Sleek Scandi

Style advice Three simple tricks to try in your own home

ADD PERSONALITY WITH ART

People often buy wall art for display in the living room, bedroom or hallway, but follow Francesca’s lead and hang it in the kitchen too. Francesca has featured just a few monochrome prints to complement the neutral scheme in the space but why not add a much-loved handwritten recipe, family photos or a chalkboard wall that you can decorate with a display of doodles, to-do lists and messages. If you don’t want to decorate walls, prop up prints on worktops, on top of cupboards or stick them to the front of the fridge.

FREE UP WALL SPACE

By keeping wall cupboards to a minimum, Francesca was able to reclaim a real sense of space in the kitchen. ‘Our rustic-look peg rail gives us a handy place for utensils that we use every day,’ she says. If you need wall cupboards for extra storage, consider having floor-to-ceiling designs on just one side, like Francesca. That way you’ll minimise the space you take up elsewhere in the kitchen.

AT FIRST LIGHT

Plan your lighting scheme early so your electrician can track the walls for the power points you need. ‘Our mix of lighting – we’ve got downlights, wall lights and pendants – means we can have task lighting or create a more relaxed mood, like when we’re having dinner,’ says Francesca. Light fittings are also a great way to create a look whether you’re after something traditional or more contemporary; for a cosy feel, you can’t go wrong with candles.

‘The hardest part was knowing what order to do things in and of course, assembling flatpack with your partner isn’t always fun!’

‘The island has no appliances or a sink and the overhang on both sides means we can comfortably sit people around it for dinner,’ says Francesca. The couple would have liked a marble worktop, but the laminate was much less expensive and it’s easier to look after

‘I’m happiest with a neutral palette for the main theme in a room,’ says Francesca. ‘That way I can add a bit of colour and texture with accessories, plants or flowers and change the look without too much expense’

Style idea

Create a relaxed feel with curved accessories MY EXPERIENCE

We knew the kitchen space had potential, but changes were needed to make it work better for us. Among our main challenges was making the north-facing room feel bright and spacious without compromising on storage. It’s a Victorian house so none of the walls are straight and that was challenging too! To address the light issue, we knocked a double doorway through into the living room to borrow light from the south-facing room. We went for double doors because we wanted the downstairs to have a Parisian apartment feel, complemented by the chevron flooring. It wasn’t a huge opening, so we used a concrete lintel and didn’t have to fork out for an expensive custom RSJ.

We had to be strict with our budget, but shopping smart helped get the look we wanted. As much as we would have loved to go with real marble worktops, I think the laminate is a pretty good dupe and much easier to look after. We wanted a range cooker but we decided to get a five-ring hob and keep the ovens that were already here. It didn’t make sense to buy new ones for the sake of it.

Our old kitchen just had shelves and once something went to the

problem again, so we fitted lots of drawers. We deliberately tried to keep appliances and plumbing in the same place, or near enough, so that we didn’t have to move anything major.

Apart from the gas and electrical work, everything else was DIY. We’re not afraid to take on jobs we haven’t done before if it means we get to gain new skills. In fact, the DIY was one of the most satisfying aspects of the makeover. The hardest part was knowing what order to do things in, what was being delivered when and of course, assembling flatpack with your partner isn’t always fun! And as for our home’s wonky walls, we’ve learnt to live with imperfection – it’s part of its charm!

My shopping list

● Metod kitchen units, from £28; Sävedal White cabinet doors, from £20, both IKEA ● Square Edge White marble-effect laminate worktop, £566 for 3m, Howdens ● For similar door knobs, try the GoodHome Gomasio Brushed Gold cabinet handles, £6 for two, B&Q ● Tongue and groove cladding, £27.03 per sq m, Wickes ● Zanussi 74cm gas hob, £319, Safeer Appliances ● Elica Aplomb chimney cooker hood, £529, AO.com ● Vellamo Designer single bowl Brushed Gold stainless steel kitchen sink, £259.99; Harbour Icon Mono Brushed Gold kitchen mixer tap, £109.99, both Tap Warehouse ● Chamonix Butterscotch oak flooring, £36.95 per sq m, Luxury Flooring and Furnishings ● Olive Green cone shade wall light, £69, houseof ● Pleated shade pendant light, £79.99; for a similar peg rail, try the bird wood hanger, £12.99, both H&M Home ● For a similar mirror, try the Egg mirror, £54.90, BGASTORE ● Les Nymphes poster, from £8.95; Le Pouvoir des Fleurs poster, from £8.95, both Desenio ● Matisse Tête de Femme poster, from £6.25, Dear Sam Turn to p128 for stockist details