FEELING BLUE
For many years, neutrals have dominated kitchen design. Cream, white and beige have all been de rigueur but, slowly, tastefully coloured kitchens have become in vogue. French-style dove grey, smoky blues and aqua shades look light and fresh. It’s a much softer look, compared to the sometimes sterile-looking whites and creams of late.
Fired Earth’s most recent range, the Vermont free-standing kitchen, is made from oak but is available in a choice of painted colours. Popular at the moment are shades of blue inspired by the coastal homes of the East Coast of USA. Using complementary hues from the same colour palette on di erent cupboards or zones of your kitchen, such as the brand’s Smoke Blue, Andaman Sea and Dover Cli ffs, gives a layered effect that is perfectly of the moment.
Cambridgeshire’s Crofthouse kitchens supplies a range of luxury kitchen brands as well as its own Tomas Kitchens, and director Tom Hinton agrees that it is blue that is currently turning customers’ heads: “We like to think of Tomas kitchens as ‘modern classic’ – a happy place between modern and traditional styles. We strive to create a timeless look and we are able to o ffer a wide range of finishes and colours – so literally anything is achievable. Saying that, we have some particularly lovely blues and greys in our Abstract Five range; these are currently very popular especially on the sleek, handleless Sheer style of kitchen.”
SHADES OF GREY
At Kitchenology, meanwhile, it’s grey that is having a moment. “Greys are the modern-day neutrals,” claims owner Jennifer Shaw. “It’s a very popular shade and the AlnoStar Dur is one of our bestsellers. But too much grey has a danger of becoming drab, so I’d advise choosing units or islands in contrasting shades of grey. It will add depth and character to your space and liven your room up. Matte surfaces contrasting with gloss are also a good idea to add some interest.”
Interior designer to London’s fashionable set, Joanna Wood agrees: “Grey has seen a resurgence of late, taking over from classic neutral shades such as magnolia and white,” she says. “The ability to coordinate grey with a spectrum of colours from turquoise to pastel blue has made it extremely popular in both traditional and contemporary kitchens. For example, within contemporary interiors dark grey can act as a striking accent colour against neon blue or green shades, creating a space which is bright but not overwhelming. Contrastingly, light grey can be implemented to bring out the warmth of muted blue and terracotta hues in a more traditional scheme. Aside from aesthetical advantages, grey also has practical benefits. Try teaming it with silver or glass accessories as an alternative way of making a small room look more spacious.”
