Wren Kitchens rose to the challenge for me
When baker, food photographer and cookbook author Alix sought her dream kitchen, she turned to Wren Kitchens to help her turn her vision into reality
As the heart of the home, the kitchen is not only a practical space for cooking meals, it’s also the centre stage for socialising with friends, entertaining family and showcasing your culinary skills. Being a multifunctional room, your kitchen should be able to meet all your needs, which is Wren Kitchens’ number one priority.
No matter the size or layout of your kitchen, your Wren Designer will work closely with you to ensure the end result suits your individual lifestyle.
To see how Wren collaborates with their customers to create beautiful, bespoke designs, check out Alix Carey’s kitchen turned baking business transformation.
Her home is part of the #Wrenovation series, which shines a spotlight on real customer kitchen renovations.
STEP ONE What started as a hobby in 2015 has become a full-time career for Alix, @mykitchendrawer on Instagram, who is now a baker, food photographer and author of multiple cookbooks.
As her baking skills and projects grew, so did her requirements for a bigger kitchen – and more drawers! With this in mind, Alix turned to Wren to help her design and create the perfect, bespoke place to develop her baking business.
At the top of Alix’s wish list for her reimagined space was a kitchen island.
‘It’s always been a dream of mine to have an island, as it’s the central hub of a kitchen and is the perfect space for me to prepare all my baking,’ Alix reveals. As well as a kitchen island, storage for all of her baking equipment and ingredients and a feeling of airiness were
top priorities, as much of Alix’s day would be spent in the room. With these must haves established, Alix could focus on her search for the perfect kitchen.
STEP TWO Once in the showroom, Alix was able to decide which style of units and worktops would work best in her kitchen.
She selected Shaker Forest units in Alchemy and Shadow and paired them with a Quartz Treviso worktop. ‘I opted for Shaker Forest doors for the units as I loved how traditional they look, and I combined them with quartz for the worktops and islands as the surface would be perfect for baking,’ says Alix.
When creating the layout, Alix’s Wren Designer devoted an entire wall to baking, maximising storage to ensure the room felt airy and light. ‘My favourite part of the kitchen is my baking wall, as it has space for all of my ingredients and baking equipment. The designer was great as he really helped to get the most out of this space,’ explains Alix. With Bosch self-cleaning ovens, a warming drawer and combination microwave, the bespoke kitchen is packed with practical touches, too.
STEP THREE Cleverly designed around Alix’s needs for storage, high-end appliances and airiness, her kitchen has helped Alix to focus on her career and take her baking to the next level. From easy-wipe quartz worktops and island storage to impressive appliances, the kitchen has been designed with baking in mind. ‘My top tip for any keen bakers out there who are looking to redo their kitchen is that you can never have too much storage!’ shares Alix.
With her dream kitchen now in place, Alix has everything she needs close to hand when creative inspiration takes hold. ‘This kitchen has completely transformed my life. It’s now so much easier and more fun to bake with all of this space. I have the island, baking wall and fantastic self-cleaning oven – I couldn’t be happier with my kitchen,’ smiles Alix.