Looking back over my childhood I often find that many of my happiest memories are from times in the kitchen: playing cards late into the night with my gran; helping my mum cook the Christmas cake in early October (that beast needed time for some serious brandy feeding!); the sound of Carols from Kings playing in the background during our Christmas lunch. Fast forward to present times and not much has changed. Whenever we have friends over, it's the faithful kitchen that often plays host to our most riotous cocktail parties. For me, the kitchen is one of the first rooms I would be keen to decorate in a new home. I've picked out three simple yet striking looks that each inspire in different ways. Do you have a favourite? And, what are your fondest kitchen-based memories?