Kate Roach and her husband John love a party. So when it come to redesigning the kitchen in their home in Wansford, Peterborough, the top priority was to create plenty of space for socialising.

"Between John and I we have four children, so we're always a large group around the table before we've even started adding friends into the mix," says Kate. "Our original kitchen was really small for the size of the house so we decided to knock through and double the size of the space. It works so much better and it's lighter now, too."

A FLEXIBLE APPROACH

And so the search was on to find the right kitchen company to carry out the transformation. Kate considered a variety of different companies at different price points, but when she visited the Intone Design showroom she immediately felt at home. "It was great to see the quality of Intone Deisign's units and when I met Laura I felt she was on my wave length. She has a really flexible approach compared to some other kitchen suppliers. There were so many decisions to make, but Laura had lots of great advice and said I didn't have to decide on everything straight away."
In fact, Kate loved the showroom so much she actually chose the exact same design as one of Intone Design's room sets. "I bought the lot," says Kate. "Right down to the same colours and even the same flooring!"

ALL ABOUT ENTERTAINING

Kate loves to entertain, so top of the list for the new kitchen was a big island unit for friends and family to gather around, as well as space for a large dining table. "We wanted a kitchen with real wow factor," explains Kate, "but I cook a lot so I also wanted all mod cons. So we've got a boiling water tap, waste disposal unit and warming drawers in the oven. There's also a wine fridge in the island to make sure we never run out of cold drinks!"

Talking of drinks, one of the most successful elements in the new kitchen is the bespoke drinks cupboard which houses Kate's extensive gin collection. "I'm a member of a craft gin club so I receive a new bottle every month," says Kate. "You want to display them, but you don't want to look like a pub! So my cupboard is the perfect solution. It's so discreet that when John first saw it he thought it was a wardrobe!"

A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING

As well as looking beautiful with its pale, shaker-style units and brushed steel handles, Kate's kitchen has been carefully designed to incorporate as much storage as possible. "We have a tea and coffee cabinet in which everything can be shut away out of sight," says Kate "And we've got a big pantry cupboard for food storage."

The only danger with having such a calm and elegant space in which to receive guests is that the rest of the house doesn't get a look in. "We have a beautiful lounge and dining room but they don't get a lot of use these days," says Kate. "Everybody wants to be in the kitchen!"

But luckily, that's just the way she likes it. "We had a fantastic kitchen opening party which was so much fun," says Kate. "It's such a great feeling to have this room exactly as I want it. After years of struggling away in a tiny kitchen, I've finally got the kitchen of my dreams."

A FEW OF MY FAVOURITE THINGS

What do you love most about your new kitchen?

"Not only is it a really sociable space, it's also really easy to keep tidy. My old kitchen used to get in such a mess. I felt I was fighting with clutter all the time. But now everything had its own storage space and it makes such a difference."

What’s your favourite part of the new kitchen and why?

"It has to be the drinks cupboard. It blends in perfectly with the rest of the kitchen and when you open it up it's like having your own bar!"

What was the best thing about working with Intone Design?

"Because they're a small, family business they really listen and they go that extra mile. Tony, our fitter, was fantastic. When the kitchen was finished, he reinforced one of the shelves in the drinks cabinet and lined up all my bottles of gin on it! And then, as a thank you present, I received a beautiful gin hamper from Intone."

FACT FILE

Unit colours: Old White, Farrow & Ball
Island colour: Mouse's Back, Farrow & Ball
Worktops: Olympos Quartz
Flooring: Karndean in Distressed Oak

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