This multi-functional space must be practical and flexible, but we also want it to be beautifully designed with a pop of personality and enough storage to keep the pots and pans behind closed doors.
We asked our readers to send us images of imaginative and thoughtful living room makeover projects from their own homes, as part of entering our first ever London Home Design Awards in partnership with Houzz.
Much heated debate took place among our expert judges in the glamorous Lecture Room & Library at London's design hotspot Sketch in Mayfair, and we can now reveal the winning makeover project.
Designer Home Kitchens London
What the judges said: “Good to cook in, with sensible placing of hob and worktops”; “Individual touches exude personal passions”; “Superb details, down to rails and knobs.”
A New York loft in a London garden — that was the aim of journalist Laura Burkitt, 33, for the Queen’s Park flat she shares with fiancé Ben Sarner.
Art-school trained, her kitchen renovation has sparked a new career in styling and design (lauraburkitt.com). The couple reconfigured all rooms in the property to make an open-plan living area plus two bedrooms — one en suite — and a small shower room.
Celebrating Great Kitchen Design: Meet The Londoner Who Has Won Our Award For The Best Kitchen Makeover Project
They extended the kitchen into the lovely garden, doing all design work themselves and employing builders. Howden kitchen units (howdens.com) were painted charcoal and brass handles were sourced online. To save money, they shopped around for reclaimed materials.
The industrial look started with Crittall-style black steel doors from Fabco Sanctuary (fabcosanctuary.com), a micro-cement floor by Dan Dixon (theplastercollective.com) and exposed-brick wall. Lucy Haring of Haring & Co made the striking table. A traditional range cooker and Belfast sink add to the eclectic look. Vintage dining chairs bought off eBay were upholstered in different coloured velvets. Wall grout for engineered bricks was painted grey, and then the whole wall sanded back. Brackets made by a local smith hold hanging utensil rods from Ikea.
Laura’s tips: “Open shelves make a room feel lived-in. Live in a space before you buy your furniture. Leave plenty of space around a kitchen island.”
Bespoke Contemporary Kitchens
Each of the five category winners will be sent a £500 Houzz Shop voucher to spend on Bang & Olufsen products and a £250 voucher to spend on Tom Dixon products, also in the Houzz Shop. Plus, we'll be sending the winners to a lamp-making workshop at The Factory in Tom Dixon's new flagship store, worth £250.
A modern home has to be more than just a home; it has to be multi-purpose and evolve from a bedroom to an office, from a kitchen to a studio, says food writer and guest judge of the kitchen category, Rachel Khoo, who has just finished renovating her Khoollect London studio space/apartment with a host of space-saving ideas.
And space-starved Londoners in particular have to champion innovative, resourceful design when planning an interiors project so as to ensure they put every inch to good use.
Plain English Kitchens
Use clever tricks like choosing thinner units and using open shelving instead of overhead cabinets, says Harriet Goodacre, spokesperson for Topps Tiles, When tiling a smaller room go for a larger tile, mirrored tiles are the perfect solution for brightening up a space.”
The expert panel of judges included the editors of Homes & Property and Houzz, Janice Morley and Victoria Harrison; design journalist Barbara Chandler; Daniel Hopwood, former president of the British Institute of Interior Design; and Richard MacRae of architecture design studio EDRM.
Guest judges included food writer and broadcaster Rachel Khoo; Mad About The House author Kate Watson-Smyth; interior design duo Jordan Cluroe and Russell Whitehead of 2LG Studio; the founder of Mr & Mrs Smith hotels Tamara Lohan; and founder of The Balcony Gardener Isabelle PalmeWhether you want to make a contrasting style statement in your kitchen – or you get easily bored with the same look throughout – mixing old with new can produce results that are edgy and exciting, but also full of character and warmth.
Shaker Style Kitchens, Bespoke Kitchens Designed In London
That’s certainly true of this newly installed kitchen in Hertfordshire. Designed by Neil Lerner for clients who were very keen to capture the atmosphere of their country style cottage, Neil’s challenging brief was to ensure that all the mod cons required for a busy family lifestyle were incorporated into the design, specifically a hot tap, steam oven and induction hob.
You may think that designing a kitchen that combines classic with contemporary and fully embraces modern technology requirements would be difficult to pull off. But Neil always enjoys a challenge and he was determined to get the balance right.
To do so, he suggested combining traditional furniture units from the ‘Classic Art’ range in the Neil Lerner own-brand collection with the latest appliances from leading manufacturer, Siemens.
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For the colour palate, Neil suggested a mixture of white and grey Oxford Ash effect lacquer contrasted with stainless steel knobs & handles and stainless steel effect plinths.
Eye-catching details, such as the open shelving dresser to display the client’s treasured antique tea set and the open ended island unit to house her many recipe books, all add character to the overall design.
As you can see from the stunning finished effect shown in these photos, Neil managed to achieve the look so desired by the clients; he even included a farmhouse Butler sink for an extra special authentic touch!
Luxury Kitchen Interior Design
The clients were so delighted with their new Neil Lerner kitchen that they invited us along to photograph it straightaway, advising us that they wanted to see it on our website as soon as possible. And naturally, we were more than happy to oblige!
“It’s definitely possible to have more than one style in a kitchen”, says Neil. “In fact, in my opinion, the best kitchen designs mix different styles in a natural way that gels immediately and works with your eyes and your senses” — Navigate projectsThe kitchen is the hardest working room of the house, a constant hub of activity. It’s where your family gathers for meals, friends drop in for a coffee and the kids search for snacks and do their homework. If yours is tired and dated, and you’re looking for some makeover inspiration, here are seven top tips to help you create the kitchen of your dreams.
Changing your kitchen cabinets will guarantee one of the greatest impacts. Many homeowners tend to stick with cabinets of the same colour, but for a really stunning effect, contrast dark-stained cabinets with light-colour cabinetry.
Kitchen Designers In London
If your budget doesn’t extend to replacing your cabinets, give them a new lease of life with a lick of paint or replace the handles and doors. Glass-fronted cabinets can add a swish touch to your perfect kitchen. If you don’t want your cupboard contents to be totally visible, opt for opaque or frosted glass instead. They’ll conceal what’s inside, but still make the kitchen space feel more open.
Lighting can truly make or break a space. Before you start looking through brochures, consider what you don’t like about the lighting you currently have. Are there not enough task lights? is there too much lighting? Do you like the styles of the lighting controls/switches?
The obvious lighting solution is to dangle a few new swish fixtures from the ceiling, and there’s nothing wrong with that. However, probably the most aesthetically pleasing way to light the room is to have layers: ambient, task and accent.
Interiors Inspiration: Marble Kitchens
Ambient is the main source of light in addition to natural light. You will probably want as much light as possible and to have it spread evenly throughout the room.
Think about everything, from the amount of control you have over the intensity of the light to the type of lighting and the design of the fixtures.
You can make a dramatic change by replacing all the worktops, the workhorses of the kitchen where you prepare food, spills sauces, unload shopping and place hot cups of tea and coffee. Think durability and style. Laminate is one way to go, but for longevity, you might want to consider granite or quartz. If you have an island in your kitchen, opt for a different work surface than elsewhere for a striking visual effect.
Where To Invest When Designing A Kitchen — Pad London
A splashback can be so much more than a protective barrier, it can also be a focal point of the kitchen. There are lots of ways you can go here. Highly reflective surfaces such as glass or a mirror are popular because they look great and are easy to clean. However, they also reflect what’s in front of them and can make worktops look cluttered. Tiles are a good alternative because they are also easy to maintain and very attractive. Think about patterns and colours to complement your cabinets. Perhaps you want a sleek, minimalist look or prefer to mix and match styles and use bold colours.
Old appliances can really drag a kitchen down. Replace them all and breathe new life into the heart of your home. If you want to make a strong design statement and add interest and style, install coloured appliances. Choose models that not only give you the space you need but are also environmentally friendly and energy-efficient. This will help to cut down on
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