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Heart and soul

Just one glimpse at a derelict property was enough for Demi Michaelides to fall in love. Shrouded from the street by overgrown shrubbery, this Victorian villa was filled with character and Demi immediately knew it could be restored. "It was unloved and unliveable," she recalls. "However, we could see past what it was to what it could become." The whole house had to be gutted and not only did it have to be rewired, replumbed and redecorated, but it also needed remodelling to make it ideal for the Michaelides' growing family.

One of a maze of small rooms, the bijou proportions of the original kitchen were insufficient for the six bedroomed house and with five children, Andrew, 21, Elli, 16, Stelios, 14, George, 12 and four-year-old Anthony - a spacious kitchen was a priority. Knocking the rooms together was one thing but, when it came to the kitchen itself, Demi took time to make sure she got it right. She explains:

"I had two years, once we started working on the house, which I spent deciding exactly how it would look."

Scouring magazines, seeking friends' advice and spending weekends wandering around kitchen showrooms, Demi admits she put her heart and soul into the project. "It had to be traditional, but I didn't want it to be all old pine and dried grasses. I was looking for something with a subtle modern edge, which wouldn't just work for us as a family, but would also sit well within the style and age of the house," she says.

Months of research eventually paid off and, by the time she found the right company, she had more than a few thoughts of her own. "I knew I wanted an AGA, a plate rack and island as part of the kitchen, but I also wanted a separate dining area where we could entertain or provide family space," she says. "Despite visiting a few designers for quotes, I found only one who actually listened to me and the ideas that I had, rather than trying to force their own designs on me."

The proportions of the room itself dictated much of the design as the large rustic dining table fills the area where the ceiling is lower, whilst the large island is perfectly placed for access to the sink and cosy AGA. Choosing the deep red was a bold move but, as Demi says, it was vital to give the otherwise cream kitchen a dramatic injection of colour. Having originally considered blue, the cool hue was discounted by the couple in favour of the deeper romantic tones of red. "It does echo both Tony's and my character, but that was exactly what we wanted, a kitchen that would reflect us. You can't get much more perfect than that," she smiles.