Claire and Mo, Tavistock

The Design Challenge

When Claire and Maurice began considering a new kitchen, they were relatively open-minded about what they wanted. There were, however, a few essentials – including an island and, most importantly, a way of bringing more light and a stronger connection to the garden into the home.

“I wanted an island, but I didn’t think there’d be enough room for one,” explains Claire. “But the most important thing was to bring the light and the garden into the house.”

The existing layout made the kitchen feel more enclosed. Two small walls either side of the entrance separated it from the dining area, while a further opening between the dining room and lounge restricted the sense of space.

Inside the kitchen, a breakfast bar and cupboards occupied one end of the room. At the opposite end, the sink sat beneath a window, with kitchen units where the patio doors are now.

The couple hadn't initially planned to visit KF Kitchens. They were actually driving to another kitchen company when they decided to stop at the showroom at Faraday Mill after being recommended by a friend.

“We didn’t have an appointment but luckily, they welcomed us in – and two hours later, we were putting down a £500 deposit!”

After looking around the showroom and talking through the process with Nathan Damarell, the couple quickly felt confident they had found the right company.

“We usually shop around and get two or three quotes, but we looked around the showroom and liked what we saw. There were so many beautiful kitchens on show. And it was clear that Nathan knew what he was talking about. We liked them and we trusted them. We felt we were in safe hands.”

The Solution

Nathan's design immediately challenged the couple's initial assumptions about what was possible.

Removing the two small walls and breakfast bar created the space needed for the island Claire had wanted, while removing the wall at the other end of the room created space for a 750mm-wide, full-height integrated fridge-freezer.

Nathan also suggested replacing the existing window and sink arrangement with patio doors, matching those already installed in the dining room. This opened the kitchen directly onto the south-facing garden and transformed the amount of natural light entering the room.

At the other end of the downstairs space, the opening into the lounge was widened too, creating a much more open-plan relationship between the kitchen, dining and living areas.

“With the patio doors, we’ve done that, the light streams in. This is where we spend a lot of our time, now – it’s made the house, I’d say.”

The kitchen itself is a carefully considered combination of three Nolte door styles: Neo Lodge in veneered Oak Diamond above the sink, Velluto anti-fingerprint in Lava, and Soft Lacquered Olive.

The cabinetry includes 900mm-high units on 50mm plinths, while one of the full-height olive cupboards conceals an unexpected feature – a secret door leading through to the newly refitted utility room.

The kitchen is equipped with NEFF appliances, including full-steam and half-steam ovens with multiple cooking functions including air-fry, an induction hob with integrated extractor, and the extra-wide integrated fridge-freezer.

A Quooker boiling-water tap sits alongside a sink with an integrated rack capable of holding hot pans, while a Dekton worktop, supplied and fitted by Mayflower Stone, completes the scheme.

Underfoot, Karndean flooring with underfloor heating adds another layer of comfort to the newly transformed space.

Claire and Maurice also attended one of KF Kitchens' cooking days, where Derinda Damarell demonstrates the capabilities of the showroom's appliances and helps customers get more from their kitchens.

“It was a brilliant day – I’d even pay to go to another one! Derinda cooked up some lovely food, and I got so much out of it. It’s helped me use all the settings much more quickly.”

The couple were also reassured by KF Kitchens' approach to the design process. Rather than asking them to make every decision immediately, Nathan explained that choices would evolve as the project developed.

“One of the important things that Nathan told us at the start was that we’d be making several changes throughout the project – and boy, was he right! That’s why he won’t let you choose everything on the first visit. You make those choices during the process.”

Installation & Completion

With the exception of the patio doors, which were installed by a family member, the entire project was completed by KF Kitchens' established team of specialist contractors.

For Claire and Maurice, the quality of the installation was just as important as the design itself.

“They were all superb. The attention to detail, the precision, the way they all worked together, everything. And Nathan came out a few times to make sure everything was going ok.”

The result also demonstrated the value of carefully considering every part of the available space.

“He has used every bit of space perfectly.”

“The quality of the work and the quality of the kitchen itself is incredible,” adds Claire. “I don’t believe we’d have got the same if we’d gone anywhere else.”