‘Open-plan WORKS FOR US'

By relocating the kitchen into the living room, Ruth was able to create a stylish cooking and eating space with perfect views

- ZOE BISHOP

COME ON IN!

ABOUT ME I’m Ruth Melton, 34 and I work for the ambulance service. I live in a four-bedroom detached home in Saltdean, West Sussex, with my husband Ben, 36, a firefighter, our daughter Erin, six, and Ben’s son Rylee, 18.

MY CHALLENGE The kitchen was initially in a small poky room to the side of the large open-plan living room, but as we rejigged the whole ground-floor space, we decided that the living room would make a better kitchen-diner, as I really wanted to be able to look out to the sea while I cooked.

MY WISH LIST I wanted a grey kitchen, a feature wall and some bold wallpaper. Also on the list was open shelving and an airy feel. But most of all I wanted a pantry/utility space to keep all our ingredients, household and grocery items.

The decision to move our kitchen was mainly to make the most of the stunning sea views, and having brought in an architect to help drawup the plans, we started the renovation last summer,’ says Ruth. ‘My husband Ben did most of the work himself and we had a couple of his firefighter colleagues help out with some of the building work, but we were lucky that moving the kitchen was relatively easy.

Getting started