Were there any surprises in the design process ?
Other mentions on Ali ’ s kitchen wish list included a double Belfast sink , complete with waste disposal (“ I can ’ t fathom how they aren ’ t as popular in the UK as they are in the US ,” Ali puzzled ), an oak work surface in at least one section , lots of texture and a few contrasting colours , and what she referred to as “ a sort of dresser affair ” ( which Lily created either side of the cooker using countertop cabinets with open shelves ). There were plenty of aspects that she hadn ’ t realised she wanted until Lily introduced them , such as her floating Buckland shelves . “ I absolutely love them ,” she said , beaming . “ I have these hidden LED strip lights behind them that give off the nicest glow . Sometimes I just have those on and nothing else . I don ’ t have anything of great interest on those shelves but they ’ re one of my favourite bits of the kitchen .” Ali had also initially wanted an island like she had in California , but they later decided to change that to a large kitchen table . “ This was a different home , with a different feel , and the table felt like a natural evolution that did the same job that I wanted the island to perform , but in a more fitting way . I loved it so much I ended up having the lighter oak Arundel for the kitchen and the darker Arundel for our dining room .”
How do you feel about the end result ?
“ My kitchen has fulfilled every wish and want I could ’ ve imagined . We left with young children and returned with young adults , and so this is a totally different home now . It ’ s a grown-up ’ s home , and the renovation had to reflect that . It ’ s an absolute joy for us and for them . They get their bellies filled and we spend time as a family here , even if we are all on our phones . Such is modern family life !”
What ’ s your favourite thing to do in your new kitchen ?
“ To sit , put the wood burner on and have a cup of tea . Or , more importantly , a glass of fizz with my friends with a curry bubbling away on the stove . That ’ s me all over really . I love to cook and entertain .”
What ’ s your favourite part of the new kitchen and why ?
“ The Quooker tap – it ’ s revolutionised my life ! To begin with , I missed the ritual of putting a kettle on but that went within days . I said to my family , we ’ re nuts ! Why didn ’ t we ever have one before ! I also love my new storage system . Gone are the days of having 75 tins of out-of-date beans . Now I can see exactly what I have in , so nothing goes to waste anymore .”
What could you now not live without ?
“ My kitchen table . It brings everyone together and the Mowbray chairs in Elliot Granite remind me of my Scottish roots . There ’ s something about the textile that just feels very Scottish . And they ’ re so comfortable that you just don ’ t want to get out of them .”
What ’ s next ?
“ Absolutely nothing ! We ’ ll be unpacking the last of the boxes and then we ’ re going to settle down in our new family home . Heaven .”
To book your virtual home design consultation visit www . neptune . com / canterbury .
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