Laid-back room: kitchen

Interior designer and mom of two Danielle Hardy designed her Cape kitchen with hard-wearing surfaces and cleverly concealed toy storage

As the mother of two toddlers Danielle Hardy of Simply Interior Design in Wynberg needed a kitchen that was both practical and aesthetically pleasing. “Our kitchen is where we spend most of our time as it has easy access to the outside and is light, bright and sunny. It’s a bonus that it’s on the same level as the garden, so the kids can run around without falling,” explains Danielle. “I wanted somewhere where I could sit and relax with a book while the children are playing around me or outside, so I designed a built-in bench with toy storage underneath.”

Danielle’s easy-living design elements:

• My husband and I don’t want to feel we live in a permanent playroom, hence the low toy storage drawers under the built-in bench.
• The wooden countertops and plastic chairs are easy to clean.
• The mobile butcher block helps to maintain a free flow from the kitchen to the garden, where it often doubles up as a serving counter.
• The Cemcrete floor is easy to clean, allowing the kids to indulge in messy activities such as painting.
• The sunny mini seating area makes the kids feel they have their own dedicated space to play.