Lucy Cunliffe
Diane Berry Kitchens Ltd
My design allows for the family to be together but also a feeling of zones and space.
I myself am only 23 years old and have two nieces that spend lots of time with us and I know they simply love a bit of floor space. So I wanted to ensure that I got all my functionality achieved but to still maintain space for fun, children love making Tik Tok videos and dancing etc. So you can see my kitchen is in the new space being created and it benefits from the outside inside feel, perfect for eating outside and watching children play outside as the parent and grand parents cook. The island has a large bar area set to have the family eating in a social way (so not all sat in a row!) I have also included drawers on the back of the island so each child can have their own drawer for all their hobbies. And pull out plinth steps for reaching the worktops when baking with Grandma. I have kept the dining table close to the kitchen as this will make setting and clearing the table quick and easy ad again benefits from the garden view.
To help define the areas and create a nice mood in the evenings I have added a vertical slat room divider, this could be on tracks to push to one side should they choose to have the opportunity to do a full banquet table on special occasions. A small bar area helps also to transition the kitchen area to a more relaxed dining space, I felt this needed to be understated given there are younger children in the house. So simple and stylish incorporating wine fridge, glasses and spirits.
I chose this amazing double height space for their lounge location and the two feature desks, they are circular units with storage and a drop down desk surface, so space for the children to work in their own zones away from each other (these close away so easy to keep tidy) and the large breakfast bar is perfect for larger school projects too.
The wall with the circular desks is also clad in acoustic vertical strips as the volume of glass and the height of the room needs help with acoustics so the lovely sofas with cushions, throws and a rug will really help make this room calm and quiet.
Just a quick run through the products I would like to recommend:
- Door fronts in Fenix – perfect as it doesn’t show finger prints and micro scratches can be repaired
- Carcases – Solid wood core plywood as this is so much better for the planet and these clients are focused on energy efficiency so I believe they will love the green aspect of avoiding chipboard
- Worktops – I would offer them a choice of fully recycled worktops
- Appliances – use the most energy efficient machines that would land in their budget, not only are these energy efficient but also they are quieter too (great to create a calmer family space)
Hope you can see I have thought long and hard not only about the functions this space has to have for this busy growing family, but also the styling, energy efficiency, the acoustics and atmosphere are all a huge part of building a perfect room and future proofing for longevity as their needs will change.
