Woman standing in an u-shaped modern white kitchen. Has wooden flooring, white quartz worktops, and tower units.

Kitchen Makeovers

A White Kitchen Makeover With Jen

Interior blogger, Jen Guest, wanted a white kitchen makeover that reflected her simple, Scandi aesthetic, whilst creating a smart and ergonomic space suitable for family life. Selecting the newest shade in our Hockley Matt collection, Jen has created a simple, handleless look that is both functional and full of contemporary style. Discover how Howdens helped Jen to plan and design her new layout to exactly suit her needs and her home.

Women leaning against the sink in a white handleless kitchen with super matt cupboard doors and wooden shelving.

About Jen

A lover all things interiors, content creator, Jen, lives in Liverpool with her partner Paul and her two, young sons. She has been steadily renovating her Victorian end terrace home since 2015, by adding subtle modern touches that update the space and complement the original features of the property.

See more @thehousethatjenbuilt_

The transformation

Old and impractical

Although Jen had tried some quick cosmetic fixes to update her old kitchen, the real problem was the layout. Her compact room was underutilised and lacked enough space to store essentials, making it impractical for family life. As a busy working mum, Jen wanted an area that was functional as well as stylish.

A u-shaped white handleless kitchen with super matt cupboard doors. Includes a built-in double oven and an induction hob.

White and bright

The white tone and slab style of Jen’s Hockley cupboard doors with a matt finish all come together to create a contemporary interior that is simple and still works with the Victorian elements of her home. Her new space has plenty of storage, like drawers and towers, which makes her kitchen easier to use and keeps it tidy.

Explore Hockley matt handleless kitchens

The design details

A white handleless kitchen in a u-shaped layout. Includes white trims, wooden flooring, and quartz worktops.

A neutral base

By combining a crisp tone with slab doors, Jen has created a modern layout that makes her small room appear larger and brighter. The finish of our new Hockley Matt White doors creates a soft look that harnesses the simplistic ethos of the Scandi aesthetic, while the handleless design means there are fewer fixtures to keep clean - great for Jen's busy lifestyle.

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A white appliance tower which includes a black built-in double oven.

Cooking zones

Wanting to make use of the high ceilings and maximise every inch in her compact room, Jen chose to include plenty of tall cabinets, like larders and towers, in her design. As well as saving on floor space, this handy feature has allowed Jen to fit an oven at eye-level, creating an ergonomic cooking zone that makes it simple to check on dinner or rotate heavy roasting trays.

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Quartz counters

Jen decided to knock into her dining room to open up the space and create larger preparation area for family meals. She invested in a crisp white, quartz counter in a custom shape and size to add a premium feature to the design. Her bespoke panel has a reduced number of joins and fits her new dimensions exactly, creating a professional and high-end look.

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Jen Guest

“My quartz worktop from Howdens is the perfect size for my new layout. It is a bespoke piece, which makes my design look sleek and high-end.”

Working with Howdens

Product choice

Pleased with the wide choice of fashionable and affordable products, Jen was also impressed with the newest kitchens in our collection, as well as the bespoke quartz counter selection. Available in lots of on-trend colours and a wide variety of lengths and widths, Jen was able to find a quartz surface that suited her layout and her aesthetic.

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Design service

Jen’s ideas constantly changed during the planning phase, and she ended up swapping her timber counter to a quartz version from the bespoke solid surface collection. Throughout her COVID-safe consultations, Jen was able to get expert advice from her designer, who talked her through the options available that would match her decor.

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Quartz Installation

With a tight deadline, the elements of Jen’s kitchen had to be correct the first time. After the cabinetry was built, a specialist fitter created an accurate template for Jen’s bespoke counter. Once she confirmed her order, the surface was made to her exact dimensions. The expert fitter then installed it, whilst following social-distancing guidelines.

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Decorative trims

While Jen wanted a modern look, she also wanted to keep the space pared-back, so that it would work well with the period features in her Victorian home. She opted for our new matt white decorative trims, which match her handleless cabinetry and create a subtle linear design.

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Timber floors

Jen always wanted a Scandi scheme full of cosy style, so she included real wood floors in her space. These have a warm and characterful appearance that embodies the natural essence of Nordic interiors. They also tie in with her wooden shelving, creating a coordinated look.

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Induction hob

To maintain the streamlined look of her layout, Jen chose sleek devices, like an induction cooktop, to kit out her space. The frameless, flush-fitting style creates an easy-clean surface, while the electromagnetic technology delivers rapid heat to make it simple to whip up family meals.

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Drawers

Having had only one drawer in her old kitchen, Jen was determined to include more in her new layout to make it functional. She opted for pan and cutlery drawers to keep kitchenware organised and neatly tucked away, so her white design always looks clean and clutter-free.

View storage drawers

Jen Guest

“I honestly could not recommend Howdens enough! My local depot has really impressed me with their COVID-safe service. They helped me with every step, from booking a design appointment right the way through to the fitting of my custom worktop.”