaker units has created the traditionalmeets-modern design the couple were after: ‘Our kitchen has become the heart of our home. We always hang around together in here now,’ shares Sarah.