Designer talks kitchens and style changes

A top interior designer has been commenting on how modern-day bachelors prefer to kit out their kitchen.

Stephen Ryan, who has revamped the homes of celebrities including that of Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas, claimed in the Birmingham Mail that black and chrome could be out in terms of the modern mans kitchen.

He claimed that bachelors now want more retro-style, subtle coloured kitchens.

"Highly successful men who live fast-lane lives want their homes to be escapist, intimate sanctuaries where they feel instantly relaxed," he told the paper.

"Their rooms need to have a womb-like feel with dark colours, rich grained woods and luxury textures, maybe leather, suede, and faux fur. These are places where no expense is spared but the look is under-stated rather than showy."

A carefully chosen glazed extension can help increase the space in a kitchen and give the homeowner something to look out at – making it a more relaxing environment all round.

Mr Ryan suggested that having a stunning kitchen was still very much desirable – despite the "Macho" image that some go for.

Catherine Zeta-Jones recently bought her parents a new £2 million home on the coast of Swansea.