The diary of a kitchen

I was once an ultra-modern kitchen, but I have to admit that I'm getting on a bit now. My surfaces don't gleam like they used to, but when it comes down to the essentials, I can still withstand the challenges that come with the delights of daily cooking. My owners affectionately refer to me as "cosy", and that's exactly what I am. But let me explain what it was like in my younger years.

My owners Lea and Markus took a lot of time to plan me. They were still young, but they knew that one day they wanted to have children. Lea always enjoyed cooking and she knew that she needed a large worksurface and sufficient storage space for all the kitchen utensils. She made a list of all the things that I should have in my compartments and drawers. Even before I was allowed to move into their home, they already knew what kitchen accessories would go where. They also planned some storage space in reserve.

My tip for you: give your kitchen planner a clear idea of your lifestyle and future requirements. Run through typical situations.

It wasn't long before I was able to enjoy children's laughter every day. Lea was now very glad that I have a spacious larder unit. The large pull-outs were rapidly filled with baby food, milk powder and much more. As Lea did not work as much anymore, we spent many hours together, in which she prepared healthy dishes or put delicious cakes in my oven. A second child didn't take long to arrive. My drawers were often filled and then emptied every day. It's a good thing that AMBIA-LINE quickly brings order back to this horrible chaos.

When the children were older, Lea and Markus were able to enjoy their regained freedom. They hosted regular dinner parties with their friends, which were pretty wild I can tell you! I was often surprised with new kitchen appliances: barbeque utensils, special knives and even a Raclette dish! My owners were delighted that the crockery and cutlery cabinet was positioned so close to the dishwasher. I still remember how often the dishwasher gurgled at night and kept me awake.

Tip: if glasses, crockery and cutlery are stored near the table and dishwasher, the table can be set quickly and freshly washed dishes tided away without walking long distances.

What's more, AMBIA-LINE allows for organised storage of cutlery. And with the Blum plate holder, you can easily carry stacks of plates to the dining table for parties.

I was 15 years old when my day-to-day kitchen routine was once again turned upside down. Lea and Markus decided that it was time to go their separate ways. It was very quiet here in the house for a long time. Lea went out to restaurants a lot, and the two girls only had volleyball and boys on their minds. However, I still had so much life left in me as my fittings are designed for over 200,000 opening and closing cycles, so that was very difficult for me to endure. But I knew my time had not yet come.

Tip: make sure you choose good-quality cabinet fittings – pull-outs, doors and lift systems should function perfectly throughout the lifetime of a kitchen.

Today, I still feel completely contented here in my topsy-turvy home. Lea is now in a relationship with Jakob, a talented cabinet maker. He has also moved in here with his son Leopold, so it's chaos every day. Sometimes I think that my drawers and lift systems should be tired. Jakob has tightened a hinge slightly now and then or adjusted a gap layout. But he was also of the opinion that I was still in very good shape! I get to stay here for a few more years before my successor moves in. They know what they have with me.