The kitchen is the heart of the home. When you begin planning a new kitchen, it is important to think about the practicality of the room as well as creating a super, stylish space. There are so many details to think about, such as:
- Cabinet Styles?
- Fitted or freestanding units?
- Would I like a kitchen island?
- Do I have space for wall cabinets?
- What about open shelving?
These are just a few of the things you may be pondering but try to consider what you need versus what you want. It can be hard, I know! This list will provide a good starting point ready for you to discuss it with your designer.
I have written this blog to explore how I would style The White Kitchen Company’s cabinets and add my twist to them.
Worktops
Choose the most durable material you can afford, as this is one of the most hard-working areas in a kitchen. Materials such as Silestone and Quartz are good investments and durable. Similarly, marble and granite are hardwearing, and natural and look amazing!
Style and Colour
The White Kitchen company produce several ranges of kitchens but my favourite is always the classic shaker style. When thinking about cabinet colours I find it important to assess the space and its natural light, as well as the practicality such colours offer you. For example, neutral units look great but require a lot of cleaning and may not be practical if you have a young family.
That said – I love how soft, neutral shades on cabinets will emphasise any natural light and visually expand the space.
In my kitchen, I’d opt for a mixture of neutral and bold; I’d choose to have either a dark green or blue kitchen island. Farrow and Ball’s ‘Elephants Breath’ on the outer cabinets with an ‘Oval Room Blue’ island would look fabulous.
Fittings and Hardware
It is important to invest in good quality fittings such as taps and cabinet handles because they can make a kitchen feel so much more luxurious. They may be finishing touches but remember it’s all in the detail! It’s worth factoring these into your budget.
I love Armac Martin handles. With shaker cabinets, I’d pair their cup handles with rounded knob handles in either a chocolate bronze lacquer, burnished brass or barrelled nickel plate. However, for a contemporary style, I would style them with leather-style handles.
Texture
A well-designed kitchen has layers of different textures which you can achieve through your cabinets, shelving, worktops, lighting, flooring, hardware and perhaps splashback tiling.
Find a focal point and think about adding some texture or pattern in the form of tiles. I’m a big fan of Herringbone splashbacks; they are very popular at the moment. Porcelain stone or Mandarin Stone offer beautiful examples of these.
Larder Cupboard
It would be important to me that I factored in a freestanding or built-in larder cupboard to my space. I would use this space for a coffee machine and toaster, as well as jars of dried foods, cereals, tinned food and biscuits.
The brilliant thing about the larder cupboard is that it can be made into a focal point. You could choose to paint it in a different colour to your other cabinets or perhaps create air vent holes on the doors in your chosen pattern.
Appliances
Whilst some appliances can afford to be mid-range in price, in terms of your cooker, I would invest in a good quality brand. Whether you want an upright, induction or a range style, brands such as Rangemaster, Miele and Falcon are my favourites.
Final Styling and Dressing
Now comes the fun part – the styling and dressing of the room. Below are the areas in which I would focus on styling and creating focal points;
Kitchen Island – Play around with plants or a decorative vase with dried or fresh flowers to create a stylish centrepiece. I would also add scented candles to create a cosy atmosphere.
Glazed Cabinets – Stylish stoneware and ceramics, glassware, books or jars of dried food would look great towards the front of the cabinets.
Open Shelving – I love how you can have lots of fun with open shelving and create gorgeous styled ‘shelfies’ like in this image.
Counter Worktops – Create focal points in corners and along a wall. You can do this by using chopping boards, herb plants, vases of flowers, jugs of utensils and so on.
Written by Caroline Borgman Interiors. Follow her on Instagram @carolineborgmaninteriors