The decisions you make when renovating are invariably difficult. Everything you do, from choosing builders to hiring your home to choosing the perfect paint color is incredibly important – after all, you will live with the results for years to come.
Lucy Kirwan’s stunning pink and gray kitchen blends seamlessly with her bright and modern extension, but the design was one she sat with for months while deciding if she was brave enough to move on. She did, and the result is a spacious, sociable family room that had many parties before Covid 19 – and we’re sure to see many more. Lucy shows how she combined bold style and thoughtful touch to create a beautiful space.
Kitchen, Masterclass Kitchens via Studio 62 Kitchens, painted in vintage rose. Bar stool, Dunelm. Flooring, Monster Flooring. Try Pooky for pendant lights
(Photo credit: Future © Kasia Fiszer)
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The owner Lucy Kirwan, a detective inspector in a child protection department, her husband Craig, a police officer, their children Charlie, Matilda and Woody, and the dog Benji
The property A five bed Edwardian semi in Stourbridge, West Midlands
Project costs £ 95,000
“We had such a clear idea of what we wanted from our house when we started looking. With three kids, bedrooms were a big problem, ”says Lucy. “We have only ever lived in historic houses and we love the old features. And we love Stourbridge – we were very drawn to the schools. I discovered this house at seven o’clock one evening and then waited in the rain in front of the estate agent the next day for them to open for me to see. ‘
Tile back wall, mountain of tiles. Kitchens, painted in graphite gray
(Photo credit: Future © Kasia Fiszer)
‘The house is a purpose built five bedroom property which was a real draw. We liked that we didn’t have to do a loft conversion even though we knew we had to do the kitchen. Our budget for the house was more than what we paid for it, so we had a bit more time to play for the project itself. ‘
Pink stool, Aldi. Cabinet, Ebay. Armchair, made. Pillow, homesense
(Photo credit: Future © Kasia Fiszer)
“Originally, the galley-style kitchen was separated from the dining room, which had French doors to the garden. We decided to expand the width of the house to include a combined eat-in kitchen, blocking out the original kitchen and turning it into a utility room. In order to keep the project in the permissible development, we have extended it by a maximum of six meters – still shy of the extension from next door.
“We looked for offers but decided to go with our friend Jon, who is a builder. Since he worked out the plans and carried out the design work, we saved money by hiring a separate architect. He also had some great suggestions. We originally wanted to get into the room through the original kitchen, but Jon pointed out that it would be far more effective to open out from the larger dining room instead. It’s a bigger, brighter, and more effective way to see the enlargement. ‘
(Photo credit: Future © Kasia Fiszer)
“We made the rounds when deciding which kitchen to use, but I just wasn’t thrilled with what we saw. Some friends had a quote from Joe at Studio 62 Kitchens. I called and asked him to look for us too. I wasn’t sold to the marine kitchens I kept seeing, and when he asked if we’d thought of a completely different color, I loved it.
‘He suggested Pink. My husband Craig said “no way” but I loved it. I wasn’t sure if I was brave enough to hug and ahhed for months before settling on it – pink and graphite gray aren’t your usual color combination – but when we pulled it off I knew we had made the right decision . ‘
Walls painted in Card Room Green, Farrow & Ball. Cabinets and sinks, salvaged from an old kitchen. Worktop, worktop Express. Shelves, La Redoute. First aid cabinet, Garden Trading. “Wash” and “Dry” prints, Etsy
(Photo credit: Future © Kasia Fiszer)
“We bought things like appliances with our savings before construction began, which I wouldn’t recommend – we had to keep them somewhere, and at one point at six in the morning I was in the unfinished extension lifting the washing machine off the floor because of the Rain flooded in.
“We took out a second mortgage on the construction ourselves and went up about £ 10,000. We had a nightmare with the kitchen floor. The original was built on earth with no real foundations, so we had to dig everything up and relocate some – costs that we hadn’t taken into account. We had also done a lot of carpentry work – the utility work and bespoke skirting boards to connect them to the original dining room, for example. Joe, our kitchen fitter, also made us a bespoke range hood. Those were all additional hidden costs – but they were worth it for the higher quality finish. ‘
Dining table made from scaffolding boards. Chairs bought at auction. Orange pitcher, Oliver Bonas
(Photo credit: Future © Kasia Fiszer)
“A big question was how we would include the older part of the house in the extension. We kept many of the dining room’s original features including the cornice, picture rails and fireplace, but the opening into the modern space means it’s a mix of old and new. From behind, the pitched roof we designed for the extension looks like the original – and you can’t see the roof light – and the black steel doors look traditional. ‘
Custom Steel Doors, Drury Casement Co. Try Beliani for an outdoor table and chairs. Fruit stool, fallen fruits
(Photo credit: Future © Kasia Fiszer)
“I love historical objects and I like traditional colors a lot, but Instagram opened my eyes. I’ve always enjoyed interior design and I know what I think looks good, but when I saw what’s on Instagram I realized that anything is possible in your home. I’ve definitely gone against the grain with the kitchen, and that gave me the confidence to step out of the box for the rest of the house – I’m now shying away from creams and whites in favor of a bolder look. ‘
Pantry, The Cotswold Company
(Photo credit: Future © Kasia Fiszer)
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