Picture a little farmhouse, low ceilings and painted stone walls, contrasted with a contemporary kitchen extension. Sympathetic through its simplicity, yet full of texture and soul.

A minimalist approach doesn't always mean a lack of character. Here the kitchen layout was intentionally simple. Restrained to only three separate elements of cabinetry, an oven run, a sink run, and a long thin island. No L-shapes, no peninsulas, no awkward corners.

The kitchen units have a freestanding feel about them, a nod to old farmhouse design. Each element painted the same colour, sitting quietly within the space, as if they have always been there. The rest of the space, the honest use of materials, and the unreal view through the aluminium bi-folding doors, are left to do all the talking.

2024 has seen a big rise in one-colour kitchens. All the cabinetry in the room a wash with the same colour. The approach brings with it a sense of calm, and arguably appears a little more understated than the two-tone (or multi-tone) alternative. We love the restraint. Add in the warmth of a pine table, the crackled paint on an old freestanding cupboard, and a contrasting dark slate floor, and there’s the character.

Space in a kitchen is good a feeling. Make sure to leave enough room for all those quirks, for personality, for all the stuff that makes it yours.