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Classic Kitchen Makeover With Sara

Drawing inspiration from heritage homes, this classic kitchen makeover with Sara details how she transformed a dated room into a cooking space with timeless appeal. Using framed fronts, a neutral palette, and vintage-style fittings, Sara's design is packed full of period charm, while an extension allowed her to accommodate an island centrepiece to bring her family together. Combined with secret storage and hardworking tech recommended by her designer at our Southend-on-Sea depot, Sara's kitchen makeover is as highly-functional as it is characterful. Meanwhile, bespoke touches made by her builder make her design one of a kind.

The design goals

About Sara

Renovating the 1930s home she shares with her family, Sara's tired cooking space was in desperate need of a refresh to reflect her love of classic decor. The format was also outdated, so an extension was required to make way for an island that would bring her nearest and dearest together. Armed with ideas, and a builder in tow, she sought help from our Southend-on-Sea depot to bring her traditional design to life.

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The design detials

Stately shaker style

The framed border of our Elmbridge collection captures Sara's classic aesthetic while elevating the look with premium details thanks to its ornate beading.

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Timeless tones

Enduring and versatile - grey is a timeless neutral that is easily styled to suit changing tastes, so Sara's kitchen would outdate passing trends.

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Family-friendly format

An island layout provides a place for Sara to share meals with her husband and children while increasing counter space to make cooking easier.

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Secret storage

Sara's designer recommended a mix of units, like larders and drawers, to provide easy access to everyday essentials while keeping clutter out of sight.

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Vintage sinks

A Belfast bowl offers a classic cleaning area with room to soak pots or rinse veg while complementing Sara’s sophisticated colour scheme for long-lasting appeal.

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Cool-hued handles

Selecting handles in brushed nickel offers a subtle highlight to Sara's neutral palette. Mixing styles also adds a bespoke touch that is unique to her home.

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Chores made easy

An integrated dishwasher tucked inside a cupboard allows Sara to save time on chores without interrupting the external appearance of her traditional decor.

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Trash tucked in

Selecting a built-in bin makes post-dinner clean-ups simple, while freeing up floorspace of a freestanding model to accommodate other features for dining.

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Ornate elements

To continue her heritage-inspired theme, Sara chose decorative plinths to complete her cupboards and echo the timeless style of hand-crafted furniture.

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Classically-styled stove

Using an ornate cornice, Sara's builder created a bespoke mantle above the cooking area for a period feature that draws attention to her culinary adventures.

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