The arrival of a new year can see us all hoping to add a little extra colour to our lives and what better place to start than in the kitchen.
Whether you are dreaming of a new one or just looking for ways to revamp the one you have, the Athlone Advertiser has some tips on how to turn your kitchen into a colour haven.
Decisions on colour are rarely easy, the options are endless and you are often drawn to more than one hue.
When it comes to kitchens the latest trends see two clear camps emerging – white on white kitchens or bold, bright colourful ones.
If you are on the side of white, it’s reassuring to know a kitchen with white walls, white cabinets, pale flooring and work surfaces takes on a pure, clean character that’s much harder to create with pigmented shades and contrary to what you may think, white is not an impractical choice for a kitchen.
We all know a white shirt will not get along with spaghetti Bolognese, but white in a kitchen can be surprisingly robust. Keep your paintwork in eggshell and should a spill happen it can be easily cleaned.
Even better, white shows up far less dust than a colourful kitchen, which can be a bone of contention with dark cabinets.
If you think a pure white kitchen would be well, just a bit too white, don’t forget that an element of contrast will break it up while emphasising its crispness.
One of the most popular ways of doing this is to have a coloured kitchen island, or for even more impact add some wall cabinets in a contrasting colour.
While white is known for its tranquillity, colourful kitchen schemes can also create an oasis of calm. It is all about how you apply colour.
For example, a kitchen painted in just one hue, such as Aqua Blue or Cactus Green, can feel just as mellow and restful as one in soothing neutral.
The key is to have walls and cabinets in the featured shade and by keeping to steady, consistent and uncomplicated expressions of colour your kitchen can feel perfectly zen.
Colour is also cheering and walking into a kitchen with blue, green or even pink cabinetry is still a bit of a surprise.
Embracing colour in your kitchen can make life a bit more fun and for a really creative touch how about adding some wallpaper to the mix.
While it is an unusual choice for a kitchen, vibrant, colourful wallpaper can work fantastically well, particularly with darker shades of cabinetry.
Whether you favour a whiter shade of pale, or something more colourful, the choice is ultimately yours!
