The Kitchen Is Unrecognisable

Frankie Jackson used her creative flair and love of one particular colour to give her crumbling old kitchen a new lease of life

Buying a house in London was always going to be a challenge with my relatively small budget,’ says Frankie. ‘So I went to a house auction as it was the only way I could get a bargain. It was thrilling and terrifying at the same time. The house I had my eye on required a huge amount of work, especially the kitchen, which was practically non-existent. The walls and ceilings were covered in a horrific yellow stain from tobacco and the smell was foul. But because it needed so much work, I was able to buy it at a good price knowing I could put my own stamp on it.

Starting over

The so-called kitchen was located in the tiny space at the back of the house, which leads onto the garden. It was so cramped I knew it would need relocating. The kitchen area is really important to me as I love to cook and have family and friends over. In order to create a larger kitchendiner without extending the house, I had to maximise every inch, so the builder and I agreed to move the kitchen into the adjacent reception room. The builders explained that by removing the chimney breast I could locate a run of kitchen units along one wall, leaving space for a table on the other side. I also wanted to open up an existing archway to make the two areas feel more connected.

Choosing the kitchen