Modern Handleless Grey Aqua Kitchen

When Gill came into our Bristol showroom she had been searching unsuccessfully for a new kitchen for some time. Her old one was starting to age, and she had visited several other suppliers. None had put her at her ease, or come up with exactly what she wanted,

“It’s a simple U-shaped kitchen, with two wall sections and a peninsular,” she says, “I was keen to update the worn, orange-y wooden cupboards, and I wanted an eye-level oven. My kitchen and living room is all open-plan but the hob faced the wall, which I didn’t like, as it meant I had my back to the room. There was an ugly extractor above, and I wanted to get rid of that, too,”

During her research, Gill had spotted a smart, modern kitchen that she felt could work. Investigating the brand, she discovered that Gardiner Haskins was a stockist, and when a work colleague also mentioned our name, she decided to call in and see us. She was impressed with the kitchen display, and soon fell into conversation with designer Alec Yull. She explained what she was looking for, adding that she’d been considering a white scheme, but was now thinking of blue instead. Alec listened carefully before suggesting a visit to her home to assess what was needed,

“Only one other company had mentioned actually coming to my home, so that was an encouraging start,” says Gill, “Alec was really helpful, too. He had ideas, and was clearly so knowledgeable, but not pushy at all, so after some thought, I decided to take up his offer.”

During the visit, Gill explained the changes she had in mind. Alec took measurements and showed her a brochure of kitchens similar to the one she had originally liked, along with some blue cabinet samples he’d brought,

“One of the samples was also illustrated in the brochure and when I saw it, I loved the combination of matt blue cabinets and copper trims,” she says, “I was impressed that Alec had understood so well, and I thought, ‘That’s exactly what I want,’”

Following the site visit, Alec drew up plans for Gill’s new kitchen, producing computer images that clearly demonstrated how the finished installation would look. To compliment the blue-and-copper combo, he suggested a white, marble-effect quartz worktop that had already caught Gill’s eye in our showroom,

“It was lovely, but I was concerned it might be out of my price range, so I was really pleased to find it was affordable,” she says.

Gill wanted to replace her gas hob with an induction one, to be sited on the peninsula, facing into the room. She suggested extending the peninsula, too, to fill a previously-wasted space. Alec then came up with the idea of adding shallow cupboards along its outer side. This increases the width of the whole unit, boosting storage and work-top space and giving more clearance around the new hob. To maximise the area, Gill’s washing machine was also moved from inside the kitchen, to the outer section,

“That’s worked really well,” says Gill, “It’s still close enough to the sink to keep the plumbing simple, and the machine itself is more accessible now.”

Gill was happy to keep her existing oven, so Alec cleverly incorporated it at eye-level within the new cabinetry, and sourced a closely-matched microwave to fit neatly above it. The new sink is in the same position as the old one. Alec encouraged Gill to have a Quooker boiling water tap, with a cold water filter, dispensing with the need for a filter jug. The kitchen contains a mix of deep drawers and cupboards. There is a space-enhancing carousel inside one corner unit, and the dishwasher, boiler and fridge-freezer are concealed behind cabinet doors. The bins are also hidden next to the hob,

“I was intending to keep my freestanding bin, but Alec convinced me to have a pull-out unit, and I’m really pleased I followed his advice, because this is much tidier,” says Gill

It took around three weeks for our recommended fitting team to remove Gill’s old kitchen and install her new one. Throughout the process, she was impressed by their courtesy and skill,

“They were brilliant,” she says, “They had a good relationship with Alec too, and they were in touch with each other every day.”

After planning and thinking about her new kitchen for such a long time, Gill was delighted when it was finally fitted and ready to use. She loves the fresh colourscheme, easy-to-clean induction hob, and more sociable layout, while the energy-efficient boiling water tap has become a favourite gadget,

“I really wanted to feel confident because a kitchen is a large investment,” she says, “The service from Gardiner Haskins has been excellent, and when my kitchen was finished, I rang Alec to tell him just how pleased I was with everything.”

Designer: Alec Yull

Kitchen type: Modern

Cabinetry: Crown Imperial Zeluso Super Matt handleless, in Grey Aqua, with Brushed Copper profile finish

Work tops: Carrara Misterio quartz

Appliances: Neff fridge-freezer, Neff induction hob, Quooker tap, Bosch microwave