Before and after: this contemporary kitchen makeover brought a family together

The owner’s main focus for the new extension in this three-bedroom Victorian end-of-terrace was to create a large multi-functional kitchen/living space that worked as the varying needs of her family.

Get more inspiration for your next project with our kitchen ideas

'The existing space had a  cheap and cheerful green fitted kitchen with a brown tiled floor which, although usable, wasn’t to our taste. It was too small for the open-plan way of living we envisaged. Food is a big thing in our home – both in terms of bringing people together and for my work as a food writer and stylist – so creating a space that got the balance right for both worlds was essential,' the owner revealed.

'I had my heart set on a modern-eclectic look with sleek, white gloss units and resin worktops for a contemporary feel. The project took around two and a half months to complete and cost around £50,000 in total including all structural and building work. The hard work and months of planning has certainly paid off and the kitchen is now the heart of the house, both for my work and for the family.’

‘One of my requirements for the new kitchen design was to have all the appliances built-in for a neat finish’, the owner outlined. 'The storage unit around the fridge-freezer makes great use of the space to hide clutter.’

Continuing she added: 'The patterned floor contrasts against the sleek units to make a playful feature in the room’.

‘I chose a bold chevron design to work with the clean lines and the large-format tiles make the space feel bigger.’

Get the look
Buy now: For a similar fridge-freezer, try the Samsung RS3000 American fridge-freezer in clean steel, £1,039, AO.com
Buy now: For a similar oven, try the Neff N50 slide & hide single oven, £569, AO.com
Buy now: Porcelain colour block oak-white blend tiles, from £81.60 per square metre, Mandarin Stone

The owner picked up the solid wood dining table for just £60 on eBay and upcycled it to fit in with the new scheme. 'The mahogany wood was too dark for the room, so I sanded and painted the legs for a splash of yellow'.

The cluster pendant originally had six shades but owner had two removed to make individual pendants over the island.

Get the look
Buy now: Eiffel Style Retro DSW Plastic dinning chairs, £24.95 each, eBay
Buy now: Drop One six-pendant white light, £795, both Original BTC
Buy now: Hector Flowerpot Small Wall Light - Switched, £95, Inspyer Lighting

A copper sink and matching mixer tap add a bespoke edge to the contemporary kitchen units. ‘As the sink sits in the middle of the island, I wanted a statement tap as the focal piece’, says the owner.

Get the look
Buy now: Smeg UM45RA undermounted kitchen sink single bowl in copper, £253.93, Amazon
Buy now: Nobili single-lever Charlie sink mixer tap in copper, £352.75, FAB Appliances
Buy now: Apollo Slab Tech worktops in Marmo Crema, from £268, Solid Surface Kitchens Direct

The dresser is one of my favourite pieces in the new kitchen’, revealed the owner. ‘I sourced it for a bargain price of £80 on eBay and revamped it with a lick of paint. It now suits the nautical-feel of the wood-clad wall behind.’

Get the look
Buy now: Pajaki Chandelier (The Midnight Hour), £119, Wandalust
Buy now: Now Clock (black/copper available), £35, Monoqi 

‘I love to collect unusual pieces from our travels and hiding them away in cupboards felt like a waste’, explains the owner. 'They give the kitchen a personal touch and add an eclectic edge to balance out the modern look of the units.’

Get the look
Buy now: Solid Oak Wood Wooden Shelf Shelves Floating Rustic, from £10, eBay
Buy now: For a similar vase, try the Table Vessel Vase in honey, £86.99, Castleton Home at Wayfair
Buy now: Monastir white gloss decorative and glazed tiles, from £41.60 per square metre, Mandarin Stone

‘We decided to keep the steel beam exposed to add character to the new space’, says the owner. ‘I painted it in Farrow & Ball’s Railings exterior metal paint to match the colour of the bi-fold frames.’

‘I wanted to give this bare wall some character and was inspired by a shiplap-clad cottage we stayed in on a trip to St Ives’, the owner continues. ‘The white finish keeps it bright and the texture isn’t overpowering in the room.’

Get the look
Buy now: Reina Colona 3 Column Vertical Radiator 1800mm H x 200mm (White), £91.49, Radiator World

Buy now: Try Fully Finished MDF Cladding 12x94x900mm, £22.76 per square metre, Wickes

More kitchen makeovers you'll love: Before and after: from cramped cooking space to smart navy galley kitchen

Reflecting on the kitchen makeover, the owner offered up this pearl of wisdom: 'Have the vision 
for your project 80 per cent decided before you begin, and let the last part unfold organically, so you can 
tweak the final scheme.'