Essential Kitchen Bathroom Bedroom – January 2018

Planning a new kitchen, bathroom or bedroom will always involve a delicate balancing act between aesthetics and functionality, and this is a challenge that is always at the forefront of our minds as we think about what to feature in the magazine. So while we will always cover all the most gorgeous trends and new ideas that we see, we still have an equally pragmatic outlook and firm backbone of practicality in the mix too. This issue is a fusion of design ideas and directions. On the one hand, you can turn to some of the most stand-out new concepts in bathrooms coming through for 2018, in Spring Ahead on page 114. While in Moveable Feast, on page 82, we look at the versatility of a modular kitchen and how it could work for you. Technology editor Lucy Macdonald delves into how smart technology is changing the feel of our kitchens in Connected Future on page 104, and in Soft Focus on page 142, writer Victoria Rolison looks at the wide selection of rugs and carpets to help you choose the right design for you. Of course the most beautiful projects will always manage to achieve both stunning good looks as well as a realistic design that works for its homeowners. Turn to page 24 and Mid-Century Mix to see how the Morris family have transformed their 1960s build with a contemporary kitchen that blends so well with their Crittall windows and poured concrete sink run and splashback. In Natural Order on page 38, the Dawsons have created a streamlined design for living and socialising in, and in Worth the Wait on page 50, Joanne and Stuart Ward have realised a dream of 10 years in the creation of the new family cook space. Meanwhile the floor-to-ceiling cabinetry and warm tones of marble with London plane feels bold and unique in Amy and Nick Powney’s kitchen extension of their East London home on page 60 in Creative Roots. For more design ideas and advice please turn to the interviews with the designer duo from Black Parrots Studio on page 80 and Abigail Ahern on page 162.