It is important that the rooms reflect the individual

THE challenge here was to redesign the layout of the kitchen. My client had recently converted the dining room into an office, so it was important to incorporate eating space within the kitchen.

New clients often want my help because they don't know how to use space and are not sure what to place where.

Everyone lives differently and it is important that I ensure each room works for the individual.

This particular property was a new build and fairly modern, but the kitchen wasn't big enough to have a breakfast bar.

To help "zone off" the cooking area from the seating and dining area, I added a peninsular. This gives a similar look to a breakfast bar, but has the advantage of space underneath for cupboards, or, as in this case, integrated appliances.

This means the appliances are well hidden, while the surface above is perfect for food preparation or to serve drinks and nibbles when friends visit.

A particular challenge was that the boiler was fixed to the end wall and protruded quite a bit. Since it couldn't be moved without extra plumbing costs, I built it into a storage unit, which hid the boiler and added cupboard space. Designed to look like cladding, this unit was effectively hidden.

I opted for fixed seats, which are a great space saver while the dining table was a bespoke item made by our joiner from the same wood that we used to clad the peninsular.

It's an inexpensive way of creating a social and comfortable area that's great for entertaining and for family use.

To help add warmth and a cosy feel, I added my trademark oversized drum light shades.

Changing your kitchen doesn't have to cost the earth and there are clever ways to keep the cost down without compromising on design, like using existing units.

I opted to keep the existing cupboards here, while adding a few new ones, for example the larder and corner units, and integrated all the appliances.

I had the cupboard doors made, then sprayed a colour that blended well with the wallpaper, and opted for a letterbox style cut-out handle to add detail and something a bit different to the room.

This is a really neat way of creating a bespoke kitchen and ensuring that the tones within one space work well together. Don't always assume it's cheaper to buy off the shelf.

I decided to go for wallpaper on all the walls. I used commercial wallpaper, which had a great texture. It almost looked like dragged silk, which had been printed.

As well as looking great, the paper is also very practical since it has a Teflon coating which is both moisture resistant and can be wiped clean; always useful in a house with children.

A refreshing change from the usual kitchen attire of tiles and painted walls, touches like this wallpaper help to create that individual look and make the space personal.

Everyone likes a bit of glamour, so I added it by using round chrome tiles for the splashback on the back wall. They are really easy to keep clean and always look like new. These were really easy to fit, too, as they came in large square panels.

I like to add as many different textures and materials as I can.

Because I had opted for dark walls and wood on the table and peninsula, I opted for chalky white Corian worktops as the natural light would bounce off the surface.

Meanwhile, the moulded sink helped to give a clean line.

Finishing touches included two small pendant lights over the peninsula, which look sleek and give off a dramatic light in the evening.

I placed different lights in separate areas, with spots in the kitchen for practicality, pendants over the peninsula and drum shades over the table to create atmosphere.

I had them wired to three different switches so each could be used independently.

For accessories, I added black and white photos for contrast on the walls and dotted clear glass vases with hydrangeas to bring a freshness to the room.

If you can't afford dramatic fresh flowers, there are great imitations around nowadays.

To bring the adjacent hallway into the kitchen/diner, I opted for bold paisley wallpaper in reds and dark aubergine. This helped draw the open-plan area together and provided a bit of wow factor.

Contact David Hutton Interiors on 01275 840315, email info@ davidhuttoninteriors.com, or visit www.davidhuttoninteriors.co.uk