rana_arouri's ideas
Nice layout and stools
Great counter idea
Big counter
Window over looking terrace
Kitchen over looking terrace
“I like the social aspect of having the kitchen and seated guests etc in one area. Nowadays, rooms are being built smaller and smaller, and the answer is to open up these rooms. If I could do away with doors I would do so, as I don’t like the feeling of being enclosed.” Ensign Accessories
The bathroom features a separate walk-in shower.
All three en suite bathrooms originally featured only showers, so another change Alexeeva made was to redesign one of them to include a tub for child-friendly bath times.
In the three en suite bathrooms, natural wood features on the floors, vanity units and decorative panels, bringing in warmth and creating a sense of continuity. Here, useful storage is concealed beneath the basin and behind the mirrors.
Alexeeva converted a cloakroom to create the guest bathroom, installing a shower that’s hidden behind a bespoke glass and iron partition, which was made in Italy. Any guests staying overnight in the TV room can use this space.
“The kitchen was already installed,” says Alexeeva. “We wanted to work with what was here, if we could, so we preserved it.”Bar stools, Norr11.
Another crucial change was to replace the grey floor tiles that were laid throughout the living area. “They were very cold and dark,” says Alexeeva, who swapped them for wide, engineered oak boards laid over underfloor heating. The flexible dining space includes a table that’s suitable for family meal times, but can extend to seat a party of 10 when friends or family visit.The house gets plenty of light thanks to its large windows and spotlights fitted throughout, but Alexeeva supplemented these with a mix of ceiling, wall and floor lights, which zone the space and create a more intimate atmosphere. The beautiful round pendant lights over the table were handmade in the Philippines.Pelle chairs, Zeitraum. Pendant lights, Kenneth Cobonpue at Hive. Aise dining table, Treku.Want to layer your lighting? See how to mix different light sources for an ambient feel
The striking mirror is a 1930s French design bought at an auction. Positioning it opposite the wide entrance to the living area reflects light into the darker hallway.
Go half and halfA half-glazed sliding door like this one is a good solution if you’re not sure if you want a doorway or an open-plan layout. This door can be pulled shut to keep the heat in or to provide privacy from the rest of the house when required, but the glazed panel still allows a visual connection, as well as ensuring the dining space remains bright and airy.This is a smart option for a room that connects with a hallway, as each space can borrow light from the other and privacy in a hallway is rarely required.
Add grandeur with panellingA grand doorway like this one would traditionally have had panelled shutters or large doors to divide the two rooms, but a pair of panelled pocket doors provides the same level of period authenticity while also bringing in a modern level of practicality to the space.If you want to bring a traditional feel to your interior, consider a set of panelled pocket doors like these, but look to the period of your property for clues as to the style of panelling that would be most appropriate for your home.
Make them invisibleIf you want to minimise the impact of a connecting door, or ‘hide’ a wardrobe or bathroom beyond, then a set of plain pocket doors like these, designed to slot discreetly into a contemporary room scheme, is a neat solution. Choosing flat-panel doors with recessed handles, and taking them right up to the ceiling, will create a super seamless finish when the doors are pulled right across.
Think about your viewpointWhen positioning any wall-hung piece, consider your viewpoint. This particularly applies to things you’ll actively look at, such as a TV or piece of art. Since you’ll mostly be watching TV on a sofa, the centre of the screen should be positioned at eye level when you’re seated. Depending on your sofa, that’s around 1m high. This is more about function than aesthetics, but both are important elements of good design.Art and pictures are often hung too high, so take into account the scale of the room and the average eye level.Discover inventive ways to display your art
A wall of built-in storage runs along the underground extension and towards the staircase up to the coach house. It’s a great hub for storing all the essentials for a modern family with children.“The basement extension was already an idea when we came to the project, but we redesigned it so it fitted in all of the clients’ requirements,” explains Snaith. “We’ve carried out basement work before, but not as large as this as it took up much of the site plan,” adds Snaith. “It was all very straightforward, but it’s always daunting seeing an expensive four-storey house supported on steelwork while all the earth underneath it is removed.”
The hi-tech home cinema room in the basement is a great place for the family to spend time together.“There’s a ceiling projector mounted in a room behind the cinema, with a screen that drops down out of the ceiling when required,” says Snaith. “Or there’s a large-screen TV, which can show all of the movies stored on a hard drive.”STAC Architecture designed the floating storage and multi-layered lighting scheme.“The house has a full Lutron lighting system and speakers are present in all the rooms,” says Snaith. “The technology was designed and installed by a specialist.”
Slide it awayThis laundry cupboard makes the most of an awkward space at the top of the stairs and manages to fit an awful lot into what is effectively a small cupboard. A washing machine, sink and multi-strand washing line are all squeezed into this mini utility room. When in use the door can be left open to allow both access and ventilation for drying washing. But the entire lot can be hidden away in seconds just by gliding the screen door back into place.
Install a clothes railDraping clothes over an airer isn’t the only way to dry damp laundry. You can actually fit a surprising amount of washing on a slim clothes rail if you put everything on clothes hangers as soon as it comes out of the washing machine or tumbler.Have a think about where you could hang a rail at home. A utility room is perfect, but this solution would also work in a spare bedroom where it could double up as a clothes rail for guests when not in use for laundry.
Favour fingerprint-proof cabinet doorsIf fingerprints on your cabinetry bothers you, then it’s best to go for a matt rather than gloss finish as matt kitchens don’t show marks or smudges so prominently. This is often a concern for parents of small children, but if you still prefer a gloss kitchen, you can partially overcome this by teaming matt base cabinets with gloss wall units. That way, you still get a glossy look but these units are out of reach of sticky little fingers. If you opt for gloss, the colour and type of finish you choose can also impact on how visible finger marks are. Darker gloss colours show marks more than paler tones, while a glass kitchen also reveals smudges more easily than one with a laser or laminate finish.What small details have made a big impact on the look or use of your kitchen? Let us know in the Comments below.
Welcome a waterfall edge worktopA waterfall worktop edge on an island, as seen here, can be a striking statement. It’s easily achieved by continuing the island worktop surface down either one or usually both sides of the island, so it ‘cascades’ to the floor. Waterfall islands make a sleek and clean statement so are best suited for modern kitchens, though they can work for traditional spaces too – search Houzz photos for ideas. Your waterfall edge could incorporate a similar colour palette to your island furniture, or opt for a striking contrast to really establish it as the focal point of the room. As well as being easy on the eye, waterfall edges are practical too. A simple overhang allows your island to also be used as a breakfast bar, with space for chairs to be tucked neatly underneath.
87 Pimp your base unitsIn the same vein, how clever is this idea for making more of a double cupboard? Get acquainted with a savvy joiner and see what you can create…
83 Pop in a half-height pull-out larderAlternatively, you might have the optimum size gap for one of these – perfect for spices and cooking condiments next to the oven.
63 …or take them right roundThis version not only extends around the sides, too, but also shows the idea as protruding shelves rather than as a niche.
39 Carve out a cubeEven in an open-plan room smaller than this one, there’s no need to tuck your kitchen into a corner. Might you gain more space by creating a stand-alone open box for it, in the centre of your living space, as seen in this Paris cuisine. With clever planning, it could create more storage, and become a more sociable spot.
27 Smooth out linesMinimise horizontal lines to visually stretch your little kitchen vertically (great if you also have a low ceiling). If you’re starting from scratch, consider hiding drawers and daily clutter behind two smooth, tall, painted doors.
10 Think outside the drawerA cutlery drawer may well be a luxury you can’t justify in a teeny kitchen. If so, look at other options: this clever pull-out storage for utensils makes use of a slim gap between units.
9 Pause before you box inIs that a wall of dead space next to the oven or the opportunity for a cunning niche? Ditto the sneaky open storage on the outside of the pretty peninsular. Where there’s a wall, there’s a way (sorry about that…).
4 Break architectural conventionsIt would be easy to look at that lovely, huge window, with its frame almost touching the back wall, and write off that sliver of vertical space at the far end of the right-hand wall, bowing down to the room’s architecture. But look how much storage a little design bravery got these homeowners – and the window is none the worse for hosting such handsome shelves!
1 Look upVertical panelling – or, indeed, tile grout lines or a wallpaper pattern – can trick the eye into seeing a far taller space than is, in fact, there. Here, long handles echo and enhance the effect. Check out pictures of other compact kitchens with a traditional aesthetic
Door-mounted storageMounting tea towel rails or racks to the inside of doors is a cheap and cheerful storage solution. It’s a great place to store sponges and damp cloths too, because they can dry faster here, and always in easy reach.Tip: If you have a decorative/routed door front, check the thickness of the door and screw length to prevent drilling straight through when attaching the rail.Did you enjoy this story? Tell us in the Comments section, or simply like, share or bookmark it. Join the conversation!
A simple drawer at the bottom is very versatile for storing items that may not be regularly required. The drawer is positioned in an area that someone is likely to stand in frequently, so always consider the practical aspects. The steel rod running the length of the upper cabinet is a simple and space-efficient way to store tea towels and other bits.
This is a clever use of space. The narrow section in front of the sink is generally overlooked and considered far too small. Converting the space into a tilt drawer is a great way of storing all the small items that are constantly used. Tip: It’s important to check the hardware materials and the warranty to ensure it’s suitable for wet items. These space-saving storage options can be a pricey inclusion, so make it an investment that will last.
Lining the shelf with a plastic film, one that preferably has a slight lip in the corners, is a simple way to protect your cabinetry. Plastic trays and racks are also easy and effective solutions that make everything accessible.Tip: If you have an adjustable shelf, ask your cabinetmaker to edge the sides they usually leave raw; this will increase the longevity of the shelf should water leak into the corners.
Raise your expectationsIf your bedroom is small, you can maximise it by elevating your bed to a lofty platform and using the space beneath as storage. Obviously, ceiling height will dictate how high you can comfortably raise your bed, but it’s a brilliant idea for squeezing maximum functionality from a bedroom with a small footprint.
Break it upIf the only space for hanging storage in a bedroom is right next to the bed, this ingenious design is ideal. Neatly built into this tiny bedroom, it functions as both wardrobe space and bedside units, with cupboards beneath, thanks to the open section a third of the way up.
Or, if privacy isn’t an issue, you could go one step further and create a unique touch by fitting an exterior window indoors to recreate the sense of an external opening. It will certainly add the wow factor, while allowing plenty of natural light to reach the bathroom.How have you tackled a windowless bathroom? Share your thoughts/images in the Comments section.
Borrow light from an adjacent roomBrighten up an enclosed en suite by fitting an opaque window into an internal wall. Diffused natural and artificial light borrowed from the bedroom next door will stream into the space yet still ensure plenty of privacy.
Distract with luxurious touchesContinuing that theme, ensure your bathroom is a truly decadent haven and you’ll forget all about the absence of a window. Opt for plenty of deluxe, high-end finishes, such as elegant marble, warm metals and sleek granite, and you’ll evoke the most luxurious home-spa haven that feels totally cocooning.
Stairs you can have it with stones
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