I love sharing other peoples home renovations. In my opinion there’s no better feeling, than the sense of accomplishment when its all over and you can finally enjoy all the hard work and expense. All of the blood, sweat and tears which have gone into a project, or in most cases, the bad backs, stress and sleepless nights. Especially if you’re doing the renovation yourself or project managing it.

When home owners Helena & Martin moved to Chalfont St Peter, they took on a new project; A four bedroom detached 1970’s house with tones of potential to be a beautiful family home. The main focus was modernising the home with new fixtures, fittings and decor. First up, the kitchen.

Prior to the renovation the kitchen was dark, dated and the space wasn’t well considered. I’m sure Helena won’t mind me saying so, especially since she didn’t plan the last kitchen as it was inherited with the house. The renovation took eight weeks in total and involved knocking through from the kitchen to the dining room, opening up the space to let more light in.

The kitchen was carefully researched with multiple drawings drawn up by several different kitchen companies before settling on Erin from Burbidge kitchens.

Now Soft shades of blue, grey and white run through Helena and Martins new kitchen with an oak floor to contrast. The kitchen is shabby chic with a modern feel and the white walls keep it bright for the sun to reflect off the walls. The corbels were a lovely touch which added continuity to the colour scheme and Helena even managed to get the worktop company to cut extra pieces of quartz to create small shelves for house plants which is a lovely personal touch!

If you're planning a kitchen renovation, why not check out Helena’s tips below on creating that dream space.

BEFORE

Helena’s kitchen transformation. Looking to update your tired kitchen. Take a look at Helena’s hints and tips on planning a stress free renovation. Click for more info at www.houselust.co.uk

AFTER

Its all in the detail:

Corbels – adds continuity to the colour scheme, kitchen to diner. Helena used the same quartz as the worktops for the small shelf to go on top.
Large drawers in the units – are much easier to access everything stored within drawers, avoiding dead spaces at the back of cupboards.
Insinkerator taps – as constant tea/coffee drinkers, they now have filtered boiling water on tap. They opted for filtered cold water on the same tap as well.
Karndean flooring – an alternative to laminate or wood. It’s quiet and warm underfoot and a dream to maintain (Helena’s words)
Quartz sink – this matches the worktops, giving a seamless finish. It is also very easy to keep clean.

Helena’s renovation tips:

Take your time working out what you like/don’t like. Become a constant researcher, looking everywhere for inspiration – the usual magazines, brochure requests, online and showrooms. But also check out different shops eg homeware, gift shops, garden centres and places you visit eg coffee shops, stately homes, friends. Is there a colour palate that attracts you that could be used in your interior?
Ask friends, what works for them in terms of furnishings, appliances etc – you can always adapt/change their ideas to give your own personal spin.
Get organised. Keep a scrapbook of ideas and regularly review – have your ideas moved on?
Write a list of what you need to do – and prioritise/get things to happen in the right order
Shop around for the best prices. The dream kitchen might cost a fortune in a bespoke kitchen showroom. Is there an equivalent/similar online that’s cheaper? If so, check it out for reliability, quality and customer service. Check online reviews.
Order appliances well in advance, checking lead in time for delivery, ensuring you have everything ready for installations when needed.
Go for LED lights – so much cheaper in the long run.
For lighting, do you want a crisp white or a warmer light? It makes a huge difference on the overall ambience of a room.
Set a budget and try to stick to it – it’s so easy to spend more than intended!
Dust gets everywhere! Cover/remove as much furniture/objects as possible. It’s worth investing in dust sheets and prepare carefully in advance. Saves a lot of work in the end.