MAKEOVER: 7 ways to Spice up a boring kitchen

Sunday Mirror, Feb 15, 2004

IT was probably cutting edge when it was first installed. But by the time Alison Davidson moved into her 1930s home in Addlestone, Surrey, the kitchen was a depressing collection of wooden units in murky shades of mustard, beige and brown. "It was long and narrow," recalls Alison. "It created what can only be described as a tunnel effect."

Alison, 38, was keen to have a practical, designer-style room where she and her daughters, Sydney, 10, and Rae, eight, could spend time together.

Even with pounds 5,000 to spend, she knew that some serious budgeting was required. After doing the basics there wasn't much left in the kitty for the designer kitchen cabinets she dreamed of. But with a little ingenuity and some shopping around she still managed to get the smart Shaker-chic she wanted without a huge price tag. Here are her seven style solutions...

1

SORT THE PLUMBING

THE first thing Alison tackled was the plumbing. She found a local plumber to fit her new Belfast sink and the wonderful old hospital- syle taps which she got from a reclamation yard.

The plumber turned out to be a godsend - he also advised on the heating and hot water problem. There were two boilers in this small room - one fed the heating system and the other heated water - and they were taking up far too much room.

The option he came up with was to replace them with one combination boiler, which would do both jobs.

Alison and her plumber decided the best place to install the new boiler was the far corner of the kitchen, a space that Alison plans to eventually turn into a utility room.

2

LAY NEW FLOORING

THE whole family cheered when the old orange vinyl was finally ripped up and thrown out.

A slate-effect ceramic floor tile was laid in its place.

"I would have loved to use real, natural slate, but it would have taken me well beyond my budget to buy it and to have it laid," says Alison. "It's also proved to be much easier to keep clean than slate would have."

3

DITCH THE OVEN

WHILE living in her old house, Alison had invested in a beautiful deep blue range-style cooker, so she didn't need the built-in oven, hob and cooker hood in the new property.

"By getting rid of them, along with the boiler, it gave me one clear wall and such a great feeling of space that I decided not to fit wall units on that side," says Alison.

"I toyed with the idea of a free-standing kitchen, but as I was restricted by the shape of the room it would have been impossible to fit in any storage space."

4

NEW DOORS

NOW that her budget was being eaten up, Alison decided that rather than choose a new kitchen, she would replace the doors and drawer fronts.

By keeping the existing cupboard carcasses, she was able to minimise disruption and do the job herself. She chose a simple Shaker design in MDF from James Mayor Furniture of Birmingham.

"Ordering couldn't have been simpler," says Alison. "I told the company the dimensions, and the pieces arrived along with tongue-and- groove end panels, cornices, plinths and lighting trim, which gives the finished kitchen its hand-made appearance."

5

PAINT CUPBOARDS

ALISON painted the cupboard units in a Shaker blue eggshell - an oil-based paint that could be easily wiped. To add a designer touch, she picked out some gorgeous knobs for the cupboards and doors. To help give the illusion of spaciousness, she chose cream for the walls and a chequerboard pattern of wall tiles in purpley blue and cream.

6

ADD A WORKTOP

ALISON saved some of her budget specially for the gorgeous wood block worktop. She intends to stay in the house for a long time, so she thought it was worth paying the extra for the real thing.

"Wooden worktops do need looking after," says Alison. "They need sealing with oil before they are used and regularly re-oiled, so not to dry out and warp, but they look great."

7

FINISHING TOUCHES

"I'D always thought that a Victorian- style ceiling-mounted pot rack would be a good idea," says Alison. "But it wasn't a practical option in a narrow kitchen."

Luckily, she spotted a wall shelf with hanging rack that is just as useful and gives a similar effect. There is space to hang saucepans and display bottles of oils and herbs on the shelf.

Alison designed another unit and found a carpenter to make it out of MDF. It was painted terracotta to match the pelmet at the window, and is the perfect place for displaying accessories.

COST

BOILER pounds 700 + pounds 500 installation

BELFAST SINK pounds 170, Twyford (0870 020 0099). TAPS pounds 165. Installation pounds 150

KITCHEN DOORS pounds 975 (including all trims, ready-primed), James Mayor Furniture (0121 3281643). Light Blue Oil Undercoat, pounds 45.99 for 5 litres, and Ball Room Blue Oil Eggshell, pounds 45.99 for 5 litres, both Farrow & Ball (01202 976 141). Swirl knobs pounds 210 Turnstyle (01271 325325)

WORKTOP pounds 1,200, Craftship Worktops (01273 891891)

RIMINOS FLOOR TILES pounds 440.48 (including installation). H&R Johnson (01782 575575)