Lizzy and Paul initially heard about System Six through a recommendation. However, they also knew they wanted to support a local manufacturing company which meant System Six Kitchens was already on their shortlist. They did some research and looked at a few other local companies, however they preferred System Six Kitchens.

The couple liked the System Six showroom, and how everything was on display. From the displays they were able to identify it was the Elegance kitchens they liked and knew straight away an in-frame kitchen was the style that would suit their home.

Lizzy and Paul worked with Anna to design their kitchen and choose elements that worked to their budget. Initially they requested both a quote for an in-frame and a more standard lay on kitchen, to gauge their options. When provided with this information, they were then able to work with Anna to economise their in-frame kitchen, whilst ensuring it maintained the same stunning effect. For example, one of the options Anna suggested to help them keep to their budget was choosing curved panels instead of curved corner cupboards as this would achieve the same look while keeping their costs down. It was suggestions such as these that assisted Paul and Lizzy in managing and planning their kitchen design.

Paul and Lizzy initially only chose System Six to provide their kitchen design and utility, however from working with Anna and having such a positive experience, they decided to approach her to assist them with incorporating fitted furniture within other areas of the home. They chose bespoke cabinets to feature within their living room, children’s playroom and study. Each cabinet was chosen and designed specifically to suit the room they would be installed in and with enough storage space to accommodate for their family and new home. This was especially relevant as their last home offered lots of storage, so they knew this was a key element they needed to include within their home, particularly for the long term.

They did look into including free standing storage; however, Lizzy and Paul chose the fitted cabinets as they knew fitted furniture would be designed in a size and a style that would suit them perfectly.

THE DESIGN

From the very first design that was sent over from Anna to Lizzy and Paul, the couple were impressed. Anna provided them with a design that was congruent with the kitchen they’d pictured having. They found they didn’t need to change the overall design, and only made small tweaks to perfect the design.

When it came to deciding what each room was going to look like, it was Lizzy who led the planning for the kitchen, utility room and fitted furniture in the playroom and living room. Paul focused on the study, as this would be the room that would be used the most regularly by himself.

The kitchen is the room they spend most of their time in together as a family, as well as the area they would regularly entertain in. Due to this, they wanted the kitchen planned so there was plenty of space to move around freely, in addition to accommodating their guests. The design was also created to be a practical area, as Lizzy cooks regularly.

As the kitchen will be such a prominent part of the family’s life, Lizzy and Paul wanted to choose a neutral design that would last. However, they were conscious to avoid grey, to keep the design light and include colour without being overbearing. In the end Lizzy found a Farrow and Ball colour scheme on Pinterest she liked which met their criteria and opted for this combination, making use of the Colour Match Service available within the Elegance kitchen collection.

When it came to designing the kitchen, there were a few areas Lizzy worked with Anna on, to ensure the kitchen design was created to their exact specifications. The first was designing a symmetrical effect around the AGA. On one side of the AGA the cabinets feature drawers, whilst the units at the other end of the configuration was created as a standard shelved cabinet. To overcome this and create a symmetrical appearance, Anna created a door using dummy drawer fronts to feature on the shelved cabinet and generate a duplicate appearance. Additionally, there were other storage areas within the kitchen that Lizzy worked closely with Anna on to ensure their kitchen would work seamlessly as part of their everyday life. By working so closely with Anna in detail, this ensured they would be completely happy with the way it looked. As storage was such a significant design element to the couple, additional storage was also implemented within the island, so the design was fully maximised.

In regard to designing the living room furniture, Anna knew the look they liked for the fitted cabinets, so she was able to suggest styles that fit in with their traditional taste. She knew they wanted coving around the top, so was able to design a cabinet to support this. Pete was able to build the furniture in the lounge and their carpenter put the coving around the top. Their carpenter also installed panelling around the cabinets. These additional decorative features were chosen as they wanted to ensure the cabinets did not look out of place within the living area.