When we set out to design this stunning full-house project in Autumn 2025, we couldn’t have predicted that the resulting kitchen would go on to win “Top Real Stori” at the STORI Retailer Excellence Awards 2026. But every detail of this project, from the bold material choices to the carefully considered storage solutions, came together to create something genuinely special.

Let’s take a closer look at the kitchen design that captured the judges’ attention and showcase the craftsmanship, creativity, and thoughtful planning that went into every element.

A Family Space for Cooking and Entertaining

The starting point for any successful kitchen design is understanding how the clients want to use the space. For this project, the brief was clear: create a kitchen that maximises storage whilst delivering a beautiful family space equally suited to everyday cooking and entertaining guests.

This dual-purpose requirement, practical for busy family life, sophisticated enough for hosting, shaped every design decision that followed. The result is a kitchen that flows effortlessly between these modes, feeling welcoming during family breakfasts and elegant when guests arrive for dinner.

Designed by Kristina, the kitchen demonstrates how classic design principles can be elevated with modern features to create something timeless yet thoroughly contemporary.

A Beaded In-Frame Kitchen in Graphite and Shell

The foundation of this design is a beautifully crafted beaded in-frame kitchen finished in Graphite and Shell, a sophisticated palette that combines depth with light.

Why beaded in-frame?

In-frame cabinetry represents traditional craftsmanship at its finest. Unlike standard cabinetry where doors sit on the front of cabinet boxes, in-frame construction means doors are inset within a structural frame. The beaded detail adds an additional layer of refinement, creating subtle shadow lines that catch the light and add visual interest.

This construction method is more labour-intensive and requires precise craftsmanship, but the result is worth it, in-frame kitchens have an unmistakable quality and presence that simply can’t be achieved with cheaper construction methods.

The Graphite and Shell palette

The combination of Graphite (a deep, sophisticated dark tone) and Shell (a warm, soft neutral) creates beautiful contrast without feeling stark. Graphite anchors the design with depth and drama, whilst Shell brings warmth and ensures the space never feels heavy or oppressive.

This two-tone approach is one of the leading kitchen design trends for 2026, and this project demonstrates exactly why it’s so popular, the contrast creates visual interest whilst remaining timeless and sophisticated.

The Statement Island

At the heart of this kitchen sits an oversized island that genuinely defines the space. Far more than just a centrepiece, it serves multiple functions whilst creating the social hub that modern family kitchens demand.

What makes this island work:

• Generous proportions that fill the kitchen area properly, providing ample workspace
• Comfortable seating on one side, perfect for casual meals, homework supervision, or chatting with whoever’s cooking
• Strategic positioning facing the coffee and drinks dressers, creating a natural conversation flow
• Multi-functional surface that handles food prep, casual dining, and entertaining serving
• Storage maximised beneath, providing essential capacity in a space-efficient way

The island demonstrates one of our core design principles, creating focal points that are genuinely useful, not just visually impressive. It’s the kind of feature that transforms how a family actually uses their kitchen day-to-day.

The Coffee and Drinks Dressers: Statement Storage

One of the most striking features of this kitchen is the bank of units forming the coffee and drinks dressers. This is where the design really comes alive, demonstrating how thoughtful storage can become a genuine design feature.

Design details:

• Walnut frame continuation carries warmth and natural texture through the design
• Lit open top boxes create display opportunities for accessorising
• Layered lighting provides both functional illumination and ambient warmth
• Wingline dresser doors allow elegant access whilst maintaining clean lines when closed

The combination of closed cabinetry, glass-fronted display sections, and lit open shelving creates visual rhythm and interest. It’s storage that doesn’t apologise for being storage, instead, it celebrates the items it holds, displaying beautiful glassware, treasured pieces, and everyday essentials with equal flair.

The Wingline Innovation

The wingline dresser doors deserve special attention, they’re a brilliant example of how innovative engineering enhances both function and aesthetics.

How wingline doors work

Wingline mechanisms allow doors to slide back into the cabinet rather than swinging out into the room. When opened, the doors disappear into recesses on either side, providing completely unobstructed access to the contents.

Why this matters:

• No protruding doors when accessing the dresser, even in tight spaces
• Better visual flow as doors don’t dominate when open
• Practical when entertaining as guests aren’t navigating around open doors
• Reveals the beauty inside with full, unobstructed access
• Architectural elegance that elevates the design

This is exactly the kind of detail that distinguishes truly bespoke kitchens from standard offerings, engineering solutions that solve real practical problems whilst enhancing the overall design.

Hettich Components Throughout

Behind every beautiful kitchen lies the quality of its mechanisms, the drawers that glide smoothly, the soft-close systems that engage perfectly, the storage solutions that work flawlessly thousands of times throughout the kitchen’s life.

This project features Hettich components throughout, including their innovative Light Tower Larder Drawer Tower.

Why Hettich?

Hettich is renowned in the industry for premium-quality mechanisms. Their drawer runners, soft-close systems, and storage solutions represent some of the best engineering available, components that maintain their performance for decades rather than degrading over time.

The Light Tower Larder Drawer Tower

This particular feature transforms larder storage. Instead of traditional fixed shelves where items at the back become forgotten, the Light Tower system provides:

• Full-extension drawers that bring contents completely out for easy access
• Integrated LED lighting that automatically illuminates contents
• Adjustable internal organisation for different storage needs
• Premium soft-close action ensuring quiet, controlled operation

It’s the kind of feature that genuinely changes how you use your kitchen daily, no more reaching to the back of cupboards or forgetting items you’ve stored.

The Quooker Tap: Daily Luxury

A Quooker Boiling Water Tap with Cube Sparkling & Filter Water provides three transformative functions:

• Instant boiling water: No more waiting for kettles. Need boiling water for tea, coffee, pasta, or vegetables? It’s instant, every time. This iFiltered cold water: Crisp, filtered water on demand for drinking, cooking, or filling water bottles. Eliminates the need for bottled water and provides a noticeably better taste.
• Sparkling water: The Cube extension adds chilled sparkling water capability, perfect for entertaining, providing a touch of luxury that guests immediately appreciate.

The Quooker integrates beautifully into the kitchen design, providing exceptional functionality without compromising aesthetics. It’s representative of how premium appliances elevate the entire kitchen experience.

Siemens Appliances: Performance Meets Design

Throughout the kitchen, Siemens appliances provide the performance and reliability that discerning homeowners expect. Integration was a key design consideration, every appliance sits flush within the cabinetry, contributing to that seamless, architectural feel.

Siemens represents the perfect choice for projects like this one, German engineering precision combined with sophisticated design language that complements premium kitchen aesthetics. From cooking to refrigeration to cleaning, the appliances perform brilliantly whilst remaining visually understated.

The Finishing Touches: Dark Brushed Brass Hardware

Sometimes it’s the smallest details that transform a good kitchen into an exceptional one. For this project, the dark brushed brass T-bar and bar handles with backplates provide exactly that level of finishing finesse.

Why dark brushed brass works here:

• Warm metallic tones complement the walnut accents beautifully
• Sophisticated patina ages gracefully, getting better with time
• Statement without shouting, visible enough to add character, restrained enough to feel timeless
• Backplates add architectural detail and protect surrounding surfaces
• T-bar and bar combination provides design variation across different unit types

 

Hardware choices often get overlooked in kitchen planning, but they’re touched dozens of times every day. Quality hardware in the right finish elevates the entire kitchen experience.

The Design Process Behind the Project

Award-winning kitchens don’t happen by accident, they emerge from careful design processes that balance creativity with practicality, vision with execution.

Designed by Kristina

This project was led by Kristina Libertini, who brought together the client’s vision, the technical requirements of the space, and our manufacturing capabilities into a cohesive design. Her approach combines understanding what clients want with knowing what’s genuinely possible, creating designs that inspire whilst remaining absolutely deliverable.

The collaborative approach

Every Kitchen Flair project benefits from our team’s collective expertise, designers, manufacturers, project managers, and installers all contributing their specialist knowledge. Award-winning results come from this collaborative process, where every detail receives expert attention.

What This Project Demonstrates

The Chain House project, our award-winning Top Real Stori entry, demonstrates several principles that define Kitchen Flair’s approach:

Bespoke means truly bespoke. Every element was designed specifically for this space, this client, and this lifestyle. Off-the-shelf solutions could never have achieved this level of integration and personalisation.

Storage as design feature. Brilliant storage doesn’t have to be hidden away, the coffee and drinks dressers prove that beautifully designed storage becomes a defining feature of the space.

Innovation meets tradition. Combining traditional beaded in-frame construction with modern features like Wingline doors, Quooker taps, and Hettich mechanisms creates kitchens that feel both timeless and thoroughly contemporary.

Quality compounds. When every element, from materials to mechanisms to handles, reflects exceptional quality, the cumulative effect is something truly special.

Family-first design. This kitchen works brilliantly for everyday family life whilst providing the sophistication needed for entertaining, proof that practical and beautiful aren’t mutually exclusive.

Inspired by What You’ve Seen?

If this award-winning kitchen has sparked ideas for your own home, we’d love to discuss what’s possible for your space. Whether you’re drawn to the beaded in-frame style, intrigued by features like wingline doors and Quooker taps, or simply want to understand how bespoke design could transform your home, our team is here to help.

Visit our showrooms in Preston or Leyland to experience our craftsmanship firsthand, see materials and finishes in person, and discuss your project with our expert designers.

Browse more of our projects to see the variety of bespoke kitchens we’ve created across Lancashire and beyond, or explore our different kitchen styles to find the perfect direction for your home.

Ready to create something award-worthy in your home? Contact us today to book your design consultation.