Majjie's Blog

If you do have a big open plan apartment, then you can choose from  any number of expensive, high profile, cutting edge kitchen designs. If you don't have such a space, though, most of these designs are unlikely to be for you, even if you have the money to buy them.

I know it's not particularly kitchen related ... but boilers are often situated in kitchens ... and it seems like such a good idea.

Have a look at these "before" pictures of a kitchen I was asked to re-design in London. It belongs to Richard and Belinda and it proved to be quite a challenge to me. I was delighted to see how colourful it was ... I like clients who are brave with colour ... but the new design kept me pondering for quite a while.

The Aga Rangemaster Group has announced that it has bought the range cooker company Mercury ... for a "cash consideration" of £425,000 ... making Aga's range cooker offering very comprehensive indeed.

British designed and made, Mercury range cookers were launched in the year 2000 and have proved very popular with upmarket customers.  The RC1090 (below) has an extra large oven, a standard oven, a separate grill and a five burner gas hob with characteristic "cattle grid" cast iron pan supports.

It's over two years since I said I wanted a Quooker ... I've moved house since then ... and I still haven't got one. I don't have any plans to change my kitchen in the near future ... but if you're changing yours, have a look at the new Quooker Combi.

I'm cursing in a ladylike fashion, of course ... well, ok ... maybe I'm not.

I know I was singing the praises of IKEA last year for being cheap and cheerful ... with the emphasis on the cheap ... but with some nice styles too. And I love their made-to-measure worktops (or I did). The reason I'm cursing now,  is because I made a special trip to my local store this morning, to fetch a kitchen brochure (they have a dedicated kitchen one) and a price list.

B&Q announced last week that they are going to expand their home furniture ranges to include free standing furniture and bedrooms. They are also going to revamp their bathroom and kitchen ranges and will sell a wider range of kitchen appliances.

The kitchen appliances will be available later this month, with the free standing furniture planned to be available from August and the new kitchen ranges being introduced in the autumn and winter.

I exchanged e-mails recently with a lady who was looking for modern, walnut effect doors for her kitchen. She was actually looking for a high gloss finish and was interested in vinyl or laminate doors ... but one of her comments was that the description "walnut" was given to a huge range of finishes including light and dark woodgrain effects. Have a look at these two "walnuts" from Re-Nu Doors, for instance:

Well ok, not really famous ... but a kitchen I designed, hand built by Steve DeVille of DeVille Interiors, is featured in the next issue of "Beautiful Kitchens" magazine. It's the June issue ... but I've just received my copy ... so, it's quite exciting (even though we're not on the front cover).

Phew! I'm a bit rushed off my feet at the moment. I'm helping out at a local showroom, whose designer left at short notice. I wouldn't do that for any old kitchen company ... but I like this one ... and I think they do provide good value for money. They're certainly very busy and a lot of the customers come from recommendations ... always a good sign.