Open shelving is one of those kitchen decisions that looks effortless when it works and becomes a daily frustration when it doesn’t. Getting it right comes down to placement, proportion, and being honest about how you actually use your kitchen.
Recent Posts by Steven
Planning a coffee station into your kitchen design
A coffee station works best when it’s designed into the kitchen from the start, not squeezed in afterwards. Here’s how to think about it properly.
What makes a kitchen island work – and what makes it fall flat
A kitchen island can be one of the most useful things in a well-designed kitchen, or one of the most frustrating. The difference usually comes down to a handful of decisions made early in the design process.
What to know about natural stone worktops before you commit
Natural stone worktops are a serious investment, and the decisions you make before ordering matter far more than most people realise. This is what an experienced designer would want you to understand first.
Using your kitchen to divide a space without closing it off
In open-plan homes, the kitchen often needs to do more than just function as a cooking space. Here’s how to use cabinetry and layout to define zones without putting up walls.
How to design a small kitchen that works hard and looks considered
A small kitchen doesn’t have to feel like a compromise. With the right decisions around layout, cabinetry, and materials, it can feel as considered and capable as any larger space.
Using raw and industrial materials in a bespoke kitchen design
Raw materials such as poured concrete, exposed steel, and reclaimed timber are appearing more often in serious kitchen projects. Here is how to use them well without sacrificing practicality.
Designing a kitchen that works properly when you cook seriously
A kitchen designed for serious cooking looks different from one designed around appearances. Here’s what actually matters when you spend real time at the hob.
How to choose kitchen handles without getting it wrong
Handles are one of the last things people decide on, but they have a bigger effect on the finished kitchen than most expect. Getting them right is less about style and more about understanding proportion, material, and how your cabinetry actually works.
Kitchen choices that date quickly, and what to consider instead
Some kitchen decisions look good on day one but start to feel wrong within a few years. Here’s an honest look at what can date, and why.
