Utilise Your Space Wisely – Derby Telegraph – 15 May 2014
It’s a time-honoured complaint of all homeowners: a growing lack of space. As with time, the more we have, the more we fill it. Hill Farm Furniture’s Jo Ashwin explains how kitchens often have more than enough space to satisfy even the most avid of hoarders; it’s just a matter of how you use it.
“Every home owner we speak to has the same initial worry,” says Jo, “They’re concerned that they simply don’t have enough space to accommodate all their functional cooking needs and still create a clean, uncluttered aesthetic kitchen.”
“In virtually every home we see, that’s never the case. But the trick is to see small spaces as a creative challenge, not a storage hindrance, which is why some of our most innovative projects involve making a large concept fit a smaller space.”
Cupboards and drawers are kitchen staples, of course, but even these can be manipulated. Bespoke folding cupboards, concealed bins and other space-saving solutions can make a huge difference to any new kitchen.
And one common complaint? White goods. Often ugly and unsightly, why spend time and money carefully creating your ideal kitchen for an out of place fridge or washing machine to ruin the ambiance of your home? There’s always a solution.
Take this unique kitchen in a listed Georgian house, for example. It is composed entirely of single pieces of furniture, rather than set rows of units. The result is a freestanding, open atmosphere that maximises space and draws the eye, flattering the period features of the home and concealing all the white goods.
All the custom-made cabinets are solid wood and finished with Farrow & Ball Elephant’s Breath and Manor House Gray for a cool finish. The worktops are an eclectic mix, ranging from ‘Kashmir White’ polished granite on the hob and island, to a deep, warm English Oak on the larder, sideboard and utility worktops. A mixture of White Bronze knobs complements this varied mix and cup handles to add depth and functionality.
“Whatever space you have available,” adds Jo, “it’s important to focus on ways to use it, not ways to fill it. With over 30 years of creating timeless, hand-crafted kitchens, Hill Farm Furniture can help you realise your home’s full potential.”
