Autumn has most definitely started to make its presence felt and a new season is always a great time to look at re-designing our homes. After all, every season welcomes new colours, textures and prints from homeware companies and interior designers. The choice for our homes is almost never-ending. So how do you navigate your way through the huge array of trends and styles on offer?
It’s all about finding your style
Knowing what you like is perhaps the single most important aspect of achieving a coherent design that is yours alone. If you think of the homes you really love visiting, they often have a strong sense of individual style. In our kitchens, there’s a lot more to think about other than just the aesthetic appeal though. Today’s kitchens are all about striking a balance between style and function.
Some of us know instinctively what we love in terms of design but for others, the choice can be overwhelming. The likes of Pinterest, Instagram and interior design blogs means that we are only ever seconds away from thousands of images to pour over. Having this inspiration at our fingertips can be bewildering so here are some ideas to keep the process simple, and enjoyable.
Cool and contemporary
You will instantly know if you’re after a modern design. The clean lines of contemporary kitchens make for an immensely practical approach to kitchen design. If you are naturally drawn to cool colours, sleek, modern appliances and streamlined units, this is the look for you.
For this look to really work, you need to have a great eye for detail and choose contemporary fittings throughout so that nothing jars with the overall look, including accessories.
A cool colour palette or the stark monochrome look are perfect for this design. However, you can add a personal touch with a splash of colour in a modern art print or with your choice of crockery, utensils and appliances.
Modern country
Our love of the past and our sense of recapturing the simplicity of rural living are still dominant themes in kitchen design. Naturally, and in keeping with the architectural features of many homes, the classic, country kitchen remains an ever-popular choice with our customers. If you are drawn to styles that have a country charm, this is probably where your style choice sits.
If you’re not familiar with the term ‘modern country’, it is, in essence, a country kitchen that respects the best in contemporary materials, high-end design, quality paint finishes and the muted colour palette made famous by Farrow and Ball. It is a style that perfectly suits most modern homes with an open-living flow, a central island for social gatherings, painted units and style essentials such as cup handles, exposed hinges and in-frame cabinet doors.
Key elements of this look are clean lines and an unfussy approach to accessories. So although it nods to the past, it is still a contemporary design. Flooring, lighting and colour will allow you to put your own stamp on this popular design option.
Rustic
This look is for those of you who really have a hankering for heritage in all aspects of design and decoration. It takes the modern country look a step further. Texture is the key element of the rustic look. Wood left unpainted is the obvious choice for kitchen cabinetry. Any material that can be reclaimed or restored to preserve the integrity of a property’s character is a key aspect. With many of our period kitchen designs, we proactively look for ways to make a feature of original works, which is where bespoke cabinetry really comes into its own.
The aim of this type of kitchen is to achieve a time-honoured look with free-standing cabinetry, larder cupboards and lots of open shelving to display antique kichenware.
Perhaps the single most iconic element of the rustic kitchen is a range cooker, either old and restored or a replica of the classic, iconic brands. Alongside Belfast sinks, pine settles and butchers blocks, the possibilities are endless.
