FULL OF LIGHT’
Faced with a drab kitchen, Hannah extended into the garden to create the bright and spacious layout she dreamt of
Being an end-of-terrace meant that the house had lots of scope for extending, which was one of the deciding factors for us,’ says Hannah.
‘When we moved in the existing kitchen was crying out for modernisation. There was a cheap and cheerful fitted kitchen with a brown tiled floor which, although liveable, wasn’t to our taste. Plus the layout was too small for the open-plan living we had envisaged.
Layout planning
We began by drawing up a few options to see what would work best. We love cooking and entertaining, so a spacious layout with plenty of prep space was key. And making the space light and bright was a top priority for us. It took lots of mulling over before we finally settled on our preferred design and got a structural engineer on board to get the ball rolling.
Opening up
When work began, it was a cold January and Felix was only six weeks old, so I took him to stay with my family up north while we left poor Matthew to oversee the building works. The main structural change was removing the rear wall of the kitchen and having an envelope frame installed. We extended out into the garden by about 4m to give us the spacious kitchen-diner layout that we wanted. The bifold doors and large roof light flood the room with daylight, even in the winter months. Glass can be pricey but it was certainly money well spent.
‘Keep lighting consistent, with single spot pendants and a cluster above a dining table’
Streamlined storage
One of my requirements for the new kitchen design was to have all the appliances built in for a neat finish. The storage unit around the fridge-freezer makes great use of the space and means that any clutter can be hidden. To
add a contrast to the units, I chose a bold floor to inject some playfulness into the space. The large-format tiles make the layout feel bigger and the chevron design helps to draw the eye out towards the garden which creates a beautiful flow.
Mix and match
I had my heart set on a modern-eclectic style; sleek, white gloss units and resin worktops give a contemporary feel, which I’ve then styled up with a mixture of vintage and unusual finds that I’ve collected on my travels over the years. They bring the room together and make it feel loved and lived in, while adding pops of colour to brighten up the space. The white wooden wall cladding was inspired by a cottage we stayed in on a trip to St Ives when I was pregnant with Felix. It adds texture, plus it works well with the white brick-style splashback.
Savvy upcycling
I sourced a lot of pieces on ebay – the dresser is one of my favourite finds, which I picked up for £80 and revamped with a coat of blue paint. The original mahogany wood of the dining table was too dark for the room, so I sanded and painted the legs to bring in a splash of sunny yellow. The cluster pendant hanging above the table originally had six shades but I removed two to make individual pendants over the island. The kitchen is now the heart of the house and we love it.’
‘Minimalist gloss white tiles keep the space bright and airy’
You can discover more handy tips on creating a smart kitchen-diner at