As UK Flooring Direct’s Home of Inspiration we’ve invited a collection of the country’s most talented Interior Stylists to share their expertise with you. We’re delighted to continue the series with the lovely Lucy Gough, inspiring us with a sleek, contemporary kitchen.

Fitted kitchen: (see image above)

It's a little known fact that Habitat sell a range of fitted kitchens that are available to see at any of the Habitat showrooms around London. Made in Germany, the range is available in a wide choice of materials, colours and finishes, combining functionality and durability with the distinctive, contemporary feel that distinguishes all Habitat designs.

For a truly modern look, opt for a cabinet door with no handles and one that extends all the way to the ceiling to draw the eye up and give an illusion of height.

Colour scheme and surfaces:

This one is obvious. If you want to make your scheme look sleek, smart and modern, you can't go wrong with a mixture of whites, stainless steel, greys and a hint of an accent colour of your choice.

I also feel that it is important to give some texture to the kitchen to save it from feeling too smooth and soulless.

Floor tiles:

This laminate incorporates the popular tile style and is ideal for your modern kitchen setting, boasting easy maintenance as well as the look you crave. This is extremely resistant to footfall abrasion that makes it perfect for high traffic areas, UK Flooring Direct’s Series Elements in Lisboa Beige the suave shade on show. There is a range of other colourways available if you’re looking to achieve a different end result.

Wall tiles:

White metro tiles have been on trend for a few years now but never fail to go out of style. They were given their name because they were used in so many London underground train stations and were also used in the New York Subway when it opened in the early 1900s. These ones are from Easy Tile and are brilliantly easy to use as they come in panels of approx 6-8 tiles so you don't have to adhere individual tiles to the wall. Perfect for your kitchen splash back!

Worktops:

Ikea kitchen worktops are incredibly cost effective and they are priced from about £40 per linear metre. The ones in the image below (Bergstena) have a striking plywood effect edge, grey on one side and white on the other, so you have a choice of which side to have on show.



Kitchen accessories:

Trolley:

If you happen to have a small kitchen, having an extra bit of worktop space is priceless. This is where a trolley or a butchers block on casters can really come in handy. Kaymet have been designing and manufacturing aluminium trays, trolleys and hotplates in London since 1947, and have an impressive collection for you to choose from.



Bread bin:

Joseph and Joseph have long been designing smart kitchen accessories to make people's lives easier. Their 100 collection stainless steel bread bin is a stylish storage solution for the modern kitchen. Not only is it tough and durable, but its beech lid, when reversed, doubles as a cutting board. Love this!

Kitchen dining table:

For those of you in the lucky position to have an open plan kitchen/diner- this Odyssey extending table from John Lewis is a winner. It is 160cm in length at its most compact, but extends not once, but twice into a whopping 260cm to seat 10 people comfortably when you have a dinner party. With its sleek white frame and the extendible leaves made from glass, you will have a real conversation starter in your dining room.



Lighting:

Kitchen lighting need not be fancy, especially in a contemporary setting, and the Victor pendant from Original BTC (below) is the perfect example. They were established in 1990 and manufacture relaxed, familiar lighting for traditional and contemporary homes alike.



Hand-assembled in Oxford from the finest aluminium, chrome and bone china, the essential collection of table, floor, wall and pendant lights is instantly comfortable, unassumingly elegant and accessibly priced. If you want to buy a kitchen light that is beautifully made, smart and un-fussy, then look no further than Original BTC.

About Lucy Gough: Australian born, London based interior stylist Lucy has worked for big titles such as Livingetc, Alto and the Sunday Times, as well as many well-known brands, businesses and designers. With this in mind, Lucy has been a fabulous addition to what is a growing list of Inspiration Centre guest stylists. For more information visit www.lucygoughstylist.com.



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