Kitchen makeover: Moving on up

Independent kitchen designer Erika Forster of White Door Design came up with a slick plan that involved extending the kitchen cabinetry over a built-in bench seat, connecting the dining and kitchen spaces visually and adding additional storage. The top units are two-pac satin finish polyurethane in Dulux White on White and open with touch catches, while the bottom row is in Classic Teak laminate from the Amerind PREMIO range – the doors hang a centimetre below the base, avoiding the need for handles here too. The lower recessed cupboards are perfect for storing single rows of favourite cups and glasses

Tiles that would work for both the kitchen splashback and the wall behind the bench seat proved the hardest item to source. Striking ‘Dechirer’ ones by Patricia Urquiola at Academy Tiles did the trick. The beautiful textured lacy pattern contrasts with the sleek square lines of the cabinetry.

Open shelves in satin finish black polyurethane, with a back panel in Classic Teak, free up bench space and are great for frequently used items, including recipe and reference books and a KitchenAid Mixer in Pistachio.

A 2.6m bench seat in the new dining area was designed with additional storage in mind and hides board games, toys and odds and ends. Lift-up tops rather than drawers kept costs down. Three cushions, in ‘Esprit Storm’ from Warwick Fabrics, were custom made by Absolute Upholstery to fit while leftover fabric from hallway lampshades in a favourite Florence Broadhurst design – ‘Japanese Floral’ in Storm – was turned into a scatter cushion by a local alterations business.