We're hearing a lot about sustainability at the moment and that includes homeware, so it's no surprise that it's something many companies are putting a lot of thought into. If you're looking ahead to try and gauge what the kitchen trends for 2024 are, then you may want to put sustainable furniture on your radar – and we're here to show you why.
When Irish TV chef and food writer Donal Skehan was considering a new kitchen, there were a few challenges he needed to consider. Firstly, Donal and his family have plans for a thoughtfully considered full renovation and extension in the coming years, so it was vital that the interim kitchen could adapt later down the line.
Donal needed a design that would cater for family life, as well as create a photogenic space for his recipe creation and filming. 'I was very clear that I didn’t want to put in a new kitchen only to rip it out again when we did the extension,' he says.
Sustainable kitchen makeover
Donal's home is set by the coast, just outside Dublin, which is what first attracted the family to the 1930s cottage. In fact, it's so close to the sea that the garden wall reaches up to the sandy dunes.
Talking to architects about how they might eventually create their dream home while respecting the legacy of the original building, Donal and his wife Sofie knew that they needed a workable kitchen for the foreseeable future.
Step in Neptune, who took on the challenge and began carefully planning and considering the makeover, keen to meet Donal's long list of kitchen must-haves. 'I was sold the minute the Neptune design team told me that the cabinets are individual pieces of furniture and could be repurposed at a later date,' he recalls.
Settling on the Suffolk kitchen with its clean lines and elegant simplicity, Donal and Sofie's new room works well both practically and aesthetically. Well laid-out spice drawers, concealed bins, backlit cupboards and a pantry cupboard with adjustable shelves offers all-important storage.
Painted in Neptune's Cactus eggshell, the cabinetry is a beautifully deep, relaxing green colour. 'It's a game changer,' says Donal. 'It fits so well with the cottage's aesthetic.'
'All the functional details in the kitchen have made life easier, and you don’t get to experience that until you are in the space and using it,' says Donal. 'As a new homeowner, going into these projects with builders and decorators can be daunting, but we had an exceptional experience with the Neptune team. Everything we wanted was discussed and translated into what we see now and have planned.'
Although a compact space, the room doesn't feel crowded in any way, largely due to the cabinetry being used at the base level and open kitchen shelving ideas used on the upper walls.
And, of course, with each piece being made from sustainably sourced timber, guaranteed to last a lifetime, the couple can be reassured they are pieces they can use again when they reconfigure the kitchen further down the line.
Working closely with Donal and Sofie, Neptune’s design team were able to maximise the layout and functionality of the space and they positioned the farmhouse table (which Donal purchased at auction 15 years ago) as a continuation from the kitchen with a fitted Buckland bench seat.
'Seeing the kitchen table I bought so long ago make it into our final home and fit so well is really pleasing,' says Donal.
Has this inspired you to look for longevity when choosing your kitchen furniture?
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