For some, baking is a piece of cake (or banana bread). Are you the gourmet chef or the country baker?

In a time of uncertainty, there is one thing we know for sure: cooking is one way we can bring structure – and more importantly, pleasure – into our lives. With many of us using the extra hours spent at home to master new recipes or refine our culinary skills, there’s no denying that many have rediscovered home cooking.

Whether you’re a seasoned chef or a microwave maestro, your kitchen can say a huge amount about the kind of cook you are. Our experienced designers are on hand to help you create a bespoke kitchen that works best for whichever ‘cook tribe’ you belong to. Offering plenty of ideas, including those appliances that will be great investments, our team will ensure the new design suits your way of life.

So, read on to find out what kind of kitchen personality you are and what design style is your perfect cooking partner.

The Master Chef

If you love creating spectacular dinners to impress friends and family and you’re an early adopter of the latest appliances, then you’re probably a Master Chef. Master Chefs take great pleasure in creating lavish meals and wholeheartedly believe several hours in the kitchen perfecting Gordon Ramsay’s recipes is time well spent.Your dream kitchen will have the newest professional kit at its core, including hi-spec built-in ovens, innovative food processors and a modern induction hob. A hot-water tap is a must, not just for brewing a cup of tea to keep you going while you’re prepping for a special dinner, but also to use for time-saving tricks such as blanching tomatoes for easy peeling. A large fridge-freezer for all those fresh ingredients is a priority, as is a wine cooler to keep your favourite tipple at optimum drinking temperature.

These high-tech kitchen gadgets take centre stage in the room, so the cabinetry needs to frame them accordingly. Sleek, flat-fronted, easy to clean cupboards, such as our Linear or Linear Edge ranges, are the order of the day. Incorporating stainless steel in the form of brassware and accessories will enhance the professional feel of the kitchen.

The Family Baker

If the kitchen truly is the heart of your home, it must be family friendly. Likely to take a bit of a ‘battering’, it requires durable, easy-to-clean surfaces and a well thought out layout that makes use of all the available space.

At the centre of a good family kitchen is the dining table, or for a more modern slant, an island, where everyone can gather. If space allows, perhaps a breakfast bar on one side of the island, close to a water-dispensing fridge so kids can get themselves drinks whilst having their breakfast or snacks (without getting under your feet!).

Opting for a push-to-open mechanism for cupboards and drawers will be handy for those moments when you have your hands full, while packing your cabinets with storage solutions such as magic corners and cutlery trays will make sure every item has its place. Storage never seems to be enough in a busy kitchen, so a freestanding larder will provide plenty more space to store baking goods, condiments and wine bottles. Practical and stylish, it will contain removable trays, drawers, spice racks, plugs and even a granite cold shelf for food preparation.

Our Original cabinetry, hand painted in any colour of your choice, is perfect for a traditional family space, with delicate beading and ornate cornicing on the door fronts to give the scheme a warm and inviting appearance.

The No-Fuss Cook

Not being a committed or proficient cook certainly shouldn’t preclude you from having a beautiful kitchen. Many of us don’t want to spend the whole evening whipping up a three course meal, so if you’re after a kitchen that looks fabulous but allows you to create quick and tasty meals, our hand-painted Shaker range is an effortless, stress-free option.

Mixing up materials will allow the design to really shine – think timber worktops to add warmth paired with cabinetry in a modern, neutral colour. Accessories and soft furnishings in playful shades will provide a welcome pop of colour and bring the space to life.

Great appliances for the reluctant cook include multi-functional ovens with pre-set recipes or a modern range cooker topped with five powerful gas burners that will make quick work of stir-fries. A large fridge-freezer with deep shelves and drawers will be perfect for all the ready-meals and frozen vegetables you’re planning to pop in the oven.

Efficiency is key for the no-fuss cook, so a space designed with the most ergonomic use of working space is crucial. Make everything easy to reach with pull-out storage and organisers and don’t forget to declutter the kitchen at least once a year.

Do any of these resonate with you? Whatever school of thought you subscribe to, we hope we can design a kitchen to help you thrive.

For more kitchen design inspiration request a free brochure.