The story: This kitchen is called the Diesel Social Kitchen, which was designed by Diesel, the leading Italian fashion brand, and Scavolini, which is available from Multiliving in London.

The designer: Nicole Haig at DNK Design

Designer Q&A:

Q) What was the brief from the client?

The owners wanted to create a larger, lighter and more interactive family space – somewhere that reflected their personalities with space for dining and easy access to the garden.

Q) How did you set about answering that brief?

The original kitchen was at the front of the house so the ground floor layout had to be re-planned, so that there would be room for three sets of French doors to give the owners access to the garden.

Q) Which products did you use and why?

We used the Scavolini Diesel Social kitchen. The owners visited the Multiliving showroom in London and immediately chose it for its industrial-inspired look and the interesting mix of materials. It reflected the eclectic style they wanted and is a clever mix of retro, industrial and contemporary style – very in keeping with the Diesel branding.

Q) Was there any building/renovation work involved?

Yes, the kitchen was moved from the front to the back of the house and an extension was built to accommodate the new kitchen. A false wall was also installed, to conceal an awkward corner which is now clever storage space.

Q) What elements do you think make the scheme so successful?

The kitchen is a combination of personality and individuality that reflects the owners’ style and the overall cool, vintage yet contemporary look they wanted to achieve. This is encapsulated using different elements from the Diesel kitchen range, which has a great choice of finishes and colours.

The creative style, the attention to detail right down to the drip metal retro fridge handle and black Crittal windows, all add to the overall look. The kitchen flows along the back of the house and creates a fantastic space that works for both a busy family and for entertaining. A sliding door through to a small, cosy sitting room is also the ideal semi-open plan space with different floors to separate the two areas.

Q) Any advice for someone who may be planning a new kitchen?

Take your time and really think about how you want to use your kitchen. For some, it’s a real workhorse but for others it’s also for entertaining and family life. When you visit kitchen showrooms, spend time talking to the designers, as you’d be amazed at what options are available and how you can sometimes mix and match different ranges to create a unique design and perhaps even cut costs by combining expensive with less expensive products.

The details:

Stools from the Diesel Misfit accessory range

Hayley loves: the way this design combines the rough-luxe look with a diverse selection of finishes and materials to create something truly unique.