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A kitchen makeover is always exciting. And at Caple we take real pride in listening to our clients. We make sure we help them to create a dedicated area that perfectly fulfils their needs. Our list of satisfied customers includes reality TV stars, Olympic champions and Great British Bake Off finalists. So naturally, we were thrilled when award-winning Seasons In Colour interiors blogger Jenny Kakoudakis approached us to help her with her kitchen makeover.
Jenny, her husband and her son moved into their five-bedroom detached home in Warlingham, Surry, in 2014. Two years later, black Labrador Bella joined the family. The big kitchen makeover, however, did not begin until June 2022. This ambitious renovation project incorporated an extension, to replace Jenny’s original galley kitchen. The aim was to produce a modern, open-plan space where the family could cook, eat and entertain. The build period took around 12 weeks. After this, the Caple kitchen was installed and the appliances were connected a week before Christmas, just in time to cook Christmas dinner!
Seasons In Colour blogger Jenny loves her new open-plan kitchen, which features high-performance Caple appliances and a stylish sink and tap
“Planning a kitchen makeover can be both exciting and overwhelming,” Jenny acknowledges. “The design is an important part of creating a functional and enjoyable space. Good kitchen design should take into account the needs of your family. However, it should also assess how they use this space every day.”
Ample storage, an efficient workflow and sufficient space for all the necessary appliances were the key priorities for Jenny. After all, she understood the importance of creating a kitchen that was tailored to her needs and preferences. “I needed some insights into how to maximise space utilisation and how to consider ergonomic elements,” she explains.
“Working with Caple on this room makeover meant I could incorporate the latest trends in kitchen design, including downdraft extraction, a hot water tap and a smart oven. This has helped me to create a modern and efficient kitchen that makes cooking and cleaning easier and more enjoyable.”
Jenny knew right from the start that her new kitchen should be a contemporary, welcoming, open-plan space. “Open-plan designs allow for more family time, as they create a single living area when the whole family can gather to eat, entertain and spend quality time together,” she explains. “Before, having separate kitchen and dining areas meant that I ended up cooking alone. Now, there’s always someone to keep me company. Our new open-plan design also allows for improved air flow. I benefit from more natural light and better access to the kitchen from other areas of the house.”
While Jenny is renowned for her love for interior design, her stunning new heart of the home is not just for show. As a keen cook, Jenny knew she wanted high-performance appliances for her kitchen makeover, that would deliver on function as well as form, which she says is why she chose Caple.
“Caple offers a variety of complimentary appliances that work well together, and can accommodate all the needs of a modern kitchen,” she notes. “It’s a household name that’s been around for decades, and a trusted partner to many kitchen designers. Customer service and extended warranties were also important to us. When you spend a large part of your kitchen budget on appliances, you want the assurance that if something goes wrong, you will be looked after.”
After much deliberation, Jenny chose our C2600SS Sense Premium Smart Pyrolytic Single Oven in stainless steel to help her cook up a storm, teamed with our CM111SS Sense Built-In Combination Microwave.
“It was really important for me to have a smart appliance in my new kitchen,” Jenny reveals.“This will future-proof it and offer more convenience. My app-controlled oven gives me an extra level of control – and also access to a wealth of recipes from Caple. The greatest convenience is being able to turn the oven on when I leave the supermarket, knowing it will have reached the optimum temperature by the time I get home.”
Jenny says her new Caple Smart oven has given her an extra level of control. She can now operate her oven without leaving the comfort of her sofa
Jenny also makes full use of this oven’s multi-cooking stages, pizza function, rotisserie and labour-saving self-cleaning pyrolytic function. When she’s cooking for a crowd, she enlists the help of her combi-microwave too. “I often cook for larger groups, and that’s when a second oven comes in handy,” Jenny agrees. “I use my microwave to prepare or warm side dishes. It’s also brilliant for prepping breakfast, re-heating and defrosting frozen meals. On movie nights, it makes great popcorn too.”
Our Zero 150R stainless steel undermount sink provides a contemporary aesthetic with the striking worktop. Jenny’s new Vapos 2 3-in-1 hot water tap is proving handy for making perfectly flavoured cups of tea
Your kitchen sink and tap can be two of the hardest working items in your home. For her new kitchen makeover, Jenny chose our Zero I50R Undermount Stainless Steel Sink and our Vapos 2 3-in-1 Stainless Steel Hot Water Tap. “We liked the idea of an undermount sink because it gives a kitchen a more modern look and feel,” Jenny explains. “And I love the extra convenience a 1.5 bowl model provides.”
On the subject of convenience, our Vapos tap supplies fresh cold, regular hot and filtered 98°C steaming water, making it endlessly versatile, whether you want to speed up the cooking time for pasta or simply need a fast caffeine hit. “I love the ease of making tea with my hot water tap,” Jenny agrees. “It’s perfect for making a quick cuppa between Teams calls.”
The final two Caple appliances chosen by Jenny for her kitchen makeover are our DD810BK Induction Hob with Downdraft Extractor and our RI7306 Frost Free In-Column Fridge-Freezer.
“Built-in fridge-freezers provide convenience, save space, and offer easy access to food and drink,” Jenny notes. “Refrigerators are big appliances, and can look out of place. From a design perspective, I always opt for built-in.”
A more difficult decision, Jenny acknowledges, is where to site your hob. Ultimately, she decided to position hers on the kitchen island, a decision driven by better accessibility, increased workspace and improved aesthetics. Another advantage? Jenny now has uninterrupted views of her garden while she cooks
“Having your induction hob on your kitchen island is also a great way to entertain guests. You can cook right in front of them, and serve them on the spot,” she observes. Sometimes known as a venting hob, the model chosen by Jenny is a multi-tasking, two-in-one appliance that combines enhanced functionality with sleek and stylish good looks.
“With a downdraft extractor, any sound is reduced when in use, in comparison with an eye-level extractor that’s also closer to your ears,” Jenny explains. “The DD810BK has its motor hidden inside the island cabinet, which reduces noise further. And I love that there is no visual obstacle in the form of an extractor hanging above everything.”
Jenny is understandably thrilled with the final results of her kitchen makeover, despite the inevitable disruptions and building work bumps along the way. “After many months of take-away food and makeshift cooking in the garage, it is such a treat to have a fully functioning kitchen,” she laughs. “Renovating a kitchen can be a great way to improve the quality of life for you and your family. Our everyday living has changed in subtle ways, and we all use the kitchen throughout the day in different ways.”
Jenny concludes: “This kitchen has been in the making for years inside my head! I am grateful that we were able to complete the build during a time of great uncertainty and rising costs. My new kitchen has solved many problems and we love using it every day.”
Keen to be inspired by more kitchen makeover magic? Click here to see Gemma Heaps’ fabulous new Shaker kitchen.
AD: We provided Jenny with the following Caple appliances, sink and tap at a discount to feature in her kitchen: DD810BK, RI7306, CM111SS, Zero150R and VAP2/3IN1/SS.
