Living the Dream T
That’s why for many self builders the design and ambience of a kitchen will often be integral to the rest of the home and therefore plays the most significant role in the development of its interior design. So, equipped with the right house, you now
he kitchen is probably the most used and important room in the house, a place for eating, meeting and relaxing, and is often regarded as the hub of any home.
want the dream kitchen. However, as your needs and requirements are unique to you, not just any off-the-shelf design will do. You want a kitchen that is going to suit your home, tastes and lifestyle. It needs to include tailored specifications, incorporating your cooking and storage needs.
“Where to begin when there are so
many interior designers and showrooms offering bespoke design solutions?”
Often, when searching for a bespoke kitchen, one place immediately springs to mind, Wigmore Street in London’s Mayfair, more affectionately known as ‘kitchen alley’. Stephen Boad, Managing Director at Intervari, has been in the industry for over 15 years and is a highly experienced kitchen design specialist and expert in bespoke kitchen creation. “One thing that my time in the trade has taught me is that people are increasingly unhappy at being offered
Stephen Boad, Managing Director at Intervari, advises on the use of a kitchen design specialist when deciding on a bespoke kitchen.
generic kitchens with predictable and tired design and functionality. The bespoke option is our clients’ primary need when detailing and planning an interior space.” explains Boad. “When looking for a bespoke kitchen, an
experienced designer will design and build it to specifically meet your living requirements. This requires a clear understanding the clients brief,” he continues. “My recommendation to all self building clients would be to source a professionally run organisation that offers continuity of service, from the inception through the design process and ultimately to the manufacture and installation, by highly skilled tradesmen.”
They have the ability to transform a room with immediate effect; from brightening up a ‘dull’ room, to enhancing the look and feel of the kitchen worktop to add depth and dimension. There are several ranges of finishes and designs, from the contemporary high-gloss, clean-lined Italian or German manufactured brands, which include Metris, Rot Punkt, Poggenpohl and Boffi, to handmade traditional designs, utilising timber or hand-painted finishes to the client’s specifications.
Using a kitchen design company gives the self builder peace of mind, ensuring that all areas of the project are catered for from the consultation stage through to completion. There are benefits to engaging a company who are able to offer a full turnkey design and build solution, incorporating construction, mechanical and electrical services, lighting design and supply, audio visual systems, air conditioning and ventilation. Stephen explains, “Indeed, many self builders are now looking to enhance their homes with the latest functionality and equipment offered by the Audio and Visual industry into their kitchen spaces to create a unique and truly bespoke area. Often these incorporate integrated coffee makers, electronic drawers, temperature controlled drinks storage and media centres.” Trends in colour and texture are also an obvious key factor in today’s kitchen design.
lifestyles can also be a minefield with many different materials to choose from. These include timbers such as walnut, wenge, oak, ebony, beech, iroko, black American walnut, maple, zebrano and cherry, to natural products such as marble, granite, silestone, corian and quartz. “When choosing your worktop, think about your lifestyle. For example, marble looks amazing, but is not as durable or hardwearing as granite and quartz is a popular choice for contemporary kitchens,” advises Boad. “Worktops can visually tie your design together to compliment or contrast to consolidate the rest of your design. “In summary, it is imperative that each project
needs to be meticulously planned, with your chosen design team working closely with you to produce an interior that reflects your lifestyle and individual requirements.”
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“Worktops visually tie a design together” The choice in worktops to suit different
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