ONE ROOM RENOVATIONS
Thanks to a smart makeover, a once-dated room is now ideal for modern family life
Hannah Dagger lives with her husband Leigh and their two young daughters, Florence and Ottilie, in a five-bedroom detached Edwardian house in Fleet, Hampshire
Before
‘The kitchen was dated and felt cluttered with too many units imposing on the space. The previous family was much larger than ours with different needs, and we wanted to adapt it to suit us’
Did you have a clear plan for the new kitchen from the outset?
All we knew was that we wanted it to look bold, while being open and airy. Both of our previous properties were very grey and we were keen to have a change from that. It was our aim to be more adventurous, but we didn’t really know where to start, which is why we enlisted the services of the interior designers at Slightly Quirky. Without their help we wouldn’t have been brave enough to do what we’ve done.
How did you get started?
We looked online at Pinterest and Houzz, but as we weren’t sure about exactly what we wanted, Slightly Quirky presented us with a range of moodboards and talked us through some ideas. This was an interactive process that helped us become clear about what we were hoping to achieve. Although we decided we’d go with teal units, it was hard to choose the exact colour, so we spent quite a lot of time seeing how various samples worked in different lights.
Were there any particular challenges?
Living here with a toddler and being pregnant with our second child while the work was being done was quite difficult at times. Cooking on camping stoves for two months was a particular adventure! Sourcing furnishings and finishing touches was also tricky because, thanks to Covid and Brexit, there were long lead times on many items, or they were simply out of stock.
What were your non-negotiables?
A dining table big enough to host friends and family, but also
