QUOTES FROM RICHARD, THE DESIGNER

There were several challenges with this project. It is a very old building, which needed a lot of work before we could fit the kitchen. The room (formally a garage) was just a shell when I first visited Mr and Mrs W. The walls were being worked on and the floor had been dug up to lay pipes, so I expected my initial measurements to change. The floor was eventually higher and the left-hand wall thicker than first anticipated. Due to the state of the room, Mr and Mrs W found it hard to visualise the finished kitchen, so when I showed them the first plan and computerised images from each angle they made several changes, finally having a reference point to work from. 2 windows were added to the back wall, which I think are a great addition. Mr and Mrs W already owned an Aga and once the position of this had been agreed, everything else was planned around it. However, when the Aga was moved into place it was 80mm off-centre, which meant alterations to the units either side. Because the walls of this kitchen are not at 90 degrees, special attention needed to be given to the corner units to make sure the doors would open fully. The sides of the island also needed to replicate the angles of the walls. The double butler sink chosen by Mr and Mrs W weighed a lot more than your average sink so we reinforced the base unit to make it capable of taking the load. What do you like about your kitchen? I can come in here and relax after a stressful day at work. It's really great for dinner parties and Christmas because there is so much space for serving and plating up. My favourite appliance is the steam oven. It's amazing! You can cook everything in it! And the warming drawer - it's so useful, especially at Christmas. Oh, and the hot water tap is brilliant - I don't know how I managed without one now!