CLASSY COOKING

A ground floor extension gave Julie and James the chance to create their dream kitchen, with a vaulted ceiling and bold but sophisticated Shaker-style units

RENOVATINGIS a home

a unique opportunity. It’s not something to rush into, and it’s rarely something you can delegate to someone else. If you’re extending or doing large-scale work, it’s also probably the most money you’ll spend outside of buying the property. It’s scary to part with cash and make huge changes, but you have to be brave and throw yourself into it.

That’s why Julie approached her kitchen renovation with a motto of sorts in her mind. As she told her husband, ‘We’re only going to do this once.’ Tasked with transforming their ground floor into an extended space fit for open-plan family living, the couple carefully considered every decision, from colours and materials to budgets. They were able to spend in the places it mattered most by making compromises elsewhere, and their balanced approach has resulted in a beautiful kitchen. Julie reveals how they did it…