Kitchen Diner Makeover

Before: The 1980s units and decor had seen better days and the design and layout of the kitchen was poor with nowhere to sit and eat which made this an impractical room for a couple with a baby. The kitchen had limited storage and in its current state was not a room that a keen cook would want to spend time in.

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Before

After

After: The kitchen was previously two rooms which have now been knocked into one, making it light, bright and airy.But what else makes the scheme successful.

Create A Flexible Space

The clever design incorporating an island and breakfast bar unit has made the kitchen space so much more flexible and easy to use for both cooking and entertaining. See our feature to find out more about creating a kitchen with an island.

Bring The Outdoors In

The large glass sliding doors out into the garden have filled the room with light and make it feel much more spacious. See our gallery for more merging outdoors with indoors ideas.

Choose Bold Decor

The colour scheme was dictated by to two acid yellow and grey planters the owners bought in Habitat. They had also spent a lot of time in South and Central America and were inspired by the use of vibrant yellow and orange in the decoration of houses there. They matched the grey of the sliding doors to the planters and all the stainless steel they used in the kitchen design echoes this colour. They also wanted to create a feature wall using wallpaper and chose two different wallpapers to differentiate between the kitchen and the living/dining area. They chose Chinese Dragon and Zaria wallpapers by Osborne & Little. Check out our colour scheming pages for more advice and inspiration.

Lay Practical Flooring

Oak flooring was laid as it is a warm natural surface for a small child to safely learn to crawl and play on. The owners also loved the lightness of oak and it makes the kitchen feel more homely and less industrial. Oak worktops from Ikea were chosen to match the floor. For more on wood flooring, see our guide, or see our gallery of kitchen flooring buys.

Spend In The Right Places

The owners saved money by buying relatively cheap Ikea Rubrik and Abstrakt kitchen units but invested in expensive appliances that give the kitchen a sleeker look. The six burner stainless steel hob from Smeg is perfect for a keen cook.

Get Good Storage

Here's a smart solution to getting extra storage without using any more fitted cupboards - open shelving. Having items on display makes a room seem much less formal. Their cleverly adapted shelf and unit on the feature wall is from Ikea. For more on kitchen storage, see our gallery of buys and ideas.

Make The Kitchen Look Unique

Mixing the glossy white unit doors with the stainless steel trim and wooden work surfaces works really well because each one has a sleek appearance and, combined, they're much more interesting to look at. Also, the white and stainless steel doors and drawers reflect light, helping the room feel brighter still.

Use Clever Tricks

Integrating appliances not only gives a kitchen a more streamlined look, it also helps to maximise the amount of worktop space available, a must in this kitchen. The splashback beneath is painted with the same acidic yellow masonry paint used on the external wall in the terrace. Not only does this tie the inside with the outside but is also cheap, effective and looks great. They've used Deli Bazaar 4 masonry paint, Dulux.

To see more kitchens like this, go to our contemporary kitchens gallery.

Pictures: Bridget Peirson

Styling: Mia Pejcinovic