Each week, we ask someone based in Ireland with a passion for interiors to share one photo of their favourite spot in their home.

Antonia Kingsberry lives in Co Down with her husband and 20-month-old daughter.

“Our home is a self-build that we project managed,” says Antonia. “We broke ground in spring 2017 and moved in a week after our daughter was born in winter 2018.”

This week, Antonia (@country_home_build) chatted us through her favourite spot: her kitchen.

Antonia Kingsberry Antonia Kingsberry

What do you love about this part of your home?

It’s a great space with great views around the back of the house and it really is the heart of our home. It allows us the space to have our toddler play while we cook and also works well for socialising and hosting as we have a raised living space and a snug off either side of the kitchen and dining areas.

What’s your favourite object in here and why?

It has to be the island. The size allows us to prep food easily as well as acting as a breakfast bar, but can easily be kept clear with use of the pantry that is just off our main kitchen. We had originally planned to use the butcher’s block for food prep but I felt it was too much of a feature to risk ruining so it has the sole purpose of holding vases and keys. 

Be honest: How much tidying did you do before taking this photo?

For this photo it was a quick tidy up/wipe down of surfaces and putting the mountain of toys that seem to appear throughout the day to one side. I try to keep the island as clutter-free as possible but in a busy house it doesn’t always work like that.

What was your inspiration when you were putting this room together?

Our inspiration for this room was country home/farmhouse feel. I have always lived in the country and grew up on a farm, so a kitchen with a traditional farmhouse feel was really important. I wanted to make sure the house and its decor was in keeping with its surroundings and history. I relied on Pinterest and Instagram home accounts quite a bit for inspiration, colour schemes and practicality of space. I had always wanted a range cooker and sage coloured units, the rest followed quite naturally.

Is there anything in here you’d like to change?

At the moment there is nothing I would change about this space. We were so heavily involved in the design process I feel like we got everything we wanted. The separate utility room and pantry help with storage and organisation. We have only been living and using the space for just over a year and half, so maybe in another few years I’ll find something I’d do differently.

More: ‘I try to make the old work with the new’: Mel shares her carefully curated family room