<p style="text-align:center;"><img class="aligncenter" style="border:0 none;" src="http://www.remain-silent.com/cm/kitchenenvy/LEbenandmarina.png" alt="ben and marinas kitchen" width="450"></p>

A few months back I won a subscription to Living etc magazine courtesy of the lovely <a href="http://brightbazaar.blogspot.com/">Will of Bright Bazaar</a>. Last week the first issue arrived and oh my, i've read it { and drooled over it } from cover to cover several times over.

All of the spaces featured in Living etc are well curated and styled, with a breath of individuality and a strong sense of home. Of course, me being me, my eyes dweled on the kitchen spaces longer than anything else, especially the above space that belongs to <a href="http://www.benfogle.com/">Ben</a> and Marina Fogle.

As an adventurer for whom the world is his playground, it's no surprise that Ben Fogle's home would have objet's from all over the globe, as well as influences, intentional or subliminal, that draw on places and things he has encountered on his travels. Their kitchen is beautiful and to be honest one of my absolute favourites to be featured on Kitchen Envy! I can't wait for the next issue of <a href="http://www.livingetc.com/">Living etc</a> to arrive!!

Things I love { and inevitably envy } about this kitchen:
<strong>
Handpicked brick wall </strong>- Ben personally handpicked the 500 bricks used in the kitchen's design. I love that dedication to producing an end result that is <strong>exactly</strong> what one wants, and, it looks fantastic. Instead of it being your typical 'brick red' the yellow tone reminds me of an outdoor wall - and gives the kitchen an 'outdoors/inside' feel, which is rather special.
<strong>
Industrial Range</strong> - Oh range, did you thought you would only peek into the shot and I wouldn't see you? Think again. Big ole industrial style ranges mean one thing and one thing only to me, = big cooking. Ok, actually two things, big cooking and dinner parties. If there is one thing I should be found fault with in the kitchen is that I am not always a 'one pot meal' sorta cook. Which means I need hobs...lots of hobs.
<strong>
Jeweled tone drinking glasses</strong> - When I saw the drink glasses on the shelf the first thing I thought about was India.  An array of jeweled toned silk sari fabrics blowing in the wind or populating busy streets..this inclusion in a kitchen that could be 'cold and industrial' adds warmth, visual interest and a sense of home-style coziness.  It is also a nice nod to the travel bug that clearly permeates Ben Fogles life.

<strong>Cabinet/dishwasher colour palette</strong> - Appliances in stainless steel, black or white tend to be the norm..with the former being the current finish of choice if you watch <a href="http://www.hgtv.com/house-hunters/show/index.html">HGTV's House Hunters</a> as much as I do.. But the dishwasher in Ben and Marina's kitchen is a lovely dusky pinkish brown shade, which happens to match the art on the open shelf and complement the rim of the <a href="http://www.dualit.com/products/kettles">Dualit</a> kettle. It's quite a feminine shade so plays off against the colder elements of the brick, stainless steel and glass - truly making this space a unisex one.

<strong>Glass walls </strong>- This is probably my most favourite thing about this kitchen which sadly isn't pictured in this shot..but the kitchen has a partial glass ceiling and wall. That's right, like a conservatory or greenhouse. It allows for an abundance of natural light that no doubt floods this space like a monster wave and is so unexpected it elevates this kitchen from just a 'cooking area' to a rather romantic and somewhat voyeuristic space.

I would highly recommend picking up a copy of the February issue of Living etc to check out more pictures of Ben and Marina's lovely house..

<p style="text-align:right;"><span style="font-size:xx-small;"><em>image from <a href="http://www.livingetc.com/">living etc</a></em></span></p>