Thought for food

Interior designer Kimberley Richmond, of Beautiful Spaces, tells us how she recreated the kitchen of her client’s Cape Town home

CLIENT

I was looking for a timeless look and feel for my new kitchen. One of my limitations was that the house was painted and tiled with the same palette throughout when it was bought, so I had to use that palette and make my kitchen fit in with it.

BEFORE The client wanted a timeless look and feel for the new kitchen in her traditional southern suburbs home, which would fit in with the palette of the rest of the house.

DESIGNER

The house has quite a traditional southern suburb, Cape Town, feel so I couldn’t go too modern. My client likes to cook and entertains a lot, so the design had to work with that. I wanted it to be convenient, easy for her and family to move around in and practical in terms of cooking.

The main kitchen felt too spacious and I felt an island would make it more complete. We also created a mini “bar” area for her husband from where to serve drinks as they like entertaining. I also made the oven area with spice racks, pullout drawers and all requirements close at reach.

I added wood, and a hint of grey as a finish, to make it look less sterile. The scullery was divided by a gorgeous barn door in charcoal to separate the main kitchen and to allow that to be the coffee station/cleaning area.

ADVICE

Have your list of requirements before you design. Look at the size of your family and make life convenient. Have your wish list and design around that. A good kitchen design is one of the biggest investments in your home so it needs to be right.

My client likes to cook and entertains a lot, so the design had to work with that

AFTER The designer used wood, and a hint of grey as a finish.

AFTER A centre island was added to the kitchen which was designed to be convenient, easy to move around in and practical in terms of cooking.