Those who know me well will know that two of my biggest passions are interior design and food! I
love cooking, and I am so thrilled that my kids enjoy it, too. So, the kitchen is a big part of family life
for us.
As we speak, our new kitchen is being finished. I won’t pretend that cooking in a makeshift kitchen
has been easy (especially during the school hols), but the prospect of a lovely new space makes it all
worth it. The new layout is designed to our specifications and to suit our family’s needs – and I can’t
wait for us all to hang out in it.
Naturally, I also have the absolute pleasure of choosing the décor and accessories for our new room.
Here’s what I’ve come up with so far…
Choosing the perfect palette
The kitchen units are in a calm sage green. I love this colour: it’s cool without being cold, and is an
absolute dream to colour-match with. Copper makes a wonderful accent hue with sage, in both
polished and more matte finishes. This rich metallic shade is everywhere at the moment, so it’s
super-easy to pick up counter appliances, light fittings, lamp shades, hooks and so on in copper
tones.
More surprisingly, pink works extremely well with muted shades of green. Dusky pink, champagne
shades and blush make lovely highlights against the darker sage, and picking up on the copper idea,
rose gold. Burnt orange is another option for a striking contrast.
Plenty of greens
There are two sunny windows in the kitchen, with sills simply begging for house plants and herbs.
The popular Sass & Belle Mojave planters will be perfect in a row along the windowsill, or we may go
for a talking point with a selection of boobs… Take a look at our range of planters to see what I’m
talking about! There might be a hanging planter or two as well, if I can work out the best spots for
them.
Comfy seats
Instead of a dining table and chairs, we’ve gone for a table with benches. It’s in a bright corner under
a window, and I’m hoping we’ll use it as a reading/homework/paperwork/board games/drawing
nook as well as for eating. One of the advantages of choosing benches is that you have the space to
be really bold with cushions and throws.
Cushions are such an easy and effective way to bring colour and texture into a room, and you can
change them with the seasons. I love the Barbie-pink flamingos and floral designs from Bombay
Duck – so bright and summery. I may switch them to something with warm, coppery tones for the
autumn: maybe something from the Coral Velvet range, featuring gorgeous sea creatures, or a
Moomin forest scene (yes, really. Moomins are bang on-trend). Take a look at the Newlyn Maids
range of cushions to see these fab designs.
Throws also work well in a kitchen, not least because they’re easier to freshen up and wash than
upholstery. This clay orange Shruti throw would make a warm contrast with the green and wood,
and their pink edition would fit right in with our palette.
Shelving ideas
Much as I appreciate a well-laid out cupboard, it is lovely to have a few chosen items on display.
Plus, as the dining area is also going to be a general family hobby-slash-relaxing space, it’s good to
have a few books and games to hand, too. Shelves are a must-have in any room, and they’re the
perfect spot for things like this lovely RSPB storage jar or a vase for fresh flowers.
There can be a problem with grease collecting in kitchens, which isn’t ideal for objects on display.
The solutions are simple: use the extractor fan when cooking, and keep everything well dusted so
that sticky residue can’t build up.
More mugs!
You can never have enough mugs, right? I want our new kitchen to be a proper, traditional social
space, where family and friends can pop in for a cuppa – at least, that’s my excuse for raiding
Newlyn Maids’ mug range and adding to our (already large) collection.
The kids love the Emily Smith mugs with their appealing animal pictures, while I’m keen to pick up
some more ombre glazed mugs, because the colours will look fantastic in the new kitchen. Do I have
the mugs on display? Some of them, most definitely! They’re far too pretty to be hidden away.
The kitchen is still a work in progress, and I’ll have to wait for the dust to settle before I can bring in
my planters and throws. I’ll share the finished results with you – complete with all those characterful
little touches that make all the difference.
