Walk into any Neptune store and you may well fall in love with the welcoming and elegant ambience of the kitchen spaces. For this, we can thank Georgina (or George, as she generally goes by) who leads the team of creatives who style our store kitchens into spaces you’d like to call your own.

Our stores are designed to feel more like homes than showrooms. So, tell us, how do you go about making the kitchens look and feel real?

Our store kitchens capture a moment in time, whether that’s sitting down for tea with family or preparing dinner and drinks for friends. If it’s the latter for example, we might put out a chopping board with fresh herbs on, waiting to be chopped, and fill a tray with wine glasses. And we’ll follow that story through into the connecting living space as well, filling our Piccadilly bowls on the coffee table with amaretti biscuits for an after-supper treat.

How does the styling process work? What steps do you take to get to the final look?

It all starts with our seasonal story. I work closely with Meaghan, our art director, to build an understanding of the styling themes we’re showcasing in our Stories magazine and on our website and social media, and we’ll then translate these in store. For spring for example, we might fill lots of glass Belmont jars with pulses and beans in lighter colours to reflect a fresher seasonal palette. Whereas we might style a darker, moodier kitchen with jars filled with black beans and kidney beans for autumn.

What’s the best way to bring personality into the different kitchen collections?

Let the space reflect your lifestyle. If you want a more casual country look and feel, think about using rustic tableware and textured table linens. For more elegant townhouse kitchens, like our Henley kitchen, I would suggest displaying a contemporary vase styled with stems that are more structural, and crystal glassware on open shelves for a little sparkle.

Is there anything you steer clear of when styling Neptune store kitchens?

We never do things that you wouldn’t do in your own home. We wouldn’t overdress a table with place settings at every seat, copious layers of cutlery, and neatly folded napkins. Because how often do you do that in your own home? And we would never go out and buy a fake cake to display, for example. Every prop you see is real, has a purpose, and is a considered thought.

What about in your own kitchen? How does your styling at home compare?

I have a Suffolk kitchen painted in Dove Grey with piles of white crockery stacked up on shelves, wooden chopping boards which I’ve accumulated over the years leaning on the side, and foliage – usually eucalyptus mixed with something seasonal – on the island. It looks like it could be a Neptune store to be honest. It is, however, a little bit messier, with lots of letters and bits of paper hanging around.

And finally, as someone who styles for a living, what tips would you give to somebody who is looking to add the final flourishes to their kitchen?

Cluster rather than clutter: place things with consideration rather than trying to do too much and running the risk of it looking messy. Add texture where you can by layering chairs and benches with sheepskins, cushions and throws. And think about colour – styling is an opportunity to add something unexpected to your palette, be it the colour of cookery book spines, coloured linen, or simply the vibrancy of a bowl of lemons and limes.

For more styling ideas for your kitchen, visit your local Neptune store.