A New Kitchen For Christmas?
A kitchen is one of the most important rooms in the house and getting it right is critical. I’m dreaming of a new kitchen and offering up a few ideas.
Christmas is all about giving and one day I hope I’ll be given a new kitchen for Christmas. I grew up in a kitchen with an Aga, a table where we ate all of our meals and a dresser made by my uncle. Compared to many kitchens today, this was a simple room, but it was the heart of the household. My kitchen is small and narrow with no possibility of a table, aga or companionable space. I get on with it as best I can, but this doesn’t stop me dreaming of a new kitchen.
Of course to have the kitchen I really want, I need a new house to go with it. Because even a really clever design couldn’t make much more of the space we have. This isn’t going to stop me dreaming though.
My Dream New Kitchen
I spend, perhaps rather more time than I should dreaming about my ideal new kitchen, because you never know, one day it might just happen. In my book, it is the most important room in the house. Over the years my ideas have evolved, according to the kitchens I’ve seen and worked in. In essence, I remain, a traditionalist, however. It has to be practical: light and bright with easy to clean surfaces, but also homely and the place where everyone wants to hang out.
Down to a few details now. I’ll need plenty of accessible storage and please universe, deliver me a walk in pantry. As a lover of real food made from scratch, I have many jars, packets and tins, always jostling for space and usually hard to get at. I spent my childhood running wild on the moorland granite, so a granite worktop seems wholly appropriate and very practical too.
Although you can’t beat the delicious fragrance of homemade food wafting around the house, an extractor fan over the cooker would be great to keep humidity levels down. I’ve arrived at the stage in life when reaching up to a plate rack knocks spots off bending down and scrabbling around in a dark cupboard.
I can live without a dishwasher, but I’d love a double sink and it needs to be by a window. Preferably one that looks out onto an extensive and well tended garden. I did say it was a dream!
Better Living Fitted Kitchens
But then, I took a look at the Betta Living range of fitted kitchens. They have 46 stylish designs all made here in Britain, in their own factory. And suddenly, I had a whole heap of new ideas.
I’d not even contemplated having either my cooker or sink incorporated into an island unit, never mind both of them. My idea of a traditional table and chairs in the middle of the room wavered when I saw some of the more modern island units with accompanying stools. Decisions, decisions.
Oh and an eye level oven makes perfect sense. I particularly liked the cosy sitting space shown in the picture above and the vegetable baskets incorporated into the units as seen below.
Contemporary isn’t really my style. But there is something to be said for no handles to get in the way and inflict bruises on the over enthusiastic cook. Deep drawers to make pots and pans more accessible has got to be a good thing. Extracting some of my pots from the back of the cupboard is like an archaeological dig rather than a culinary undertaking. I could do without it.
If a new kitchen is more of a reality than a dream for you, Betta Living currently has some great offers. They have 36 older ranges which are being sold at factory direct prices. There are some real bargains to be had too. Ex-display kitchens are going for as little as £1.295. And if you’re quick enough off the mark, Black Friday will soon be here and Betta Living are offering 75% off all delivery costs and nothing to pay until 2017.
I’d love to know what your top must haves are for your new kitchen?
Disclosure: This post is written by me, but in association with Betta Living. As always, all words and opinions are my own. Photographs courtesy of Betta Living.
One day, I am sure you will get your kitchen!
I love my kitchen (which we had put in about 10 years ago as part of an extension), but we outgrew it as soon as we became gluten free and needed to house masses of new ingredients and equipment. Interestingly though, I couldn’t be without the original larder that was built into the house and which we preserved when we extended!
Thank you Kate. As you say, one day! I have always wanted a larder Kate. My kitchen has always been a bit too small for what I’ve wanted to do, but since I started blogging it’s become tiny!
What a pretty kitchen. It;s such an inspiring place for food blogging!
Thanks Rachel – which kitchen in particular caught your fancy?
I totally agree that the kitchen is the most important room in the house, we spend so much time in ours 🙂 Good luck with getting a new kitchen one day 🙂
Thanks Donna 🙂 When I’ve lived in places with big kitchens, it’s definitely the room everyone gravitates too.
I’d love any kitchen that would allow me to slide an Aga into. A couple of comfy chairs and like you a walk in pantry. Bliss. GG
If you’re going to have an aga GG, a couple of comfy chairs are a must.
Wow, there are some nice designs there! Love those comfy looking chair/stools at the breakfast bar, love all the lighting options (lighting is next on my kitchen hit list so I’m a little obsessed at the mo) and I must admit that going from my TEEEENY little old kitchen to my bespoke gigantic one I have now makes me a very happy girl indeed 🙂
Janie x
Oh yes, you have a fabulous kitchen Janie. I’m dead envious, even if you haven’t got the lighting sorted out yet 🙂
Betta Living please send me a new kitchen for XMAS.I will love you for like ever and ever and EVER>
Haha Bintu, it’s definitely worth a try 🙂
Fingers crossed Santa brings me one too… and I adore the green trim of the photographed kitchen, it’s beautiful!
Haha Emma, I think there’s a lot of crossed fingers going on 😉
Oh how pretty! My dream kitchen will probably remain a dream, too. At least for now. 🙂
Still, it’s good to have dreams Lydia. They are what keep me going 🙂
For me, it has to be third picture. I love how fresh and bright it looks! And I really hope you get your dream kitchen real soon. For now, you made all of us wish for one 🙂
Yes Richa, I’m craving fresh and bright right now as I look out of the window into the grey murk. Thank you for your kind wishes and I hope I haven’t cast around too much kitchen envy 😉
Your dream kitchen will come Choc, one of these days.. I am with you on the walk in pantry and I would like it to be a proper one that’s cold and has cold shelves so I can keep things in there that would benefit from not being in a fridge but can’t sit on a side in a lovely, warm kitchen. An original range or bread oven that I can mess about with would be good too, but unlikely somehow.
Thanks Kath. Yes, I’m with you on a proper cold pantry, preferably with slate shelves. And of course you need a bread oven – don’t stop dreaming!
A new kitchen – dreamy dreams…! I love my kitchen but it came with the house so I had no hand in designing it. If I ever get to design my own, it will be HUGE and super space-efficient with the music speaker system built in (rather than taking up counter space!) and far more storage for pots, pans and spices. I’ve always wanted a centre island!
Oh yes Jeanne, a built in music system would be a great addition – with radio a must. My uncle used to have one in his kitchen and it was fab. As for storage, I think we always want more of that.
I’ll give it a try and place it in my Christmas list, it might happen!
Haha, exactly Claudia. You just never know what Father Christmas might bring along 😉
Sorry for my down to earth comments: if you can avoid installing a fan, do so. The noise, even if it’s on low, is very irritating and atmosphere-spoiling. Opening a window works just as well and leaves in fresh, healthy air. Do not put any sort of ‘island’ in your kitchen. It may soon become a – non-movable – nuisance. Stick to a wooden table and chairs: much more practical and ‘heart-of-the-house-like’. An eye-level oven seems nice but you’ll soon wish it’d be lower when you want to take your bakes out of it. My friend now as an oven at eye-level, so I know what I’m talking about. If you still decide to have one, make sure that the door opens to the side and not towards you !
My own kitchen is not very big, but relatively simple and practical and with quite lot of storage space. The fridge is small, the working spaces are not big either but made of hard natural stone, and most important: the window looks out on my flower garden which is quite well tended and filled with an abundance of all kinds of flowers for at least 8 months a year. Even though we have had it installed for over more than 15 years ago, I wouldn’t think like to change anything in the next 15 years. It was a made-to-measure-kitchen which we ordered through the internet and not at all expensive, considering the materials that were used. For those who are thinking of moving to The Netherlands: our house is for sale.
I love your down to earth practical comments Henk. In actuality I have my kitchen so well designed in my head I know exactly what I’d have in it. It’s quite practical, but also homely. It has a table and a normal floor oven. BUT it definitely has a fan over the cooker. It’s not as though pots are bubbling away all day long, so it wouldn’t need to be on very much. Our climate is so damp, that opening the window doesn’t help a lot. That’s what I do now of course, but it’s not ideal.
Oh my goodness I am SO with you. I would take ANY Of these in a heartbeat! My kitchen is SO small with terrible storage! These are all so stunning.
They are beautiful aren’t they Tracy and all for large spaces. It’s hard to design for small kitchens when you want lots of storage and bench space, as I do.
My kitchen is quite a small space as well. But is badly designed and could have been better and had more cupboards and space for an american fridge freezer. I do enter any competitions that I see for new kitchens.
I’ve never seen a competition for a new kitchen Elaine. How fabulous to win one.
I often dream of a new kitchen and what it would be like! 🙂
I suspect we are not alone Cindy. In an ideal world every cook should be able to design their own kitchen I reckon.
I would take any one of those kitchens!! They are all beautiful and each one is so bright and cheerful. I certainly hope you get your Christmas wish!!
Thanks Marisa. That’s very kind of you. I live in hope 😉
WOW! All those kitchens are absolutely insanely gorgeous! I think an island / place for people to sit while I’m making cocktails or baking would be the most important thing for me! And all those amazing little touches like soft close drawers too
I think I need to come and sit at your island so I can be passed a cocktail or two Kerry 😉
I love our kitchen and we only did it a couple of years ago but I just wish we had more storage space… I think I need to find a magic third dimension!
I’m still waiting for that promised post about your kitchen Dom???
I love the sleek handle-less lines. I’d love a new kitchen, but the main problem is the size of the one that I have and the lack of space for all my pretty props.
You are not alone Helen. I can never find my props when I need them. So somewhere to keep them easily accessible and on display would be fantastic.
Gosh, love the look of these kitchens! So modern and well made.
My kitchen is quite old now and falling apart in places but I have plenty of cupboards which is very important in the kitchen.
I really like the look of the second kitchen so contemporary!
They are indeed lovely Alida. You’re lucky to have plenty of cupboard space, but it sounds like the time is drawing near for you to be thinking about a new kitchen!
The 4th picture is my DREAM kitchen! I love how this kitsch is cosy but spacious. And the counter in the middle is very convenient to work on 🙂
The two level unit is a clever design in that one Diana. I shall cross my fingers for you that one day you will get your dream kitchen 🙂
Oh I’m off in a dream now! I’d love the cooker in an island unit so that everyone could gather round more easily and I wouldn’t have my back to people when I’m cooking!
Oh yes, good idea Chris. We lived in a house with an island unit for a couple of years and it was brilliant having friends over and everyone getting stuck in together with the food preparation or just chatting.
I’d love one of the couple of top kitchens – an aga and some substantial cupboards – so many modern kitchens look like they would blow away in the wind. And some pale green would be very nice on the cupboards. Friends of mine have the side of one cupboard painted with blackboard paint for their lists – I think I might like this or even a pinboard for notices. And a drawer for spices. Oh I could have fun designing a kitchen but I don’t have much space either – just dreams!
Dream are important Johanna and you just never know. I love the idea of a blackboard on one of the cupboard side panels, but you would most definitely need some green somewhere 🙂
I have kitchen dreams, too. My kitchen, though still small by most standards, is finally large enough that I don’t turn into Mommy Dearest while I’m cooking. That said, it’s very orange. I would love to switch out the tile and floor to something more neutral.
I’m trying to imagine what a very orange kitchen might like Christine. Hope you manage to get the tiles sorted in the not too distant future.
Totally kitchen envy with this post. I live in a flat and so I have an open plan kitchen/ dining/ living room and I do love that aspect but it does restrict what I can have in there. I hope you get your perfect kitchen one day x
Ah, thanks Rhian. In actuality I’d be happy with an imperfect kitchen, if only it was bigger. I can see there are advantages to living open plan, but I guess you miss out on wall space.
I dream of new kitchen and can only drool over gorgeous kitchens like this as a new one is not on the cards sadly.
Never give up hope Camilla – that’s what I try to do anyway.
Oh my goodness Kitchen porn! I love the more country kitchen look but I’d be so happy with any of these!
Actually Sisley, I don’t think I’d say no if I was offered any of them either, even if it wasn’t quite my ideal 😉
i like in a small apartment with smaller kitchen too, so i heard the pain about storage..these are some really nice kitchen designs.
Ah yes, I think storage is a critical point for many Dixya.
Oh Choclette I’m in kitchen heaven! They are all so beautiful. Like you, a new kitchen will have to wait until we actually have a house to put one in! BUT with a little luck that will be sometime in 2016 so I’m bookmarking this page until then…
For me, I think clever use of storage space is key. In our rental flat a lot of storage space in corners is wasted. And I love those super low kick drawers too. I’ve got metres of wasted space under my current cupboards!
Gosh, how very exciting Emma. A new house in which to put a new kitchen doesn’t seem so very far off – hooray! I know what you mean about wasted storage space, it’s so annoying.