To prepare the perfect meal you need to have the perfect kitchen.
A kitchen is a great place to show your personality when decorating; there are so many choices available and there is the potential to carry off a really ambitious edgy theme that just wouldn’t work elsewhere in the home.
It’s important to avoid letting someone else’s vision dictate how your home looks; a nudge in the right direction can’t hurt though, which is why we’ve spoken to Wren Kitchens.
They know a bit about how to design a kitchen – here’s their top ten tips.
1. Create a built-in pantry
Not many homes come equipped with a separate pantry anymore, but with a handy space-saving design you can have all your non-refrigerated food in one place.
If you fit a cupboard which is large enough to hold shelves set out in a variety of ways you’ll be able to get the pantry experience without the need for an extension.
2. Create a centrepiece
Maybe this could be a huge scrubbed wood kitchen table, an array of extravagant pendant lights, or some quirky giant fruit. Whatever it is, make sure it reflects your personality and makes you feel good about the room.
If the centrepiece is a particular colour, be sure to reflect that colour in other features around the room to create a feeling of harmony.
3. Get colourful
Injecting some colour into a room can be the quickest way to give it a new lease of life and this is certainly true in the kitchen.
Brightly-coloured worktops look fantastic if you feel your house can take it, but a feature wall combined with an array of colourful accessories can look just as striking and – perhaps most importantly – just as fun!
4. Bring your room to life
Plants can really thrive in a kitchen, thanks to the abundance of natural light that usually floods the room, but what do they bring to a space?
Having plants in a kitchen can create a gorgeous traditional, country home-inspired look or, if you chose neat and structured plants, a contemporary kitchen can benefit too.
They can make a room look more welcoming and if you choose colourful plants they can really lift your mood.
5. Hang it up
There’s a certain charm to a kitchen with saucepans hanging from the ceilings, but they are not all that can adorn the space above your head.
Create a rustic yet quirky look by filling a hanging unit with decorative features like wicker hearts as well as functional objects.
6. A kitchen through the ages
While deciding on a theme can help guide you through the design process, don’t limit yourself too much.
Mixing old and new can create a stunning, and most importantly, unique finish. How about integrating a blend of vintage and contemporary kitchen accessories into your design?
7. Display your clutter
A shelf filled with jars can instantly transform the look of a kitchen, turning it into a traditional-looking chef’s paradise. Show off your dried herbs, pasta, baking ingredients – whatever you like, and don’t worry about making sure all the jars match!
8. Get arty
The kitchen is a great place to display artwork, as you’ll see it every day. Go for a lively piece with bright colours if you’re creating a modern-looking kitchen.
A traditional space can handle more sombre shades, but it’s still a good idea to use the art to lift the mood.
9. Around the world in a kitchen
Take inspiration from the cultures that intrigue you. Let the rich colours associated with India or Morocco fill your room with warmth and culture.
How far you go is up to you, from just one or two pieces reflecting the influence, to a room brimming with treasures showing your love of the location.
10. Go distressed to be stress-free
Rustic, distressed looking furniture in your kitchen will not only look good, it’ll save you the worry of trying to keep your room looking all shiny and new – perfect if you’ve got kids, pets, or a tendency to ruin new things quickly!
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