Interview with Daniel Matthews

3. When choosing your Smeg range cooker, what features stood out the most?

We really wanted a range cooker, and when researching, the Smeg range cooker really stood out head and shoulders above the rest. The stainless steel looked perfect against the gold hardware. I’m big into mixing metals. Also, the timeless iconic design will stand the test of time. It really is a standout piece. The features that stood out to me were the induction hob, super easy to maintain and clean. The two ovens, the self-cleaning function and an unexpected surprise for me when I didn’t realise until we got it was the little storage area under the oven to store baking trays.It’s a fantastic cooker, and it looks stunning, what's not to love?

4. What advice would you give to people who are thinking about removing their kitchen?

Really do you research, get lots of quotes for different kitchen suppliers. Is it cheaper to source things yourself? Don’t compromise on the things that are important to you, e.g. range cooker over built-in oven and separate hob etc. Make sure you work to a budget, this way you can really see what you can get for your money. Also, our homes are forever changing, can you do it in stages? If you got the kitchen fitted, then could you add a new dining table / bench seating at a later date. I think we need to normalise, renovating takes a long time & a lot of money and that's ok!