Here it is! My pretty-much-finished kitchen, in the South East London house we bought last summer. I just went to have a look at this blog post I wrote in February when the kitchen was half completed, with its 'before' pictures, and I couldn't believe how different it looks now compared to before we started the renovations, especially considering we didn't actually change the main kitchen cabinets. Here's a 'before' photo again, this time from the estate agent brochure when we bought the house:
BEFORE: Our kitchen as it appeared in the estate agent's brochure
I knew this kitchen was all about connecting it with the outside, while adding bright pops of colour for a kind of Wes Anderson-style effect. Clearly, pink and green was the colour scheme, but it wasn't until we added the Bert & May green zig-zag encaustic tiles and pink Siham glazed tiles that everything fell into place.
And yes, I DID go for Carrara marble worktops; yes they do have a tendency to stain if you don't wipe up spills fairly quickly; and no, I don't care a fig for the stainage - it just adds to the patina of family life. I'll treasure the memories evoked by my 40th party pink champagne bottle rings on the breakfast bar for many years to come.
Then it was just about styling it up with pink and green accessories (finally I found the perfect kettle and toaster - and those olive leaf cushions, echoing the olive tree in our garden...sigh!). So here you go - my favourite room in the house, in photos. For credits see bottom of post.
Photo: Jane Looker Photography
Photo: Jane Looker Photography
Photo: Jane Looker Photography
Photo: Jane Looker Photography
Photo: Susie Lowe
Photo: Susie Lowe
Photo: Susie Lowe
Photo: Susie Lowe
CREDITS: Gold Lucy counter stools, Bend Goods (they've just started stocking in Europe, so no more US import charges yay!)| Brass handles, Buster + Punch | Carrara marble worktops, Herringbone Kitchens (they fitted my tiles beautifully too) | Olive print cushions, Peony from QVC | Pink glass tumblers, Marks & Spencer | Pink glazed Siham tiles, Bert & May (gift) | Green/white Alalpardo encaustic tiles, Bert & May (gift) | Polished brass Minoan mixer tap, Perrin & Rowe | Faux pink roses, Peony from QVC | Faux wax flowers (mixed with the pink roses), Peony from QVC | Smeg pink kettle, QVC | Smeg pastel green toaster, QVC | Octopus stand and glass bowl, Culinary Concepts at QVC | My favourite champagne, Laurent Perrier Rose (left over from my 40th birthday party) | JBL pink wireless headphones (perfect for a kitchen boogy), QVC | Onjenu metallic jumpsuit, QVC
This post was sponsored by QVCuk.com as part of my paid partnership with them. As always, all thoughts, ideas, styling and obsession with pink champagne are entirely my own
