Newmarket and Ely Living Apr - May 2024

With many of us opting to
improve instead of move, it’s never
been more important to make our
spaces work better for us. After
extending a kitchen to the side
of their house, homeowners Kate
and Tom needed to reconfigure
the existing kitchen and separate
dining room into a space that
reflected the flow of their lives.
Opting to open the rooms
completely, we caught up with
them to discuss the process.
In terms of the build, can you tell us
what you’ve done?
The living area occupies what was once
the dining room, and the dining room was
the teeny tiny kitchen. We prioritised a
larger living space over a big dining area -
I think many of us have moved away from
the formal dining space, instead opting
to have something move convivial. We
have a large breakfast bar in the kitchen,
which is in the new extension, so there are
options for dining, and it made sense to
just keep the space flowing.
A structural steel was added between the
old kitchen and dining room, then the old
door from the hallway was blocked up, so
the sofa could tuck neatly into that corner
of the room.
We pulled up all the floorboards to insulate
fully underneath, and pulled down the
ceiling to make the new electrical elements
easier to install, and again improve the
insulation. The two spaces were fully replastered.
It was a lot of work, but actually,
the walls weren’t in great condition before
and now they are beautifully smooth.
“We prioritised a larger
living space over a big
dining area - we wanted
to have something move
convivial.”
What flooring was here before
and why have you chosen the
finish you have?
This space has been transformed
by the flooring, which was an
easy-to-lay, fully DIY process.
The flooring runs from the
kitchen all the way through
to the living area. It had to be
something that would work with
the underfloor heating, be able
to stand up to the demands of
kitchen life, be easy to clean
with two dogs in the house and
still give the space a feeling
of warmth. I wanted to find a
clean-looking tone which didn’t
read too grey or too yellow, so
settled on Canadian Nude Oak
from Karndean - it’s a rigid-core
product, so doesn’t need gluing
down and just clicks together
using the tongue and groove
system. It can be laid over an
existing floor too.
That stove is amazing - why
did you choose it?
The existing fireplace had a small
opening in it, and it looked like it
would lend itself well to an inset
stove. I’m not over-stating it
when I say this stove is one of my
favourite things I’ve ever had in
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