Think kitchen, think open plan!
Today it's not unusual for the kitchen to be classed as the centre of the home, especially as we are all spending so much time in there. Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, more than ever it has definitely been the room where the whole family have congregated to eat and drink, and also to play quizzes over Zoom! It is without doubt the epicentre of daily life, and it really doesn’t matter what style of property you own. A social kitchen can be designed and installed in almost every property, and a kitchen renovation is usually a large undertaking, so it needs to be right.
Many of our clients are now seeking larger open spaces to suit their lifestyle. The examples shown here are from clients who are currently having an extension and wanted visuals to demonstrate what their dream space would look like before signing off the designs. The couple love socialising and entertaining, as well as sitting watching TV while one of them is cooking, and this area will certainly provide adequate space to do exactly that. Talking to them we quickly realised that they both liked the more traditional style, and that they very much loved the curves. With this in mind, we created a lovely space with not only the design of the kitchen, but also incorporating the snug area, dining with a difference and a walkway downstairs to another area of the room.
As Leigh Hall, owner of Strive for Design, stresses, the best results come when you take the time to understand your client. 'Consultations are so important to us,' says Leigh. 'We always spend time with our clients to get to know them, as we believe that that is an absolute essential to ensure a successful outcome. When we understand what the client is looking to achieve, we're able to make recommendations about the best use of the space. For example, the clients whose designs we're showing here initially thought that the dining area should stay within the main house. But, after discussion, it was our suggestion to move the dining area towards the back of the extension which would create more light when eating and would be warm and snug in the winter near the bespoke fireplace, but would also enable them to open the doors and take in the sun and ambience of a warm summer evening.
As well as creating a bespoke design for the open-plan space we are also able to specify items and accessories such as the lighting, handles and furniture, and we include these in all our designs, which we feel sets us apart from other kitchen designers. Not only that, we will also take on the whole project, and give our clients that finished look. We arrange for the various trades, we order the lighting and furniture, and we install the whole package, removing the stress from the project for the client.'
Leigh Hall from Strive for Design is an interior designer in Cambridge and Newmarket, and with her team can design your perfect kitchen space. Please call Leigh on 01223 622 688 for a chat and to book in your kitchen consultation!