When Michelle Frey moved into her spacious property in Hertfordshire, she seized the opportunity to transform the ground floor to accomodate her busy family. 'I changed the layout entirely, knocking out walls to create a practical, oblong-shaped kitchen' she explains.

With 4 children - Daniel 19, Georgia, 16, Luke, 12 and Samantha, 10 - Michelle needed a large kitchen, but didn't want to have to walk far between appliances, worksurfaces and the sink. Finding cabinetary that was stylish, but wouldn't date quickly was also important. 'I felt a modern laminate finish wouldn't age well and might be ruined by one scratch' she says 'it wasn't a practical option in a house full of children'.

Michelle's insiration came from kitchen designer Simon Taylor's showroom, where a piece of pippy oak caught her eye. The company met Michelle's criteria perfectly. 'They are a small, friendly firm and I knew I could trust Simon' she explains. I loved the richness and finish of the wood - everything else seemed to fall into place from there'.

The transformed kitchen is an impressive size, but far from impersonal. Its most striking feature is a large, curvy island. 'It breaks up the space and is packed with storage' explains Michelle. 'It really works hard for us - when we're not eating formally the children sit at the bar and we all chat together'.