Before & After: A dated family kitchen gets a fresh new look
Zoe Feldman transformed a dark, dated kitchen to incorporate more colour and storage, and turn it into a cheerful, practical and family-friendly space.

A family of six in need of a fresher, more cheerful family kitchen with more storage approached interior designer Zoe Feldman to help them transform their dark, cluttered kitchen.
Zoe and her team brightened up the kitchen with white metro tiles and powder blue cabinets, while also adding a walk-in pantry for further kitchen storage, and a handy boot room to keep shoes and accessories out of the way.
BEFORE
The former kitchen looked tired and drab, and was crying out for a fresher look. Worktops were a dark grey, pendant lights didn't give off enough light, and the tiles and cabinet door handles felt dated.
The sink area also felt dark and uninspiring, with a dark grey worktop and sink, and a chrome tap.
AFTER
Spearheaded by Zoe Feldman, the design team transformed the space with light and colour and storage, turning it into a cheerful, practical and family-friendly space.
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White metro tiles across the walls instantly brighten the space and bounce light around, plus they're easy to clean – essential for a family with four kids.
While the layout of the kitchen didn’t change, nearly everything in it did. A deep grey paint was added to the base cabinets, grounding the kitchen, while a light blue shade on the upper cabinets in the kitchen makes the room feel larger. Details such as the hammered copper sink, oil-rubbed bronzed plumbing fixtures, and grey moon quartzite countertops elevate the bright and happy open kitchen.
Brass-and-glass globe pendants from Rejuvenation take centre stage over the kitchen island.
PANTRY BEFORE
Next to the kitchen there used to be a small closet area that linked to the garage – now it's become a generous, walk-in pantry for food storage.
PANTRY AFTER
Feldman and her team carved out this butler’s pantry, featuring additional storage, child-friendly open shelving and cool new appliances, including a wine fridge.
Inside, there's plenty of storage, as well as space for occasional appliances.
Open shelving lend an urban-inspired, industrial vibe.
BOOT ROOM
The pantry now flows down two steps to a boot room (formerly an unused, cluttered garage) with built-ins, hooks for backpacks and convenient seating. The boot room features a mix of concealed and exposed storage.
W.C. BEFORE
The kitchen loo was another unloved and dated space.
W.C. AFTER
It's been given a bold new hue that wraps around the whole wall – including below the dado – and right up onto the ceiling too, creating a modern and energetic atmosphere.
Photography:Stacy Zarin Goldberg, @stacyzaringoldberg

Lotte is the former Digital Editor for Livingetc, having worked on the launch of the website. She has a background in online journalism and writing for SEO, with previous editor roles at Good Living, Good Housekeeping, Country & Townhouse, and BBC Good Food among others, as well as her own successful interiors blog. When she's not busy writing or tracking analytics, she's doing up houses, two of which have features in interior design magazines. She's just finished doing up her house in Wimbledon, and is eyeing up Bath for her next project.
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