The hub of the home

For me, the kitchen is the living, breathing centre of the home, and creating the perfect design is about achieving a balance between both beauty and functionality.

A lack of space needn’t be an issue, but careful planning is no less important in large kitchens, where the distances between the different elements can be quite substantial. In that case, it’s essential to effectively create a “kitchen within a kitchen”, with ingredients that are used on a regular basis close to the cooking and food preparation areas.

When space allows, an island is a perfect option. A kitchen island has its roots in the “cook’s table”, the workhorse of large Victorian and Edwardian country-house kitchens. In its 21st-century incarnation, the kitchen island provides extremely space-efficient storage as well as being a place to prepare food, cook, and enjoy casual meals.

Islands also have a sociable feel that allows everyone to get involved in the cooking or simply to enjoy a glass of wine while keeping the cook company.

We like to include as many natural materials as possible in a kitchen – they help to create a softer look and they age beautifully. Wood is great for kitchen flooring as it has more “give” than stone or concrete, and so is much easier on a cook’s back and feet when standing for long periods of time.

Painted units are a good option for a kitchen as they are flexible – their great advantage is that they can be refreshed relatively inexpensively on a regular basis if you want.

I use the same approach to decorating a kitchen as I use for other rooms: I often hang a painting or mirror behind a stove, and use antique cupboards and dressers to inject colour and texture, as well as provide useful storage.