HOME + GARDEN
Ali Laslett & Her Suffolk Kitchen CONT .
How did being based in the States impact on the design planning ?
Ali and her kitchen designer , Lily , started preparations in the new year , but with oceans between them , you ’ d be forgiven for thinking that may be a trifle tricky . A weekly FaceTime call made the process miraculously smooth , and in fact , may have even made the design process more informative according to Ali . “ It was a funny old thing really ,” she recalled . “ I had a good look around the store at Christmas , knew that I wanted the Suffolk kitchen , and took samples and all sorts away with me , but I remember saying to Rupert , how is this going to work with thousands of miles between us ? But it did , beautifully . Every Tuesday we ’ d have our FaceTime call , and despite eight hours ’ time difference to contend with , it still worked . I ’ d be having my 8am cup of tea in California while Lily would be having her 4pm Canterbury version ! I looked forward to those calls so much .” And on the point of how it enabled the design process : “ Because it was on video , Lily could see my Californian home and I could show her around . It meant she could really see how I was living out here to better understand how we were going to get that to translate back at home .”
What was the property development brief / objective ?
Open-plan , spacious and communal is how Ali described the interior of her home in America . They were qualities that she wanted to really feel in her new Neptune kitchen , but was concerned how that
might work in a traditional Victorian property . And while there was a beach-like character , there was nothing overly styled or regimented about Ali ’ s way of decorating . She favoured eclecticism and a feeling of warmth and comfort . “ I dreamt of having a wood burner going and everybody being in the same space together – friends and family . We ’ re very sociable people . That was a key part of the brief I gave Lily really ,” Ali continued . “ Lily became a part of the kitchen . I couldn ’ t fault her . She pretty much moved in to make sure everything was perfect for us , and we were so grateful . It really felt like she wasn ’ t just trying to design a beautiful kitchen for us , but to respect our budget for the long-term and to create an investment . She said to me , you ’ ll still love this in 50 years , and I think she ’ s right .”
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