5 Ideas to steal from this practical kitchen

1. Design your island with two levels. The higher level provides a place to stand and work, while the lower level functions as a table. This allows the use of comfortable dining chairs as opposed to taller stools.

2. To ensure the cook is part of the conversation, place the oven and hob in the area where people tend to congregate, which in this kitchen, is the island.

3. To make your kitchen feel cosy and give it a decorated feel, add a bold rug.

4. Mix finishes on your cabinets for an interesting, contemporary look. Here the wall-mounted cabinets have a paint finish while the cupboards on the island were given a coat of varnish to show off the wood grain.

5. Disguise the tea and coffee station with a roller door. It gives you the best of both worlds; convenience when you need your morning cuppa and instant neatness when guests pop in.