8 kitchen fixes to spruce up your counter space
These easy updates look good, feel good and will help your kitchen become the hub of the home once again, says Sam Wylie-Harris
It’s that in between time when thoughts turn to little things you can do to dial up the décor, be a bit more organised and pay some love and attention to the hardest working room in the house. Especially with thoughts turning to lighter, longer days, spring socials, family entertaining, and those little extras that make coffee mornings or mealtimes more tasty, thanks to a new gadget.
1. Breville Bijou Espresso Machine, Automatic and Manual Espresso, Cappuccino & Latte Maker in Silver (VCF149), £148, Amazon
Budding baristas can use a mix of techniques to create their favourite speciality coffee with Breville’s new espresso machine. The supercar of coffee machines, it can brew, steam and froth, and comes with a manual shot function for total control.
2. Slimline Kitchen Trolley – Wood Topped, £119.50, A Place for Everything Sometimes, it’s all about the big squeeze when organising your condiments, dressings and spices. This stylish three-tier trolley, with a wooden shelf comes on casters, so easy to slot into the tiniest of spaces at 13cm wide.
3. Organic Cotton Food Bag, Ginkgo, £10.50, Not Just a Shop
A lovely edition to lunchtime routines, organic food bags are a sustainable way to take homemade sarnies to school or work. Made from waterproof cotton, this one will add some Italian flair to lunchtime snacks.
4. 2 x Wall Mounted Fruit Bowls, £25, A Place for Everything
A super clever idea for fresh fruit when you’re short on space, these clear plastic spheres can be hung exactly where you want them and can double up for holding coffee pods or tea towels. Genius.
5. Russell Hobbs 20 Bottle Lockable Wine Cooler Stainless Steel, £189.99, Russell Hobbs
We know… we’d all love a kitchen with an integrated wine cooler, but for the next best thing, wine enthusiasts can’t go wrong with this freestanding option, which has space for 20 bottles of vino. With a temperature range of 5-18°C, your reds won’t be too warm or jammy, and whites will taste crisp and pristine.
With reversible door, adjustable feet, slide-out shelves, LED light, low noise level and a lock, it’s perfect for small collections and tight spaces.
6. Edulis Sky Wallpaper, £65 per roll, Graham & Brown
An exciting new wallpaper collection particularly suited to kitchens – durable, washable and specially formulated to withstand humidity, moisture and spillages – Graham & Brown’s Edulis (one of three designs) is inspired by the biophilic trend, incorporating nature into our interiors.
Think feature wall(s) decorated in edible foraged plants – it’s deliciously dazzling and will look gorgeous in both modern and traditional settings.
7. Cork Pots with Lid, available in Mint, Sage & Watermelon, £25 each, Not Just a Shop Enjoying a revival thanks to the biophilia trend, we’re connecting with cork again and appreciating this durable, sustainable material for its natural qualities and versatility. These eco-friendly storage jars combine function and form.
8. Rollable Chopping Board in Coral, £22, A Place for Everything
Did someone say rollable chopping board? Lightweight and flexible with a magnetic closure cap, it rolls out flat for dicing and chopping. An added bonus, it’s dishwasher safe.