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Ideal Home
Ideal Home
Holly Cockburn

Why I'd never choose a south-facing kitchen as a Kitchen Editor – the alternative orientations that will deliver a sunny, but cool cooking space

A modern yellow kitchen with white worktop and matching kitchen island.

The term 'south-facing' holds a huge amount of prestige when it comes to our homes. 'It has a south-facing garden' is brandished around by eager estate agents while we dream of lazy afternoons spent languishing under the sun - but as this week's heatwave has shown us, this old adage might not hold much value anymore in 2026.

A south-facing kitchen is viewed just as highly as our outdoor spaces - as the heart of the home, a bright, light-filled kitchen might be just enough for you to say 'we'll take it'.

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