CLASSIC OR CONTEMPORARY?

Ask the owner of any period property what first attracted them to their home and their answer is likely to be its age and architecture. A charming exterior aspect, original features or perhaps a fascinating history have the power to seduce. Many will decorate the interior in a style compatible with the building, but should the historic aesthetic extend to the kitchen? It can be argued that as today’s kitchens house some of the most advanced technology in the home, it makes sense to choose a look that reflects this modern functionality. However, it is equally easy to combine 21st-century appliances into, say, a Shaker kitchen.

There are no hard and fast rules about choice of style, but as kitchens are as much a