For precisely a year, we’ve been following @consideredthings, the Instagram feed of Londoners Paul West and Michelle Bower, in which they document the progress on their circa-1717 East London townhouse. Unbelievably, the house was once at risk of demolition before being rescued by The Spitalfields Trust as well as English Heritage. Now, it’s been rescued again: Twelve months from moving in, the couple has carefully restored the five-story home from tip to toe, preserving its original details and balancing its grandeur with subtle but rich, earthy palettes. (For a full tour, see this week’s Considered Things: A 1717 London Townhouse, Rescued from the Wrecking Ball.)

Way down on the cellar floor is the kitchen. “It wasn’t in good working order,” Paul reports: The existing space was falling apart at the seams after years of use and a bit awkward for two people to move around. “We shared our vision with deVol to help bring it to life,” he says. Then the UK kitchen company had another idea: Would Paul and Michelle be game to feature the transformation in the new season of their show, For The Love of Kitchens? “Michelle and I were naturally nervous to take part in a TV show,” Paul admits. “But we came to the realization that life is too short, and we upheld our mantra to ‘just say yes.’”

Thankfully they did, and the resulting kitchen pays homage to the building’s history but is fully practical for a modern couple.

Here’s an inside glimpse at the kitchen through Paul’s eyes. (And catch the episode, just released last week, via Magnolia Network.)

Photography by Paul West (@consideredthings).