When we moved into our house last February, the first thing we had to do was tackle the outdated and ramshackled 1970s kitchen. It did not have an oven, and no one would install one due to the unsafe electrics and the wood cladding. There was hardly any storage and it just felt dirty. Another big issue – no plumbing for a dishwasher. Here are some ‘before’ pics from the day we moved into our house.

It was tough going three weeks without a kitchen (we had a microwave in our living room and ate a lot of takeaways, which was far from delightful). But we made it through and ended up with a lovely cooking and eating space. A small kitchen is the price we pay for living in London. But I don’t mind. Our kitchen really is the heart of our home.

Here are some of items that make my kitchen perfect for our family. Some items were sourced after weeks scouring the internet. Some were impulse buys. I found a gorgeous G-Plan highboard from eBay for £50 but we had to push the dining table against it when our two-year old son started trying to climb the highboard. The space isn’t entirely as I would like. But that is what happens when you have children. Their needs become more important that your styling needs.