'Exposing the brickwork was a eureka moment!'

Updating a bland, badly designed kitchen was a priority for Stacey Hawkes, who chose bold colours and rustic touches to create a stylish and practical family space

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Stacey Hawkes and her husband Chris weren't looking to move, as their son was only six months old and they'd just finished a big renovation, ‘but when we saw this place, we got ‘the feeling’ the moment we walked through the door!’ says Stacey.

The family’s last home was modern so this Victorian property, with its original features, really appealed to the couple. However, as it had been empty for a while, it needed bringing back to life. “The potential for a stylish, sociable space in the generous kitchen-diner was obvious, but the previous owners had installed a small L-shaped kitchen with zero personality, and barely any cupboards or workspace,’ explains Stacey.

THE PROJECT

Stacey wanted a classic design to complement the age and style of the property, but that could also feature all the modern conveniences a family of five need. ‘An island was top of our wishlist as we love entertaining,’ she says. ‘Other must-haves were spacious pan drawers, easily accessible spice racks at either side of the cooker, and large larder storage units around the fridge-freezer, something we had in our last kitchen and found incredibly useful.’ Stacey had a vision of dark cabinets with a contrasting island, and her Pinterest board was full of navy kitchens. ‘I also took inspiration from coffee shops, bars and restaurants for the industrial feel I wanted to inject into the look,’ she explains.

WHAT WE DID