MARK GREENHALGH KITCHENS

      The sentiment that sparked the idea for the Voce's unusual circular kitchen was the insistence by

    Caroline,  a veteri­nary nurse, that it had to be different. 'We didn't want our kitchen

    to be the same as everyone else's,' she says.

      Having bought a simple two-bedroom semi in Nottinghamshire some 11 years ago, the couple were

   adamant that the interior should be a surprise for its visitors. Adding an extension doubled the size of the

   original kitchen, albeit with a long narrow shape. 'The room was still relatively small and dark so we

   wanted to create the illusion of space and light,' Caroline explains. 'I particularly wanted the kitchen to

   wrap around me without making me feel squashed.'

   The couple approached local kitchen designer Mark Greenhalgh who specialises in bespoke

joinery. 'The design developed between us as we started playing around with shapes,' explains

Caroline. 'We chose the amazing Blue Eyes granite for the worktops before anything else, so we

knew we wanted to make a feature of it.'

   As the initial idea evolved into the practicalities of planning the room, the location of certain

appliances started to have a strong sway over the design. 'Certain elements, such as the

American-style fridge freezer that Matthew wanted and the oven we already had dictated the layout

of the kitchen to some extent,' Caroline says.

   With Matthew being a plumber by trade, it was easy to decide where items such as the dishwasher

and sink should go. 'So many people have their sink under the window,' says Caroline. 'We

wanted to explore other avenues to create something unique.'

  Thinking long term, the couple were reluctant to choose a finish that would date too quickly or

appear too outrageous. 'We settled on a natural oak finish, which Mark embellished with a decorative

inlay to break up the expanse of wood. It accentuates the deep curve without taking the eye away

from the overall shape,' says Caroline.

   By not having wall units and keeping the wall colour light, the room is made to look bigger, while

the curved cabinetry maximises storage space. 'The whole thing took so much working out,'

   says Caroline, 'but it was worth every minute.'