Case Study Practical Magic

The idea of the kitchen as the heart of the home is an appealing one.

- Judy Diamond

The idea of the kitchen as the heart of the home is an appealing one. It’s probably what a lot of people have in mind when they talk about their ‘dream kitchen’ – a warm, convivial space where family and friends can gather to cook, eat and spend time together. Not surprisingly, though, turning the fantasy into reality can be difficult: kitchens must be functional rooms first and foremost, and too many happy, relaxed bodies can just get in the way, hampering the essential tasks of preparing food and clearing up, and making the place feel cluttered.

With some clever thinking, however, there are ways to reconcile these conflicting demands, as this kitchen, designed by Tracy Walker-Lewis of Callum Walker Interiors, demonstrates. It belongs to a family in Edinburgh, who turned to the Perth-based firm when they were extending their property. Full-height windows were being added to the rear of the house to open it to the garden and increase the amount of daylight reaching the main living space.