Ashley Newcombe and her husband Colin, who both work in medical communications, wanted to transform an inefficient kitchen design into a sociable space that makes the most of the room’s proportions. The idea for this kitchen makeover was to increase the kitchen and worktop area, install a sink under the window, while using neutral base colours to allow the accessories to take centre stage.

Starting from scratch meant Ashley and Colin could nail down the details for their new kitchen, which also had to be the perfect space to share with baby son Artie and dog Lola. We talk to Ashley to hear about how they planned the new space, and whether the results have lived up to expectation.

What was wrong with your old kitchen?

“Our 1930s terrace needed a complete renovation, which made my heart sink a little as we’d just finished a massive project in our previous home. The kitchen had ugly, dark-brown units and cracked floor tiles, and I never understood why the design only filled around a quarter of the space, considering it was so big. There was a tiny worktop and only two gas rings for cooking, so it needed a complete rethink,” Ashley explains.

How did you go about planning the new space?

“We scribbled down a few ideas on paper and took them to Howdens, who helped us plan the space around a newly created utility room. We went for an L-shaped design, which allowed the sink to look out to the garden and left plenty of space for an island (which was top of my wish list), and we replaced the unattractive patio doors with floor-to-ceiling bifolds to let the light flood in,” says Ashley.

Tell us about the colour scheme

“I wanted to introduce some gentle colour into the room, so chose Howdens paintable range of kitchen units. I went for their light-grey cabinets and then I painted the white island in Neptune’s Old Rose. The island has turned the room into a lovely sociable space, especially at Christmas when everyone gathers around it,” Ashley says.

“From jewellery to home accessories, I love gold in all its forms, and I knew it would work well as an accent colour in the kitchen. I spent a lot of late nights browsing online to find the same gold-coloured light fittings, bar stools and a tap that would all work together to keep the look cohesive,” adds Ashley.

Why did you choose the tiles?

“The room needed more pink to tie in with the island, and we also needed a splashback, so I started looking and found this fish-scale design, which was the playful, Art Deco element we needed to lift the space. In hindsight, I wish we’d done the whole splashback, so we’ll revisit that at some point,” says Ashley.

How did you manage the project with a young child?

“The builder wasted no time ripping everything out and as Artie had started crawling, we went to live with my parents for a few weeks to get out of the madness of living in a building site,” explains Ashley.

Are you pleased with the result?

“I love the island, and I do like to be able to say I painted it myself when people admire it. And although taking on a massive project after just going back to work from maternity leave wasn’t easy, we now have this gorgeous space to enjoy,” Ashley says.

Shopping list

Kitchen including Chelford units in Dove Grey, white island, cooker, hob, sink & extractor, £7,010, all Howdens.

Quartz worktop, £2,700, Prestige Granite & Marble.

For similar flooring, try the Home Choice Herringbone Engineered European Select Oak, £49.99 per sqm, UK Flooring Direct.

Brushed-gold Hanstrom 3-in-1 Swan Instant boiling-water tap with filter, £469, Verana. Scallop pendant in clear glass, £64, Pooky.

Gold Siena bar stool, £89; for a similar dining table & bench, try the Clifford large dining bench set, £495, all Dunelm.

Asheville Pink Fish wall tiles, £84.92 per sqm, Victorianplumbing.co.uk.

Bespoke textured canvas, POA, @artwithfeelinguk on Instagram.

Ambiano Pink classic stand mixer, £49.99, Aldi.

Marble & acacia board, £12.99; Most Wonderful Time LED plaque, £6.99; Grey Mason Cash mixing bowl, £9.99, all The Range.

Total spend – £12,309.