A change in the kitchen

A kitchen revamp is a daunting prospect. So many options ­ and so expensive! You don't want to make the wrong decisions. A kitchen is hardly a scatter cushion that you can simply replace ­ and it's where family and friends gather, so you can't just close the door if you don't like what you see. And that's where this kitchen guide comes in. Over the years, we've featured many impressive kitchens in Home, and we're always finding new ones that are bound to inspire. So we decided to compile a guide for readers planning a renovation or simply dreaming of one; a guide that contains all the information you'll need and plenty of inspiration from real reader kitchens. Plus some nifty quick fixes if you're not yet ready to fork out the big bucks (see page 98). From finishes and flooring to pendant lights, countertops, taps and tiles ­ we've got it all. And in addition to five striking (and diverse) new kitchens, we show you the 15 most beautiful ones we've featured in Home over the years ­ those that have really got people talking. In this issue, I also show you my own kitchen. After an editor's note last year in which I described my (too) large kitchen island, a reader asked when I would show it off. Well, here it is. The island is still too big but believe me, it quickly becomes cluttered when I start cooking and friends come to visit... Co-incidentally, the other day I received a report in my inbox from some or other world authority who spoke in London on what students need in order to study. No more reading, writing and arithmetic. No: "Communication, Critical Thinking, Creativity and Collaboration," he said. I wonder if he ­ his name is Elhadj As Sy ­ has perhaps revamped a kitchen lately? Because these sound exactly like the skills you need for such a project: Communication: with the cabinet-maker, of course, and the electrician, builder and plumber. The fab foursome who have to ensure, for example, that the tap for the washing machine is indeed inside the cupboard in which the machine will be cleverly concealed and not 10cm to the right in the gap for the refrigerator. True story; it happened to me. Can I just say that I really tried. All together at the same time in the kitchen for a so-called "site meeting". Marks were made on the walls, the spot for wall sockets and taps carefully indicated with crosses... And then? Mis communication. Critical thinking ? Sure. Remember the triangle principle: stove, sink and refrigerator all in close proximity. It works. But ignore naysayers who claim that white kitchens are too clinical, wooden countertops are not hygienic, that kitchens will of necessity cost an arm and a leg... Creativity. No, not just in terms of your choice of colours and finishes, but in terms of how much you twist the truth, shamelessly, when you discuss deadlines with the contractors. Because, really, how long can you wash dishes in a bowl, or cook food on the blue Cadac gas cylinder? A deadline for a building project always arrives sooner than the work is completed. And finally: Collaboration. In kitchen language it simply means: go with the flow. Don't work against the circumstances, but with them. There is always a situation. Always. Take the dog for a walk before someone trips over him. Refill the Cadac cylinder. Pour more wine. Work together! Enjoy this issue and send us all your questions and comments ­ and, of course, photos of your masterpiece. BUSINESS Freakalee Ceramics WHO Lee Hensberg WHERE Port Elizabeth HER WORK Lee's beautiful hand-painted tiles will add plenty of personality to your kitchen ­ whether you use them as a border, a funky splashback or wall art. Even though Lee took Ceramics as a subject during her Fine Arts studies, she only fell in love with clay about 10 years ago. Since then, this passion has blossomed into a business. "I love each new day in my studio, where I turn ordinary objects into something extraordinary," she says. Both Lee's bespoke ceramics (for galleries and exhibitions) and daily ware ranges (the 9 x 9cm tiles shown here are R100 each) are hand-painted. "I draw inspiration from the South African landscape, fauna and flora as well as personal influences," she explains. Freakalee Ceramics are available at shops in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, East London, Hermanus and Swakopmund ­ and Lee also exports worldwide. When Marié and her family moved to Stellenbosch three years ago, they knew their home needed a lot of work ­ the kitchen and adjacent living room were in dire need of a facelift. "All our freestanding cupboards came with us to Stellenbosch and were used again here," she says. "We also acquired a few new ones, such as the green cupboard, the open shelf on the wall and my mother-in-law's big white cupboard. It's taken almost a year since the completion of our project to get the kitchen as it is today, with everything in its place as we like it!" This kitchen works well for the family of six. "It complements our house and it was wonderful to watch it take shape organically over time."