This kitchen...... that's me!

While Margriet Zegers makes coffee for me in her 1930s corner house in Voorburg, I set out the mugs on her marble kitchen worktop. 

What strikes one immediately is the courage she shows in her choice of material. "My new kitchen gives me such a warm and happy feeling," she says enthusiastically. Margriet has been using her bamboo KOAK kitchen for a few months now. "It gives me a sense of luxury and the layout is also very practical. Despite the fact that the new kitchen has the same dimensions as my previous kitchen, it still seems much more spacious."

Why did you choose bamboo? "Of course I have oriented myself very well in advance on the different types of wood. From light and black oak, I finally decided on Bamboo Safari. Bamboo is still unknown to many people. It really is solid wood and not a veneer. These kitchen fronts are made of three layers of compressed Bamboo. 

Although the giant bamboo is formally a grass and not a wood, it still has the properties of hardwood, such as hardness and little shrinkage and swelling. Bamboo is made up of strips that can be pressed either horizontally or vertically. I chose the 'colour' Safari with vertical print (side pressed). The oil, with which it has been processed, not only accentuates the print but also protects the material against moisture and dirt.

I'm a symmetrical person, so I was worried that my choice might make me restless. In fact, the opposite is true: it turned out to be very calming. 

Bamboo Safari fronts with a marble kitchen top in white with green accents - I like 'something a bit different'. It's not just in my kitchen, but in my whole house.

Friends who see my new kitchen for the first time exclaim, "This really is a Margriet kitchen! It's so you, the bamboo and the pronounced kitchen top. Wow! Where did you get that made? When I tell them that the base is made of IKEA cabinets and the fronts are made by KOAK Design, they ask me about it.

I worked as a marketer for KOAK Design for two years. I therefore know all the ins and outs of the concept. It is affordable, natural design and you buy the appliances, such as the dishwasher and the oven, yourself. That seems like a lot of hassle, but it's not. It all went very smoothly and most of it can be done online. My advice is to buy all appliances from one supplier. That leaves room for price agreements and all the equipment comes in one delivery.

How did you experience the buying process and the further settlement at KOAK? "KOAK Design's consultants think along with you very well. For example, a number of practical adjustments were made, which made even better use of the space.

Would you choose KOAK again in another house?  "Definitely! 

What can KOAK Design do better next time? "Bamboo Safari has a special pattern. It doesn't quite run through here and there, for example in the fitting. It would be nicer if the line were to run through there as well.

Furthermore, my contractor had some problems with the work drawing. He couldn't always read what was supposed to go where. That could have been given a bit more attention.

"It turned out more than all right" says Margriet in conclusion. "Everything was arranged down to the last detail without any fuss. I would definitely recommend KOAK Design to my friends and acquaintances!