With our new bi-folds, it feels like I'm cooking in the garden!

Clare and Jeremy Mooney swapped small windows for bi-folds to brighten up their dark kitchen, and added a stylish island so they can look out onto the garden while they cook

- Zoe Bishop

The kitchen and dining space in Clare and Jeremy Mooney's 1980s home was originally two separate rooms, but the couple decided to knock the wall between them down as soon as they moved in. 'We initially thought about replacing the kitchen, but what we wanted wasn't in our budget. As time went on, though, the kitchen started to suffer more wear and tear, and the space started to feel darker. I just wanted it to be lighter and brighter, and it became obvious we really needed something new and modern,' says Clare.

The couple toyed with the idea of just replacing the kitchen and adding a larger window, but then spoke to a local builder who said it would be just as easy to take out the back wall of the kitchen and replace it with large bi-fold doors. This would flood the room with light and give the couple an open, indoor-outdoor feel.