Hard to believe..but the kitchen is actually in!! We have a fully functioning oven, sink, taps, hot water tap and fridge-freezer!!!…having said that, it’s still needs it’s handles (they’ve been in various solutions to age them over the weekend and are due to go on today – until they do, there’s no way to open the dishwasher which has sat there, tantalising us…) There’s also the painting of the skirting boards, splash back to be fitted, removal of builders equipment, the addition of a table….and then there’s unpacking the old kitchen. But ignoring all of this – it’s a triumph!! Proper pictures will be taken  rather than this sneak peak – but doing a reveal now feels like sending out an opera singer to Covent Garden in just her underwear…chances are it’s been done..but would you want it to be done??!

But all the lights are up and deserve closer scrutiny – this is the brass chandelier as talked about here, now hanging low over what will be the dining room table, opposite the fireplace/mirror.  It’s on a dimmable switch which really brings out the details of the edison style light bulbs when they’re dimmed down. I like the austerity of it’s shape with the bonus that if you want to add glass droplets – or ivy at Christmas, you can.

This ornate number is in the hall. The idea is that the intricate ironwork relates to the black of the crittal glass doors arriving soon, but softens the harsher straight lines.

This is one of a pair of wall lights above the fireplace and either side of a large mirror. The design is very simple but the shadows if gives are beautiful.  Again, it’s on a dimmable switch which turns the glow to almost candlelight for cosy, shadow dancing evenings.

And these are my unique and gorgeous babies – I commissioned them from the highly talented  master canal artist Terence Edgar, they’re proper, original milk churns that the builder’s have cunningly adapted into pendants by removing the bottoms and putting a hole for the flex in the lid, and then hung with brass chandelier chain. I am a huge fan of folk art and feel very privileged to have these stunning examples of canal art as the focal point to the kitchen.

The light they give is magical – like beams of sunlight on the work surface below.

Though they all have similar features, each one is subtly different: On one side is a word..

On the other is a typical canal art scene.

And the three are hung so that ‘love’ and ‘live’ face out..

But laugh always belongs to the cook..

Laters, Kate x