I‘ve never much cared for fully-fitted kitchens. If there’s one thing I can’t stand it’s a white lacquered, slow-close, pull-out larder and don’t get me started on marble-topped kitchen islands. Perhaps it’s because I’ve never been able to afford one and I’m secretly resentful? The truth is I didn’t have a cooker for three years because I am so picky, I’d rather go without than have something I can’t stand the sight of.
But as I’ve matured so too has my little kitchen, which now boasts a full set of appliances and a sexy barista-style coffee machine no less. Yes, I’ve come a long way from boiling noodles in my kettle and storing my creepers in the kitchen cupboard days. It may have taken me 12 years but, like all good interiors, the key is to never rush — or compromise.
My pride and joy is The Leamington Flavel aka my oven. My mum found this utter masterpiece in a junk shop in Brighton. It probably dates back to the 1930s, and Hercule Poirot actually has the same one in his Whitehaven mansion flat. It bakes the best jacket potatoes ever. Aside from its marvellous cooking skills, it also happens to be a beautiful piece of design. I know sometimes old appliances can seem scary but really there is very little that can go wrong with them.
Vintage cookers can be picked from markets and junk shops all over the country. Make sure you get them safety checked and installed by a certified gas engineer.
I am a big advocate of mixing old with new. Let’s face it, who wants their kitchen to look like the set from Call the Midwife? Not me.
Modernity is a must, and nowhere more critical in my opinion than by way of an at-home coffee machine. Happily installed at mine is an all-singing, all-dancing Sage model. It’s a proper flash bit of kit that makes pretty much the best coffee I’ve had outside of Monmouth and it’s the perfect size for those of us with precious little counterspace.
Appliances aside, I like to think of my kitchen like any other room. And for me that means adding furniture. Rather than thinking of it as a whole fitted kitchen, it works best to break it down into areas. My kitchen is a typical tiny galley-style but I still wanted a little seating area so I cut an already small table in half and fixed it to the wall. I have a pair of tiny stools that slot in just perfectly underneath. Overhead cupboards are an absolute no-no in small kitchens, instead go for shelves or a vintage plate rack, a great opportunity to show off your crockery collection. Things hanging are also a great space saver. Just be careful not to get decapitated by your colander.
Don’t let size or purse strings hold you back. Kitchens are the perfect place to flaunt not just your cooking skills but your character, creativity and fabulous collections. Be a show-off!
