Feature article from the

October/November 2009 issue

• Fridge freezer by GE
• CDA wine fridge
• LED under plinth lighting, from Brookvale
Kitchens
• ISE instant hot water tap
• Main sink, Franke with Köhler single bowl
in island
• Tiles from Sabbini & Co.Tile Merchants

When Julie and Brian bought their stunning new build family home just outside Moira, the kitchen area had already been prepared for kitchen installation.
The only problem was, Julie and Brian had different ideas for the layout. ‘It had been designed for an American fridge freezer to be sited in a specific place and there was no plumbing provided for an island. I had ideas of wanting a second sink in a central island, so lots of design aspects had to be taken into account before we could move forward,’ says Julie.
Having been recommended Brookvale Kitchens from a builder, Julie and Brian went for a look at their showroom. James of Brookvale and Ritchie, the designer were so professional and easy to talk to that we didn’t even look anywhere else! We had a clear idea of what we wanted, so it was a matter of checking that our desired layout would work. Ritchie visited the house and gave the go-ahead

– I was so relieved to hear that the layout could be moved around. Although, it did involve quite a lot of upheaval, tracking the floor so that a sink and dishwasher could be housed in the island. It was all worthwhile!’

Julie and Brian sat down with Ritchie and went through their wishlist and from this point, the kitchen concept started to evolve. ‘We had a country style kitchen in our last house, which was lovely, but for the new house, we felt the need for a complete change.We decided on this vanilla high gloss finish with an island and walnut breakfast bar. The room is long and narrow but I was delighted when Ritchie said it could accommodate an island. I wanted some wood to warm up the design so the breakfast bar works perfectly.’ Contrasting with the light toned units, a rich mottled granite from Lamont Stone has been selected for the worktops. ‘We got to
specifically choose the granite, which was fantastic. There’s such variation in this natural material that we were advised to personally select each slab. I wanted as uniform a finish as possible, so it was great that we got to personally select it.’ Adding to the look of the room, LED concealed plinth lighting creates a stunning effect.

This couple love their gadgets so nothing has been overlooked in the appliance
department.Warming drawers, coffee machine, wine cooler, they’ve thought of
everything. One of Julie’s favourite gadgets is the ISE instant hot and cold filtered
water tap. One tap with two levers – one for cold filtered water, the other for instant 98°C water – this is a feature Julie wouldn’t be without.‘It’s fantastic! Ideal for making a hot drink and also brilliant for cooking vegetables; there’s no need
for a kettle.’ Julie and Brian couldn’t be more pleased with their fabulous new
kitchen.‘We absolutely love it – Brookvale Kitchens exceeded our expectations!’
Phone Brookvale Kitchens, Lisburn, Co Down 028 9263 8461.