Latest Homes Sussex magazine

When it comes to surfaces and basins, the simple, industrial look is the way to go

Worktops, sinks and taps are the hub of any kitchen. According to a survey for Living etc magazine (March 2006), 60 per cent of time spent in a kitchen is at the sink – and most of the other 40 per cent is spent at a work surface. Whether you’re updating an existing kitchen or starting afresh, these key pieces need to be fit for purpose. Want a kitchen sink you can be proud of? Read on…

Top worktops

Trends for 2007 and onwards are still for worktops with a solid, industrial feel. Natural stones such as granite or marble and manmade composites are top of the worktops.

Corian and Zodiaq are non-porous, stain resistant, and can be formed into any shape or thickness. Black and white remain top-sellers (especially with this year’s monochrome themes), but the colour choice for man-made stone is wide, so you can be playful with these solid, practical surfaces. Watch out for chocolate, red and yellow this autumn.

Cast concrete is a popular (and cheaper) alternative. Also versatile, it can be formed into different shapes and curves, and many different colours. The end result is pleasingly solid: This type of worktop looks stunning in black or industrial grey, teamed with a dark floor and pale-coloured or earthtoned units. Concrete, stone and composite worktops are perfect for creating curves in your kitchen (a key shape for 2007), and the smooth finish will give a sleek, modern look.

Wood is also back in style. The trend is for darker shades of oak, iroko and other hardwoods to contrast with lighter units. Wood worktops are more forgiving surfaces to work on than some glass or polished finishes.

Light is increasingly incorporated as a design feature of worktops and splash-backs. Glass – or laminate worktops with a toughened glass cover – look fabulous when illuminated from below. The sheen and reflection bring a deliciously silky feel to any kitchen counter, but beware of scratches and marks.

Sinks and taps

Where concrete, stone or composite worktops are used, the big trend is for integral, moulded sinks that don’t break up the line of the work surface. Make sure your sink is big enough for anything that won’t fit in a dishwasher. Adding an extra sink to utility space for washing or rinsing is an excellent idea. If you want something special, look out for entertainment sinks (narrow troughs that can be filled with ice to chill seafood or wine).

There is a bewildering range of high-tech taps on offer. If you do lots of washing up, opt for a professional hose spray tap that extends over the whole sink (make sure it’s a big one!). If you buy lots of bottled water, get a purification tap instead. Like tea or coffee? A boiling water tap might be just the thing… the list is endless. Whatever you choose, simple, almost industrial styles are central to this year’s look.

Harvey Jones Kitchens offer premium-quality handmade kitchens that can be painted in any colour you choose. Their designs offer unrivalled quality and exceptional value for money. Visit their showroom at 95 Western Road, Hove or call for your free brochure: 0800 032 6482

Poggenpohl worktops and sinks
£POA, www.poggenpohl.de

Period fireplaces and stoves to make your home hot

A wash-out August and sunny September may have left you somewhat seasonally maladjusted, but we’re sure that cooler evenings must be just around the corner. Nothing warms the toes or cockles quite like a roaring fire. This week, Latest Interiors checks out some fashionable fires to get those chestnuts roasting…

Como flueless gas fire, £500
www.next.co.uk

The real thing

Many Sussex properties have managed to hang on to one or two original fireplaces. Often a selling point, a well-proportioned period fireplace and surround really finish a room.

If your period home has no fireplace remaining, find out the position and style of fireplaces in neighbouring properties and try knocking on a few of your walls: you might just find the original hearth lurking behind some plasterboard, or at least be able to re-fit a working fireplace.

When re-instating or replacing fireplaces, be guided by the period of your property. You can pick up reclaimed Victorian and Edwardian pieces in markets and salvage shops. while finding replacement Deco, Nouveau or arts and crafts fireplaces is more difficult, it’s not impossible. If you can’t find the real thing, several local specialists stock reproduction pieces to suit a variety of styles, with stone, cast iron and wood surrounds, and some will make a bespoke fireplace or surround. For a contemporary look, keep it simple – ’hole-inthe-wall’ type fireplaces with no detail or surround look great and go with almost any period style. If you want your real fire to be
green(er), invest in an eco-friendly ‘logmaker’ that recycles household waste into compact, easy to burn ‘logs’.

Chiltern electric fire, £425
www.next.co.uk

Super stoves

Stoves are an economical, clean and stylish alternative to open fires. Styles vary, from quaint, period ‘potbellied’ stoves to the very sleek and modern. They can easily be adapted for use with a variety of different fuels, and their enclosed design can mean less mess and greater safety.

Brayford electric stove, £119
www.next.co.uk

Hot alternatives

If you’ve no fireplace or even chimney, you can still have a roaring fire this winter. So-called ‘living flame’ gas and electric fires have come a long way – you’d be hard-pressed to tell many of them from the real thing. Surrounds can be period or modern, and even stoves come in gas and electric varieties. The more popular designs use stones and pebbles rather than wood or coal effects. Gas and electric fires produce no smoke or waste in the home.

For something really different, check out gel fires – fume and smoke-free fires suitable for indoor or outdoor use, powered by a flammable gel. A clean, green alternative – but can you toast marshmallows on it?

To make the most of your home, sort out your illumination situation

Let some light into your home. Like paint and wallpaper, the right lighting can make rooms feel bigger, brighter and generally nicer to spend time in. Light – its form, colour and direction – is part of your home décor. Enhancing your living space with light is easier than you think, so where should you start? This month Latest Interiors brings you the lowdown on home lighting.

L-R: Design Studio, 58 Western Rd., Hove, www.design-interiors.com - Sprite ceiling light £250, www.johnlewis.com - Design Studio

Light forms

Generally, lighting can be categorised into four types: ambient, accent, task and information, and most homes will need light from all four categories somewhere.

Task lighting allows a specific activity – such as reading, food preparation or tooth-brushing – to be carried out. Task lights include angled lamps and recessed downlights, and generally cast a bright, directional beam. Information light provides direction or help. Stair, hall, outdoors or door lights fall into this category.

Accent light tends to be low-level and focused, and is used to highlight points or features of interest. Backlighting a recessed area to display flowers, or illuminating a favourite picture, are examples of this. In contrast, we use ambient light to see everything. It replaces or supplements natural light, and every part of the home requires some. The most effective way of producing ambient light is usually through a variety of sources: recessed downlights, standing lamps and a pretty pendant used together can create atmosphere and warmth. It’s here that most people slip up: insufficient ambient light can make a large, warm room seem dark and cold. Get it right, and you can double the sense of sunlight streaming through the windows.

Brighten up

When renovating or redecorating, think about lighting at the same time as you think about paint, colour and furniture. Draw up a lighting plan for the different types of light in your home, which will probably incorporate all four types at different points.

Task, accent and information lighting can be discreet and functional: unless you want to make a statement with a classic angle poise lamp, this type of light just needs to do its job. You can get more creative with the ambient light. Use colour and shape to change the feel of a space. Architectural lights are in style at the moment – large, statement pendants that are a feature in themselves. Combine a statement pendant light with subtle, coloured downlights and dimmers.

Don’t be afraid to experiment. Beautiful lamps, modern chandeliers, fibre optics and the right ambience turn lighting into an art form, transforming your space at the flick of a switch. Enlightened? You should be…

Lights featured down side - Sphere table lamp, £130 Debenhams - Ice Cube light table £250, John Lewis

Mister Smith is a family concern, says Managing Director Ben Smith

I remember sitting around the dinner table talking about what we want to do when we were grown up. I was about ten, relishing the roast beef and yorkshire puddings piled on my plate. My older brother piped up ‘Hotel Manager!’ (and that is his position now). Me, I was unsure. Office job, chef, England left winger?

"Dad what do you do?" I asked. "Well I’m lucky as I have my own business and can work in the office, but also go out on appointments and meetings"

"That’s what I want to do." I said.
And here I am 20 years later, Managing Director of Mister Smith Interiors. My younger brother (who was probably just picking his nose back then) is my fellow director and runs our Crowborough branch, and my dad still looks after the coffers.

Mister Smith based in Brighton and Crowborough has been a family run business since my grandfather, Freddie, started it back in the 1960’s. We specialise in interior furnishings including fabric, floorings, upholstery, cabinet furniture, lighting, wallpaper and paints. We provide expert advise on all these areas, built up through years of experience and are backed up by a competent team of curtain makers, track and carpet fitters and upholsterers.

We welcome any size of project and love talking about home interiors. So whether you want to pick our brains or get our interior designer round, pop in and see us now and you might find what you want to do with your home.

Mr Smith, 23 New Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 1UF.
Tel: 01273 605574

Croft Road, Crowborough, East Sussex, TN6 1DR.
Tel: 01892 664152