Creating a kitchen that is both functional and organised is something I get asked for a lot. Elegant interior designs don’t often easily translate into practical spaces so it’s always a challenge I love to take on, particularly within country houses.
There is never a one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to kitchen storage. It’s always a question of being inventive with the space you have available. I like to keep all kitchen appliances out of sight and in one space, creating a cupboard for everything is a brilliant way of keeping my equipment together, organised and tidy.
Open shelving is a trend I am seeing more and more of for this year. It’s a look I love but something that needs styling and organisation. To achieve this, try ‘shelf-styling’ by labelling your jars in a uniformed manner so as to create a clean look, something that can save you time when you’re cooking! Add cookbooks and greenery to break up the space and leave it looking fresh and stylish. As a finishing touch, I’ll add some luxury decorative accessories to elevate the room.
Create shelves on the inside of the cupboard doors to maximise on space. I like to do smaller shelves to keep all of my spices in order. It’s also a great place to put oils and vinegars and to tidy away those cereal boxes.
I find that adding personal touches can really help finish rooms, particularly kitchens. In my cottage in the Lake District, I have a lovely collection of eclectic chopping boards that I have picked up over the years. I also like to engrave drawers with categories of their contents such as ‘grains’ or ‘bread’ which helps with decluttering and speeds up searching for items when running around the kitchen.
I designed the boot room in my Lake District cottage ‘Little Nut’ with great care. Previously an unused slate outhouse, careful refurbishment has transformed it into a really super boot room with lots of storage space and a specialist welly warming wall rack which is amazing after a day of hill walking.
My mantra is: ‘A place for everything and everything in its place’, a well organized boot room needs to have every detail considered and personalized to fit your life and the demands of your family. I love these oak dog lead holders I commissioned from Oak and Rope Company, fun and practical.
Boot rooms can often appear dark and cluttered, I love a light soft grey/ blue cabinetry colour. Especially when paired with bronze ironmongery and a light top and backsplash. Similar paint colour to the one I chose for Little Nut are Farrow and Ball Lulworth Blue and Parma Gray.
A good sized underhung Belfast sink is a must for cleaning boots and even small dogs. A boot room makes a terrific secondary space for flower arranging and laundry, I specified a tap by Waterworks to ensure maximum ease when using the sink.
It’s important to have a bench area for putting on and taking off shoes, add storage under seating, here I chose pretty wicker baskets which are perfect for storing thick hiking socks. Pretty cushions add an attractive detail these are from Perennials.
I couldn’t write this newsletter without paying tribute to my boot room at home in the Oxfordshire countryside. Shelving and storage is key here because of my three boys and all the clutter that comes with them. Open shelves with wicker storage baskets and boxes are a fantastic way of hiding socks, scarves and hats whilst making them accessible.
KP
