Struggling to design a narrow, north-facing kitchen? Discover how to transform a dark, cramped space into a bold, mid-century modern masterpiece without the cost of an extension. In this episode, we reveal smart layout hacks for galley kitchens, how to hide an ugly boiler, and the perfect colour palettes to warm up a dark room.

In this episode of Love Your Kitchen, sponsored by Blum, host Faye Newman details the design journey of a mid-century bold contemporary kitchen for clients in London. She explores the transformation of a narrow, north-facing space into a highly functional heart of the home, proving that you don’t always need an extension to create a dream kitchen. Faye breaks down how brave colour choices, exposed materials, and meticulous space planning can solve the challenges of a dark galley layout while hiding unsightly utilities like boilers and wiring.

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Looking to start your own kitchen renovation journey but not sure where to begin? We would love to help you bring your vision to life. Book a Kitchen Discovery Call with Faye today to discuss your project: 👉 www.fayenewmandesign.com

Key Takeaways

No extension needed: Keeping the original footprint avoided creating a dark central dining room and saved budget for higher-quality materials.

Warming up a north-facing room: Using earthy colour tones and introducing exposed wood brings an element of warmth within the space along with clever lighting combats the common cooler natural light from a north facing property.

Mid-century aesthetics: Achieving a lived-in, modernist look using exposed veneered oak interiors, push-to-open doors, and durable Calacatta Borghini Quartz.

Space-saving galley kitchen hacks: Why a traditional canopy hood was chosen over a venting hob to maximise crucial walkway width in a narrow space.

Best Moments

“Sometimes the best decision is not to extend. We avoided the ‘dark middle room’ syndrome and focused the budget on quality.”

“We managed to hide a boiler, the bins, and even a cat flap all in one unit without it looking like a utility cupboard.”

“We used exposed veneered cabinet interiors to give it that stripped-back, mid-century construction feel.”

About the Host

Faye Newman is a freelance Kitchen Designer with eight years of experience in the industry. With a background in furniture design and a passion for creating spaces that reflect the essence of the home, Faye brings a unique perspective to kitchen design. Her dedication to client satisfaction and love for her craft shines through in every project she undertakes.

Connect with Faye Newman Design:

Visit: www.fayenewmandesign.com for kitchen inspiration and design resources.

Now available to watch on YouTube! Don’t forget to subscribe here and click the notification bell for visual inspiration and expert advice.

Follow us on TikTok @LoveYourKitchenPodcast for daily doses of kitchen design inspiration and behind-the-scenes glimpses.

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Do you know exactly how to split your renovation budget to avoid the costly "buy cheap, buy twice" mistake, or are hidden construction costs waiting to derail your project?

In this episode of Love Your Kitchen, host Faye Newman is joined by Christine Campbell from Ginger Interiors and co-owner of Nucore Solutions to discuss the ultimate guide to planning a kitchen renovation for 2026. They strip back the aesthetic layers to reveal the hard facts of construction, exploring how to create a realistic kitchen remodel budget, where to spend versus save, and how to navigate the stressful build process without losing your mind.

Key Takeaways

The Golden Ratio of Budgeting: Christine breaks down exactly where your money should go to avoid overspending. A solid guideline for 2026 is allocating 30-40% for cabinetry, 20-30% for appliances, and 20% for worktops. Crucially, she warns against scrimping on labour—poor fitting can ruin even the most expensive kitchen.

The "Boring" Hidden Costs: A kitchen makeover isn't just about the visible furniture. You must account for the structural elements often overlooked in the initial home improvement budget, such as steel beams for extensions, moving ducting, upgrading electrics, and drying times for screed and underfloor heating.

Functionality First, Aesthetics Second: Before getting lost in Pinterest trends, assess your actual lifestyle. Effective kitchen design starts with solving current frustrations—like lacking homework spots or charging stations—rather than just picking paint colours.

The 15% Safety Net: Why a contingency fund is non-negotiable. With older properties often hiding surprises like poor insulation or dodgy pipework, having a financial buffer is the only way to keep your renovation project on track.

Best Moments

“If you're just looking at your kitchen, you're talking 30-40% on your cabinetry, at least 20% on your worktop... but do not scrimp on labour. We've seen beautiful kitchens fitted terribly and it ends up costing you more in the long run.”

“Take your time with it. Rome wasn't built in a day. It could take months for you to do your kitchen, but try and enjoy the process as well.”

About the Guest

Christine Campbell is an experienced Interior Designer at Ginger Interiors and works alongside their construction business known as Nucore Solutions. With a portfolio of renovating over 10 of her own properties and countless client projects, she specialises in bridging the gap between construction and interior design. Christine helps homeowners navigate the stressful build process while creating beautiful, functional, and timeless interiors. Find out more: https://gingerpropertiesanddevelopments.co.uk/

About the Host

Faye Newman is a freelance Kitchen Designer with eight years of experience in the industry. With a background in furniture design and a passion for creating spaces that reflect the essence of the home, Faye brings a unique perspective to kitchen design. Her dedication to client satisfaction and love for her craft shines through in every project she undertakes.

Connect with Faye Newman Design:

Visit: www.fayenewmandesign.com for kitchen inspiration and design resources.

Now available to watch on YouTube! Don’t forget to subscribe here and click the notification bell for visual inspiration and expert advice.

Follow us on TikTok @LoveYourKitchenPodcast for daily doses of kitchen design inspiration and behind-the-scenes glimpses.

Whether you're renovating your kitchen or looking for organisation hacks, Love Your Kitchen is your go-to resource for all things kitchen-related.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Love Your Kitchen, host Faye Newman leans into Boxing Day reality: stuffed fridges, overflowing freezers and far too many leftovers. She explores how the right appliances and features can dramatically cut food waste, save money and make everyday cooking easier, whether you’re planning a full kitchen Renovation, a future kitchen remodel, or just looking for smarter kitchen upgrades that work in any home, from a large open-plan space to a small kitchen.

Key Takeaways

Good kitchen design isn’t just about doors and worktops, it’s about choosing cooling appliances that keep food fresher for longer. Faye shows how features like twin cooling, humidity control and better internal layouts can save an average family hundreds of pounds a year in food waste.

Faye breaks down the best temperatures for dairy, leftovers, raw meat, fish, poultry and fresh produce, and why simply setting the fridge to “about 5 degrees” isn’t enough. Knowing how to organise your shelves properly is a simple but powerful kitchen organisation win.

Faye highlights tech such as dual/twin cooling systems, active humidity control, “no frost” and “Smart Frost” systems, and flexible temperature drawers (like Samsung’s FlexZone). These features help create a practical smart kitchen without needing apps and gimmicks.

Soft-freeze compartments that sit around -6°C to -10°C mean you can freeze a whole lasagne or traybake, then scoop out just what you need instead of defrosting the whole dish. It’s a brilliant kitchen idea for anyone who batch cooks or leans on leftovers.

Faye walks through examples from Samsung, Fisher & Paykel and Liebherr, explaining which features to look for rather than just chasing the highest price tag. Even mid-range models can bring serious performance benefits to your kitchen remodel or kitchen Renovation.

Best Moments

“Food is so expensive now, if your fridge can keep it fresher for longer, that’s part of your kitchen design, not just an add-on.”

“Most people don’t actually know what temperature their fridge is set at, never mind which foods need which temperature.”

“If your spinach wilts after three days, it might not be you; it might be the way your fridge handles air and humidity.”

“Cooling is the unsexy part of a kitchen Renovation, but it’s the bit that saves you money every single week.”

About the Host

Faye Newman is a freelance Kitchen Designer with eight years of experience in the industry. With a background in furniture design and a passion for creating spaces that reflect the essence of the home, Faye brings a unique perspective to kitchen design. Her dedication to client satisfaction and love for her craft shines through in every project she undertakes.

Connect with Faye Newman Design:

Visit: www.fayenewmandesign.com for kitchen inspiration and design resources.

Click me to join our email community for exclusive updates and tips.

Now available to watch on YouTube! Don’t forget to subscribe here and click the notification bell for visual inspiration and expert advice.

Follow us on TikTok @LoveYourKitchenPodcast for daily doses of kitchen design inspiration and behind-the-scenes glimpses.

Whether you're renovating your kitchen or looking for organisation hacks, Love Your Kitchen is your go-to resource for all things kitchen-related.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.