Oti Mabuse’s glamorous new kitchen is fit for family life

Former Strictly Come Dancing pro, Oti Mabuse’s life on the dancefloor is something not many of us can relate to – but at home, she faces the same design conundrums as the rest of us.

In her Berkshire farmhouse, Oti’s new Howdens kitchen has the glamour of the ballroom mixed in with the necessities for family life. Oti and her husband, Latin and ballroom dancer Marius Lepure, are expecting their second child, so the pressure to create a kitchen fit for family life was on.

This sleek Shaker kitchen from Howdens has all the fixings to make everyday life easier – with room left for some kitchen discos too, of course.

Oti and her husband decided to leave London for greener pastures, and found home in the Berkshire countryside in a Grade 2 listed farmhouse. She soon knew it was time to transform the kitchen as she wanted a space for family cooking and her growing family.

To bring her ideas to life, Oti enlisted carpenter and joiner Gavin Tutton, and Howdens’ kitchen designer, Emma Dolman.

While Oti’s kitchen is undoubtedly luxurious and spacious, they decided against a kitchen island idea and instead opted to keep more floor space for dancing.

Oti swapped the kitchen island for wall-mounted storage, with cabinets that extend all the way up to the ceiling. She chose the Ilfracombe beaded in-frame cabinetry from Howdens in Truffle and Sandstone, which creates a warm and inviting atmosphere for the heart of the home.

This beaded shaker cabinetry introduces heritage style which is in keeping with Oti’s listed farmhouse, while adding a luxurious touch with the decorative beaded edge.

Getting the kitchen storage ideas right was an important part of the planning process for Oti. As for any family kitchen, choosing storage that is easy to keep organised and helps your cooking space run more efficiently is key.

She wanted to get rid of the awkward access in the old kitchen, such as the fridge opening into the hallway. Gavin made the most of the ceiling height with full-height cabinets and pocket doors so that every cupboard could be easily accessed without encroaching on high-traffic areas.

Recipe testing is important to Oti, so utensils, baking tray holders, chopping boards, and a bespoke spice rack fit neatly into every cupboard.

The finer details are just as meaningful than the overall layout. The delicate bronze veins in the Howdens Bronze Rivers Quartz Worktop add a subtle glitzy look to the space, reflecting Oti’s glamorous work life. This worktop continues into the larder so that even practical zones look premium.

The sink is a workhorse in any kitchen, but Gavin’s suggestion of adding an InSinkErator food waste disposer to help the family manage food waste makes it function even more efficiently. The aged brass Quooker tap and BLANCO Etagon sink complement the farmhouse aesthetic while being fit for busy modern life.

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