Customer Story: Heather Collins' Reflections Ivory kitchen
How Heather gave her kitchen a modern update that was also classic and timeless
Heather's Reflections Ivory kitchen
Heather and her partner had been living in their apartment for a year and a half when they got their new kitchen fitted. The previous kitchen dated back to when the apartment was first built 15 to 20 years ago. It was quite basic and the plastic veneer was starting to peel. Heather felt it was time for a change and something a bit more modern. She began her search online before deciding to visit the Cash & Carry Kitchens showroom in Longmile Road, Dublin. Heather talks us through the process from her first design appointment right through to the finished product.
Heather talks about her Reflections Ivory kitchen
The design process
Cash & Carry Kitchens has 17 showrooms all over Ireland. Since she's based in Tallaght, Heather opted to go to our Longmile Road location in Dublin. "I ended up sitting down with the designer for about an hour and a half", Heather tells us. "I told him everything that I wanted. He listened and was able to give me some suggestions. He proposed the black handles that actually work well with the appliances". Heather really appreciated the expertise. "This was the first kitchen that I’ve ever done by myself so it was fantastic to have somebody who really knew what they were doing. Being able to see the 3D model and take it home with me afterwards to show all my friends and family was brilliant".
The black handles work well with the appliances
Heather's wish list
Heather had spent more than five years researching her dream kitchen. "I wanted something that was quite modern to match the rest of the aesthetic of the apartment. But I also wanted something that was quite classic and timeless, that would age well", she says. "The old kitchen was just really dated and it made me feel like the apartment wasn’t finished", Heather continues. "It was my biggest bugbear when I walked into my living room. I just wanted it to feel like it was in sync with everything else that I had done since I moved in. I needed it to work for me, instead of me working around the kitchen".
Take a tour of Heather's Reflections Ivory kitchen
Storage
We ask Heather what she wanted most from her new kitchen. "Storage, absolutely!", she says. "I was struggling with that in the old kitchen a lot. I loved the idea of a pantry to hide everything away as well. I hate having bins hanging around, so I wanted the bins to be hidden underneath the countertops". She's thrilled with the end result. "I needed a lot more storage and now I have too much storage", she laughs. "I have one cupboard that’s still completely empty but I’m going to fill that eventually". She adds that "being able to hide the bins is more hygienic, especially when I have a dog".
The integrated bins help keep the dog out of trouble!
Swing Larder with door storage
Heather loves her new swing larder. "I think my number one feature would be the larder press that I’ve filled with the big jars full of pasta and rice", she explains. "It just looks really pleasing and it’s really practical as well because everything is hidden away and you don’t have to worry about it".
The swing larder is Heather's favourite feature
Appliances
By the time she got around to getting her new kitchen, Heather's appliances were on their last legs. The fridge was giving up on life and it was a struggle to cook. That's all changed now. "I just love being able to cook properly", says Heather. "I know it sounds so stupid, but trying to get a sear on a steak with the old cooker was just not possible. Now, it’s a pleasure to cook. We cooked Christmas dinner for the family for the first time here in December. It’s made it feel more of a home".
In fact, Heather was pleasantly surprised when the time came to source her appliances. "I found that it actually was more economical to go with Cash & Carry Kitchens directly for the appliances", she explains.
Heather also sourced her appliances from Cash & Carry Kitchens
Space
Heather was amazed by how spacious the room felt. The new kitchen was a lot bigger than the old one, with Heather admitting that "I was a little afraid that the size of the kitchen was going to make the room feel a little bit smaller". However, that's not what happened. "It actually makes the kitchen feel bigger. It’s given an airiness to the room that wasn’t there before with the old kitchen". The kitchen design also maximises the abundance of natural light that floods the room daily.
The new kitchen feels bigger and brighter
The design and installation process
Heather tells us more about the design and installation process. "Overall the experience was great. I felt that I was well taken care of from the beginning when I walked in and even the follow-up afterwards to make sure that everything was ok and the kitchen was fitting in well with us. I didn’t feel like that at any point I had to chase them. That was great because I didn’t have time to project manage this by myself. Having that taken care of really took a lot of stress out because it’s already a stressful enough situation. You have to empty your home out basically and then get a new kitchen put in".
A wood-effect countertop
The heart of the home
"I think the kitchen has become the hub of the apartment. We have the island with the bar stools around it, so it’s become a really social space whether it’s just my mam coming over for a cup of tea at lunch or if it’s friends staying up a bit too late with a few glasses of wine. It just really feels like the heart of our apartment now. Being able to face out into the room when there are people sitting on the couch or at the dining table, makes me feel less excluded. It’s definitely a social kitchen and it fits our lifestyle very well".
The island helps make the kitchen a social space
This customer received a thank you gratuity for participating in this content.
