Here we have a selection of pictures of our completed conservatory kitchen and dining room, designed from the ground up, literally! by my wife and I. From an idea first proposed 25 years ago (long before Delia) we have created a light, airy kitchen in a conservatory style which flows into a similarly styled dining area, which was previously the kitchen.

Some of the features and highlights of the kitchen and dining room include:

Two sinks.

One Belfast, for general usage, which has been installed in close proximity to the fully integrated dishwasher. The other a smaller sink in the island is a preparation sink for vegetables and the like.

Gas Hob.

Five-burner cooking plate, fed with LPG from an exterior gas cylinder.

Hot Water powered Plinth Heater.

Note: the front grill was being painted to match plinths when photos were taken!

Pull-up Powerpoint in Central Island.

We find this little device invaluable for appliances such as food processors, mixers and deep-fat fryers.

Oak Worktops.

Machined from oak blanks, moulded, cut, sanded and very well oiled! I incorporated the worktop as a window-board above the shallow depth cupboards, to increase worktop space.

Before venturing into using any timber worktops, a commitment must be made to give them love and care, as without it they will degrade. But with minimal effort they will stay looking beautiful for many, many years (these pictured worktops are in excess of two years old).

Lighting.

Central inset ceiling lights: here I have used low voltage 50 watt fittings to illuminate the central island. For the other work work areas, recessed lights were not an option, so I used catenary lights. These give a very good spread of light and are an attractive addition to the kitchen. I have also incorporated blue LED plinth and ceiling lights solely for aesthetic appeal. Everyone who sees them remarks on how great they look, especially when they are the only lights on in the kitchen; for instance when we are dining.

Wine Rack.

A must for any kitchen! This too is illuminated, generally lighting a conspicuously empty space...

The Dresser.

Cunningly disguised as part of the dresser, there is a oil-fired combi boiler. This allows the space to become a airing cupboard above and general storage. This part of the cabinetry has been designed in such a way to allow total access to the boiler area for maintenance and removal if necessary. The whole boiler area (including airing cupboard can be dismantled in less than 15 minutes.

To the left there is a plate rack and cabinetry below. Incorporated into the cupboard is a small filtration and chiller unit for drinking water, with a small tap which is hidden in the pictures (to the right of the fruit). This is another element of the kitchen which is remarked on, as the water it dispenses tastes like it comes from a private spring!

To the right there is a glass-fronted dresser which is illuminated from the inside. Here we chose frosted glass, as clear glass-fronted cupboards need to be kept clean!

I created a utility area for the washing machine/tumble drier in the kitchen, hidden behind a pair of timber doors. It is an unfortunate British trait to put these in the kitchen itself, so I try where possible to relocate them to a better area.

Tiling.

Floor tiling was used in both the kitchen and dining room to create unity between the rooms. They were tiled completely before any other work commenced. Wall tiling has been used in both rooms to once again tie the rooms together and to add colour and texture.

Lighting in the Dining Area.

I have use six low voltage recess down-lights, with narrow-beam lamps, to create a pool of light in each of the seating positions at the dining table. This gives a very pleasing effect when the table is laid formally, and can be dimmed to an appropriate level. Other lighting includes some dedicated 2 Amp sockets, one under the circular staircase and one under the plate rack.

Circular Staircase.

The existing staircase to the living room was removed and floor joists were trimmed and a circular opening created and reinforced, facilitating the installation of the new circular staircase.

You know how mechanics always have bangers, and gardeners always have more weeds than grass? Well I'm pleased to say I've broken the mould here a bit, and I hope you agree!

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