‘WE SWAPPED EVERYTHING AROUND’
Reconfirguring several rooms has created a large kitchen/diner
What did you want to change?
Three separate areas ran along the back of the house – a breakfast room with a utility room off it, then the kitchen slap bang in the middle, and a dining room next to it behind a wall. Each section had windows, but the only access to the garden was via the back door. It was an unsatisfactory layout with a limited amount of light entering the space. To allow more sunshine into the kitchen area before late afternoon, we had to open the utility room door, which revealed all our rubbish!
So what was the aim?
We were keen to lighten everything up and create one large space, moving the kitchen to the back wall where the breakfast room had been. The dated arch had to come down, as well as the wall between the kitchen and dining room, plus we needed to put in French doors to get better access to the garden.
It took a while for your plans to come to fruition…
Yes, we’d actually been thinking about sorting out the whole area since 2009, so we’ve had plenty of time to really pull our ideas together. It all became a serious project about 18 months ago and we had to wait for the builder who’d been recommended to us,
Lee Moseley of Moseley Construction, to be free to take on the job.
You weren’t short of ideas
Not at all. We wanted a more open-plan layout and to be able to open the French doors and let the boys out into the garden. It’s a nice, safe space and now we can keep an eye on them from the kitchen. Also, it was odd to have the dining area tucked away behind a wall, so we created the central section to accommodate a table and chairs, which is much more practical and better for entertaining.
How did you solve the light problem?
The obvious fix was to knock into the roof space above the far end of the kitchen, as there was nothing above it outside. This meant we were able to install Velux windows, which are very effective – and the French doors also added to the light coming into the room.
And what about the dreaded utility room?
Again we knocked through and opened it all up, which meant we could take advantage of the window there as well. To be honest, it was the bane of my life before as the space was being used as a dumping ground. Now we’ve slimmed it right down to a large cupboard with a door and then put in some new units so it’s become more of a useful second washing and preparation area.
You’ve also incorporated an island…
Yes, we were pleased that we had plenty of room to fit in an island with a breakfast bar so there’s an informal option of sitting on stools. It also differentiates the two areas and blocks off the view of the hob and the business part of the kitchen.
The old dining room has gone
As we’ve put a table and chairs in a more central position, we’ve changed the proportions and added in a sofa and a couple of chairs to create a smaller relaxing area.
What sort of look were you going for?
We wanted a contemporary country feel. As we live in a rural area, an ultra-modern, stripped-back scheme really wouldn’t be suitable
and it’s not a style we’d go for, but neither did we want anything too cottagey with lots of wood. The aim was to achieve something softer – a Shaker-style kitchen in a pale colour, big stone or stone-effect tiles on the floor, and as little chrome as possible. Keeping everything light was important.
How did you choose the kitchen?
After checking out high street and online companies we found exactly what we wanted at Benchmarx in Walsall, where the manager Mark and his team were incredibly helpful. We chose a painted, classic-looking range that allows the beauty of the natural timber to show through a subtly painted finish. The designer came to visit us at home and we spent time together discussing how we would like to change the kitchen. I showed the designer my collection of ideas in the shape of magazine clippings, and he produced a CAD design for me, my husband and builder to take a look at. This really brought our ideas to life and made it possible to visualise how the space would work.
What were your priorities when planing the appliances?
I didn’t get to choose the original kitchen, as we bought the house brand new. It came with a range cooker, and I was getting fed up with having to bend over to lift heavy dishes out of the oven. Eye-level ovens and a separate hob were a great solution to this problem. Also, I wanted the sink to be situated below the window so I could easily look out onto the garden while I was doing the washing up. On top of that, I was also keen to include a separate sink on the other side of the kitchen to deal with messy jobs and gardening tasks.
Did you manage to get any bargains along the way?
Our dining table was a great buy. It was actually made by my husband from an offcut of the oak worktop. He bought a base for £48 and then added the top and painted the legs, so that was a substantial moneysaver and a rewarding achievement.