Kitchen Haven: Amy Stephenson

Tell us about yourself

I’m a freelance food stylist and recipe writer, originally from Manchester, but I live in Walthamstow in London with my husband, Aaron, and baby daughter, Annie.

I absolutely love my kitchen, it’s the kind of kitchen I’ve always dreamed of having and I didn’t think I’d ever get to design one from scratch. It’s perfect for entertaining, which is something we love to do, and there’s enough space for our daughter to enjoy it as she grows up.

What work did you do to this kitchen?

The kitchen-diner is the extension we added onto our terraced house when we moved here in 2021, so essentially it is a big rectangular box – half is a dining area with built-in bench seating and half is the kitchen. It’s an L-shape of units and an island with natural plywood doors, grey micro-cement worktops, engineered oak flooring, white walls, lots of plants and the neon sign we had at our wedding. There are Scandi vibes with all the wood but it’s also quite modern and minimalist with black handles and taps.

We were very fortunate to have help with the design from my dad, who is an architect. I always wanted a sink looking out over the garden but didn’t want to compromise on natural light, so we’ve got these huge windows which come right down to the extra-deep worktop, bringing the outside in. I wanted the island to just be a worksurface, so the hob is directly behind it. The microwave is hidden away in a cupboard and most of the units are drawers for easy access to all my bits and bobs. We added a shallow cupboard underneath the TV where we store all our glasses, making it really easy to get to everything.

The best bit is my full-height pantry cupboard of dreams – it’s crammed full of all sorts and means I’ve always got something I can turn into a meal.

What influenced your kitchen style?

We designed the kitchen with entertaining in mind, so aside from weeknight dinners at the table with Annie watching, I love having people over for weekend feasting when I’ll make lots of dishes and put them all on the island for everyone to help themselves.

When do you most enjoy your kitchen?

Early evening is a lovely time in the kitchen, as the sun is going down behind the trees and makes some nice shadows over the dining table.

We hosted Christmas for the first time last year and it was lovely having everyone here, cooking a full Christmas dinner for the first time (thank god for my two ovens) and for once being in the house where all the leftovers are.

Favourite kitchen kit?

I’d say the piece of kit that gets used the most in my kitchen, aside from my knives, is my lemon juicer.

What’s always in your fridge?

Orange juice, Président salted butter, loads of green veg, salad, emmental, ham and too many condiments.

Is there a family dish you cook again and again?

We regularly eat egg-fried rice which involves any veg that’s in the fridge, some leftover cooked meat like chicken or beef, microwave brown rice, eggs and all the sauces from my sauce cupboard, including plenty of chilli oil.

Get the look...

Inspired by Amy's kitchen? Here’s how to get a similar look…

Custom neon sign

Available from Neon Signs Now (from £47)

Give your space a personal touch with a custom neon sign – you can choose the text, font, colour and size for a unique alternative to standard kitchen wall art.

LEDSone yellow pendant light

Available from Amazon (£19.70)

Amy's hanging yellow light creates a focal point of colour above the kitchen island. Recreate the look for your own kitchen with this pendant light shade – we love the smooth curved shape.