Harrogate Living Dec 2023 - Jan 2024

when you’ve gone shopping, and
adjusts the temperature of the fridge
in anticipation. Its different humidity
control zones means food stays
fresher for far longer too. The freezer
drawers are perfect for actually
being able to see everything - there
will be nothing lurking at the back,
forgotten about.
The oven is lovely and capacious
- mounted into the tall units for
convenience. And the integrated
dishwasher is ideal, with moveable
baskets and there’s also ActiveDry
technology, which opens the door
near the end of the cycle to allow air
to circulate.
The design of the kitchen
necessitated a venting hob - this
means we can keep that clean look
above the island without a hood.
This hob from Hotpoint is a thing of
beauty - it has a vast cooking area
which can also be synced, creating
increased zones for larger pots and
pans. My favourite feature is the
‘keep warm’ setting - perfect when
you’re not ready to serve. Above
the island is an inset ceiling speaker
from Lithe Audio, which you connect
to your phone with Bluetooth - it
really creates a great social space or
just a lovely place to cook.
Finally, I’m not sure what my life
was before a boiling water tap -
but I don’t want to go back there.
This is a quadruple function kettle
tap - in essence it does everything
your normal tap does, but with the
bonus of filtered cold and 98C water.
It makes cooking a breeze, and
that morning cuppa so much more
efficient. It’s got built in safety features
too to make sure kids can’t get hurt.
THE WORKTOPS ARE
LOVELY - WHAT ARE
THEY MADE FROM?
I knew from the outset that I wanted
quartz worktops - these are slim
20mm profile tops from CRL Stone.
I went with the Verona finish, which
had a subtle marble to help bring
together the colours of the wall units
and the island. It’s hard-wearing and
looks so beautiful - it’s the ultimate
luxury.
THE GLAZING IS SUCH
A SIGNIFICANT PART OF
THE ROOM - WHAT DID
YOU CHOOSE?
Yes, so we have glazing on three
walls - the windows above the
sink are UPVC but the doors are
all aluminium. We agonised over
whether to have bifold doors or
sliders - worried that bifold doors
can lose energy efficiency over
time. We opted in the end to go
with industry leaders Origin Doors -
they are manufactured to very high
standards and come with a 20 year
guarantee, which was so reassuring.
They have an eight-point locking
system too, so essential for security.
We had a 3.7m gap, so opted for
three large doors - meaning we have
a single openable door which is
more convenient for everyday life,
and fewer frames - maximising the
views and the feeling of the outside
being in. Origin make the doors
to order, so they can find the right
configuration for your space.
ANYTHING YOU’D DO
DIFFERENTLY?
Nope! I genuinely love it and love
cooking in here. It has a great feel
and just functions so well. I love
all the tech - it makes life so much
easier.
STOCKIST DETAILS:
Appliances: Haier HFW7819EWMP
Smart Fridge Freezer; Hotpoint
PVH92BUK Black 90cm Vented
Hob; Hotpoint Class 2 DD2 540 IX
Built-in Double Oven - Stainless
Steel Hotpoint H8IHT59LSUK Fully
Integrated Standard Dishwasher;
Clearwater Kettle Tap, 01684 299555,
clearwaterproducts.co.uk
Kitchen: Hampton Range in Pearl
and Onyx from Smile Kitchens,
smilekitchens.com
Flooring: Karndean Luxury Vinyl
Tile in Canadian Nude Oak from
palioexpress.com
Worktops: CRL Stone in Verona,
01706 863600, or visit crlstone.co.uk
Sockets and switches: corston.com
Ceiling Speaker: Lithe Audio,
litheaudio.com
24 | www.minervamagazines.co.uk