Decoration & Inspiration: Room Rescue - Kitchen

My cottage kitchen is so pretty now!

Emily Penkett, 27, is a teacher and has lived in her cottage in Essex for two years. She had decorated the rest of the house, but was unsure of what to do with the tiny kitchen. It seemed to pose too many problems she didn’t know how to solve. As a keen hostess, she had invested in a big cooker to cater for dinner parties. However, the room’s dimensions seemed to leave little space for much else. Storage was essential for keeping the room clutter-free and she was keen to avoid the ‘country pine’ look, but was nervous about doing anything different.

Problems to solve

There was not enough storage
The ceilings were too low for rows of floor and wall cupboards as it would have left the room feeling like a tunnel. We needed to give Emily some streamlined solutions.

Walls were painted with emulsion
As this type of paint can’t be scrubbed clean, it’s hopeless in a kitchen, especially when used behind a cooker or tap where it needs regular wiping.

The units were broken
There was damage to the carcasses, as well as the door and drawer fronts, so they needed to be replaced. We could have considered simply changing the fronts, but the carcasses were in such bad condition that we had to start from scratch.

It was in a dated style
Emily didn’t like the chintzy décor in the room as it felt too old-fashioned and she wanted to avoid the traditional country style. However, she couldn’t imagine a modern look working.

Room rescue solutions

Keep a small space light and fresh
Pale colours keep an airy feel in the room. Anything too dark on these walls would have made it feel smaller and cramped.

Add a pretty blind
Polka dots have timeless appeal and add a gorgeous, girlie feel to the room. Be brave with accessories like this as they add wow factor. Emily said she would never have chosen this on her own, but now she loves the look.

Choose open shelving
To keep the room feeling spacious, open shelves are a neater and less oppressive option than wall units; they’re not as bulky and still provide vital storage space.

Coordinate your surfaces
Too many different elements in a room can make it feel cluttered. By using similar colours on the worktop and floor, there is a sense of uniformity. The slate grey flooring is more practical and has a traditional feel.

Top tips:

Choose practical surfaces
In any small room, use pale colours and reflective surfaces to bounce light around to maximise the feeling of space. In other areas, mirrors will add to this effect.

Add colour with smaller items
When you have a simple colour scheme, add splashes of something more vibrant through accessories like storage jars, mugs or linens.

Create the ‘wow’ factor
Give your kitchen a feature to draw the eye, like a pretty blind or Emily’s impressive cooker. It’ll give your space instant pizazz!

What does Emily think...?

I love the fact the kitchen has both traditional and modern touches and, although it's really practical for cooking, it has a soft, welcoming feel, too. I have everything at hand and my friends are really envious of how it looks - I'm delighted with the transformation!