SOLID WOOD KITCHEN CABINETS BLOG

Whilst the average cost of a kitchen in the UK is around £8,000, the ‘Fiore di Cristallo’, or ‘Crystal Flower’, costs an eye-watering £1,000,000. Designed by Claudio Celiberti and dubbed the most expensive kitchen in the world, it took more than twelve months to create and was designed to push the boundaries of what is possible in design. But costing almost four and a half times the price of the average UK house, is this kitchen a statement of design or wealth?

Credit : The Daily Mail

This kitchen clearly demonstrates spectacular opulence with Murano Crystal featuring as the material of choice. This world-famous crystal is produced on the Island of Murano by using an ancient and complex process which results in the purest, most perfect crystal in the world. It has been applied liberally across the entire kitchen.

As with more affordable kitchens, the island in the ‘Fiore di Cristallo’ acts as a centrepiece. It has been crafted from solid Murano Crystal and costs £36,850. The price tag and material are not the only noticeable differences compared to regular kitchen islands though. Where solid oak cabinets of more reserved kitchen islands offer storage space for utensils, cookbooks and even ingredients, this crystal island lacks any storage space at all. Rather, its purpose is that of aesthetics and seating.

To make up for the lack of storage space in the island, this kitchen features an impressive 27 cabinets, fronted with yet more Murano Crystal. Each door has been fitted with 9mm handles of the same material which mirrors both the island and frontals, adding continuity to the kitchen. The Studio Celiberti logo has been etched into the front of the handles and clearly demonstrates how much careful planning and detail has gone into the design. The insides of the drawers are lined with solid copper, which was chosen not only for its beauty but also for its hygienic and antimicrobial qualities.

Credit : The Daily Mail

In regards to the most expensive kitchen in the world, Claudio Celiberti explained that he “wanted to create something that had not been done before – using resistant materials such as crystal, copper and stone and combine them to make them look very elegant.” The question is, has the ‘Fiore di Cristallo’ kitchen really “pushed the boundaries of what is possible in design”?

Well perhaps, but there seems to be more emphasis on the price and not the design of the kitchen – the Studio Celiberti website itself calls it the “Million Pound Kitchen” and not their “Magnum Opus” or something similar that would suggest the pinnacle of design.

You could argue that this is a show kitchen, that it is there to take inspiration from and not to be replicated as the whole. You can actually buy the whole design if your budget stretches to it and you are willing to join an eight-month waiting list.

Credit : The Daily Mail

Claudio Celiberti’s commitment to using beautiful raw materials and ensuring the highest levels of craftmanship is something that we at Solid Wood Kitchen Cabinets can appreciate. Our own kitchen cabinets and worktops are built by talented and experienced craftspeople who exhibit outstanding attention to detail. Moreover, all of our materials are sourced by ourselves after scrupulous inspection of their quality and environmental credentials. We believe that wood has an unassuming nature and a reserved character that reminds us of the real value of a kitchen – and that is something you cannot put a price on.

Is the most expensive kitchen in the world a statement of design or wealth? Leave your opinions in the comment section below or head over to our Facebook and Twitter pages to start a discussion.

Have you ever wanted to get inside the head of a professional interior designer, to understand how to create a beautiful kitchen? We asked Tamsin Leech-Griffiths of Swansea based No.8 Project for her opinions and advice.

Could you tell us about yourself and No.8 Project?

Credit : No.8 Project

After 13-years of designing womenswear and home wear for Toast, I changed my career to express my passion for interiors. My first project was a barber’s shop on a limited budget. Then, whilst there, a wonderful lady asked me to design their new B and B. They let me loose and embraced my ideas. The result is a beautiful business which has featured in the Guardian newspaper.

Consultancy work for other interior designers followed – including hotels in Austria, Sri Lanka and the Cotswolds, but my main focus has been in South Wales. Last year I was approached by the Interior Design Collective to join their organisation. My work has been growing from single rooms to bars and commercial premises, but my passion is whole home refurbishments, remodelling and complete project management.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

In the words of Sir Paul Smith “you can find inspiration in everything”. I have a strong interest in art, antiques and textiles and I’m constantly absorbing everything around me. In the age of Instagram and Pinterest I’m never stuck out on a design limb and I’ve made some wonderful friends who keep me inspired. Finding solutions to problems brings out my creative side. Getting my hands dirty and delving into a property to truly get to know it drives me to make a home that suits my client.

Credit : No.8 Project

What materials do you like to use?

I’m a big fan of anything natural that will stand the test of time and develop its own patina. Form and texture play a big role for me, things that age well and retain their beauty are always good.

What is your designing a kitchen process?

I start by asking my client questions about how they want to use the space, how they entertain and even how tidy they are. Storage and layout are paramount and then the pretty bits are often inspired by the clients themselves – their artworks and possessions and the style of the home as a whole.

What kitchen trends do you really like?

Credit : No.8 Project

I love Terrazzo. I’m so excited to use it an up-coming project. Good classic materials such as marble, brass and parquet will always be strong in my mind too!

Could you tell us about your kitchen design projects?

I’ve recently completed an 18^th-century farmhouse kitchen. The clients wanted to retain the integrity of the farmhouse whilst creating a very functional space that could be used for entertaining, cooking and involving their young children.

It cried out for a galley style kitchen, but I wanted them to have somewhere for guests and children to gather. I suggested a long skinny island – it’s really transformed the space. A separate hidden toilet and utility area means they can quickly clear and hide dinner party debris and we even managed to squeeze in a laundry.

I retained traditional features. The Shaker frontals were painted in offbeat Inchyra Blue from Farrow & Ball and the handles were brass. I designed a pantry and breakfast area that used painted fence panels as sliding doors. The result is a real conversation piece and adds dimension to the room. When the clients returned from a holiday, they cried – tears of joy I may add.

What are the similarities between fashion design and kitchen design?

Credit : No.8 Project

My interest in form, texture and silhouette has proved to be a natural progression across both fields. To be a good designer you should have an interest across all aspects of design. You will often find artwork within my client’s mood boards and I’ve commissioned artists with my colour palette.

What are your tips to achieve a vintage yet modern kitchen?

The key is moderation. If I have vintage pots I use a simple clean shelf to display them. If I use reclaimed copper for a worktop then I’ll combine it with a simple palette. I like to collect vintage pieces but I never display them all at once. I find they need to be curated to work with my interior and create a liveable and functional environment.

How much does the period of a house influence your designs?

Hugely! I’m a sucker for a period property as I find they naturally want to tell a story. I did however recently do a ground floor remodel on an 80’s house. The simple boxy rooms were refreshing to deal with and I enjoyed adding character and interest. I’d love to tackle a 1950s Brutalist home where I’d have to start from scratch.

Usage, longevity and budget!

If you would like to see some examples of Tamsin Leech-Griffiths’ work or to find out more about her, visit No.8 Project. Why not follow her on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest. If you are an interior designer and would like to be featured on our blog please contact us at .

Scandinavian design is very popular in British homes thanks to its organic shapes, materials and colours. A Scandinavian inspired kitchen uses all of these features to create a fresh, cosy and relaxing room that exhibits both contemporary and traditional designs. In this blog post, we give you our tops tips for creating a kitchen that has been inspired by Scandinavian design.

Credit : Farrow & Ball

Warm White Washes

The colours used in a a Scandinavian kitchen are predominantly white, grey and occasionally pastels or muted tones. Warm whites such as Farrow & Ball’s White Tie, New White or Matchstick are all yellow based which prevents them from looking cold or clinical – ideal for creating a cosy atmosphere, especially in the winter. Neutrals are very easy to live with and will not over power a room. They can be used to deliver a relaxed ambiance and will combine well with a range of colours if required.

Pale Timbers

Choosing a pale timber for your worktops will help you to achieve a Scandinavian aesthetic. Maple, ash and bamboo are some of our palest worktops and each one will work perfectly in this style of kitchen design. Shaker doors are a fantastic choice for a Scandinavian inspired look as they perfectly encompass the ideals of lagom. Having them sanded or painted with one of the warm whites mentioned above would give you a lovely Scandinavian feel.

Credit : Pinterest

Warm Lighting

Scandinavian inspired kitchens aim to be cosy, especially during the winter months. One of the most effective ways that you can achieve this is by implementing warm lighting. Overhead pendant lighting positioned over a table looks great, especially if you choose a minimalist design. Recessed lighting in the ceiling is an option which you could consider if you want a more contemporary feel, otherwise select slimline lamps made from wood or matt metals in black or pastel shades.

Credit : Pinterest

Faux Fur

Faux fur is another design tool that will help to enhance the cosiness of your kitchen. Whether as a throw on seating or as an area rug, faux fur will add an additional texture to a kitchen and soften the hardness of wooden surfaces. By adding this tactile feature to your kitchen, you will make it more inviting and welcoming.

What are your opinions of this style of kitchen? We would love to see pictures of your Scandinavian inspired kitchen, so please share them on Facebook and Twitter. If you have any thoughts or questions, please leave them in the comments below.

With more puddings than you can count and nary a soggy bottom in sight, there really is only one baking television show worth watching. The Great British Bake Off is not just about cake though – we, and so many of you, love to watch it for the quaint country style kitchens of the Bake Off tent. In this blog post, we show you some ways that you can recreate this style in your own kitchen.

Solid Wood Beech Worktops

Solid beech is an ideal timber for a worktop, more so if you want to achieve that Bake Off look. The mellow hue gives it a welcoming feel whilst the fine grain pattern is beautifully delicate. Beech is also very hardwearing, which it needs to be if it is going to can stand up to the pressures of the Bake Off tent. As an added bonus, they are also our best value kitchen worktop. Unlike laminate worktops, solid wood worktops can be fitted with undermount sinks, such as Belfast sinks, which offer a traditional feel, or stainless-steel sinks, which can be used for a more contemporary aesthetic.

Islands

With 12 bakers at the start of the series, each with their own baking area, the kitchen island is an integral part of the format. Islands are useful for a number of reasons, not least because they make a stunning feature. They offer plenty of work surface area as well as storage space for all of your mixing bowls, tins and other baking equipment. This blog has plenty of Inspiration for Kitchen Islands in Solid Wood Kitchens and will help you to create a Bake Off themed kitchen.

Cabinets Frontals

The cabinets in the Great British Bake Off tent feature frontals in the Shaker style. These doors are very popular at the moment, perhaps because of Bake Off. To give them an even more elegant feel, you could have them painted in one of Farrow & Ball’s beautiful colours. Primary pastel colours such as Dayroom Yellow, Red Earth or Lulworth Blue are synonymous with country kitchens and although neutrals such as All White or Pointing help to make a kitchen feel fresh, adding a splash of colour will give your kitchen interest and help you to show off your personality.

Appliances

If you are a fan of baking, the chances are you will have your fair share of kitchen appliances. Although functional, appliances are a great way to show off your personality and interest in baking, especially if displayed on your worktop or island rather than being stored in a cupboard. At the moment, we are giving you the chance to win a KitchenAid mixer just like the ones that the bakers use in the tent. The Solid Wood Kitchen Cabinets’ Great British Bake Offer runs until Tuesday 30^th October 2018 and all you have to do to enter is sign up to our mailing list using the form on the competition page. Good luck!

Credit : Pinterest

Bunting and Jars

If you really want to turn your kitchen into the Bake Off tent you may want to hang bunting and display Kilner jars filled with flour, sugar, baking beads and other dry ingredients. Pantries, larders, full height cabinets or even floating shelves, are a great way to display your jars of baking ingredients. If you like the sound of a pantry in your kitchen, take a look at this blog post about Kitchen Inspiration for Larders and Pantries.

Do you love the Great British Bake Off and would you consider redesigning your kitchen in this style? Leave your thoughts in the comments below. If you class yourself as a bit of a star baker, why not share some pictures of your cakes and bakes on our Facebook and Twitter pages.

Green is a popular colour for kitchen design, not only for its bold and fresh tones but also because of its versatile use with many other colours. As green is a very natural colour, an urban jungle themed look is an obvious progression. This style of kitchen design is sweeping across the UK and has been spurred on by the increasing popularity of houseplants. In this post, we take a look at some techniques that you can use to achieve this striking style in your kitchen.

Green Walls

Muted, pastel or contemporary neutral shades of green work particularly well when looking to create a jungle-inspired design. For instance, Farrow & Ball’s Card Room Green is a dark grey-green that creates a subdued atmosphere – or Dix Blue, a warm green with a relaxed vintage feel. Of course, you do not have to use paint. Green tiles or wallpaper can be used to introduce additional textures and patterns. Grandeco wallpaper features a botanical tropical leaf pattern which would suit a jungle theme very well. Aaronson^™ tiles, on the other hand, have an interesting textured and a gloss finish which adds a slight reflective quality.

Credit : Farrow & Ball

Credit : I Want Wallpaper

Credit : Topps Tiles

Mid-hued Timbers

Although you could use colours on your cabinet frontals and worktops that complement the colours on your walls, the best effect for an urban jungle kitchen comes from mid-hued timber. There are certain timbers in particular that exhibit these kinds of shades. Beech worktops have a mellow hue and a fine grain pattern that give it warmth and uniformity. Likewise, cherry also has a warm colour, however, the grain pattern is much more distinctive. Caramel bamboo has a rich golden colour that would beautifully complement the greens mentioned above but for a worktop that incorporates both rich mid-tone hues and dramatic grains, Zebrano is hard to beat. It has an animalistic pattern which is synonymous with this style of kitchen design.

Either Shaker or traditional doors can be used but a lacquered finish gives the best result. You can add mid-hues to areas of the wall using splashbacks. A beech laminate kitchen splashback will not only protect your wall but it will add continuity to your design too.

Plants

The key feature of this style of kitchen is the plants. In a previous blog post, we looked at The Best Kitchen Plants That Clean the Air, but this was purely from a practical angle. You can let your imagination run wild with this type of kitchen design. Using oversized plants with large leaves – such as bananas or palms – can be very dramatic, especially in a large room. Smaller plants, like herbs, can be grouped together on open shelves and windowsills – just ensure that the plants you choose are suitable for the amount of light your kitchen receives.

Credit : Pinterest

Credit : Pinterest

Would you ever consider an urban jungle kitchen or do you already have this style? Leave your comments below or share your pictures with us on Facebook and Twitter. For more inspiration and unique kitchen ideas, head over to our Pinterest profile.

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Neutral shades can occasionally be unfairly judged when looking at interiors, as they are sometimes depicted as boring, or safe, options. Farrow & Ball’s collection of contemporary neutrals provide a fresh, clean choice and challenge the notion that neutral is boring. There are plenty of ways in which these colours can be used in a modern setting – we have complied a number of suggestions to help you keep your neutral design interesting and up to date.

Texture

Adding texture to a contemporary neutral colour scheme is a fantastic way to add depth to the design. This is easy to do in a solid oak kitchen, as our painted doors will still allow the texture of the oak grain to be visible. Whether you want a fresh, light shade – like All White – or prefer something warmer – such as Dove Tale – the natural beauty of the oak will shine through, adding interest to the room.

Credit : farrow-ball

Pattern

Wallpaper is another fantastic option when looking to add interest to a neutral design. Farrow & Ball’s Lotus wallpaper in Skimming Stone and Charleston Gray features an intricate design that will add depth to any kitchen. The similarity of the colours used ensures the look will not overwhelm a room using a contemporary neutral colour scheme – fantastic for large spaces and small kitchens alike.

Credit : farrow-ball

Accents

Contemporary neutrals provide a fantastic foundation which will allow other colours to really stand out. Pairing accents of Pelt with a paler shade, like Elephant’s Breath or Skimming stone, will allow the statement colour to stand out, without it drowning the lighter colours. These neutral shades all have gentle lilac undertones, which ensures they work incredibly well together.

Metallics

As mentioned earlier in this blog, varying textures is a fantastic way to add depth to a contemporary neutral kitchen. Using metallics as accents is an excellent option for those looking to add a luxe finishing touch to a design. This group of neutral shades work well with silver, gold and copper toned metals so the choice is yours – consider the finish too, as often polished, satin or an antiqued effect will be available, providing further options that will vary the finished look of a kitchen.

Black and White

Black or white may not be obvious options to pair with a contemporary neutral, but both can work incredibly well as they will ensure the chosen neutral shade stands out. Using black or white will ensure the warmth of the colours shows through, as well as highlighting the depth and complexity of the shade. Black can look incredibly elegant against a warm, pale grey or beige shade, and white will allow a darker colour to pop.

Share your thoughts about contemporary neutrals below. Do you have a neutral kitchen that you would like to share with us? Head over to Facebook and Twitter to let us and our follows see.

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There is no denying that those born in the mid-1990s are a trendy bunch – so trendy, in fact, that they have a colour named after themselves. Gen Z yellow is the hot new colour that is on everyone’s lips. It is bright, happy and set to take next spring and summer by storm. With that in mind, here are our top three Generation Z yellow shades that we think are perfect for kitchens.

Credit : Farrow & Ball

Babouche

Named after the leather slippers worn by Moroccan men, Farrow & Ball’s Babouche is an exotic colour and a perfect example of Gen Z yellow. It has a distinctive cheerfulness that will bring a bright intensity to large kitchens and is dignified enough never to be garish. Babouche can be paired well with any shade of grey, for example, our Grey Sparkle laminate worktops.

Credit : Farrow & Ball

Citron

There are no prizes for guessing where this popular Farrow & Ball colour gets its name. Citron is not as intense as Babouche, instead it is a warm Mediterranean yellow which can be used in smaller, more dimly lit spaces without being overpowering. Combining rich colours such as red or blue helps to give this Generation Z yellow a beautiful harmony.

Credit : Farrow & Ball

Yellow Ground

This shade of yellow is extremely versatile and can be used equally well in well or poorly lit kitchens alike. This makes it timeless and invaluable for both large and small spaces. Yellow Ground has the perfect balance between freshness and richness, again proving its adaptability. By pairing it with dark coloured worktops, like our Lunar Night worktop you can easily create a sophisticated kitchen.

Credit : Pinterest

Examples of Gen Z Yellow in Kitchens

This bright kitchen features Shaker doors painted in a shade of Gen Z yellow. Black worktops have been used to complement the cabinet frontals whilst toning down the overall vibrancy.

Credit : Pinterest

Using yellow in moderation is a great design method because adding a splash of colour to a primarily dark room helps to emphasise bright tones and shades. This Smeg fridge showcases exactly how this works.

Credit : Pinterest

These three yellow kitchen jars have a retro design. Adding accessories like these around your kitchen is a great way to introduce colour and proves perfectly that you do not need a large budget to brighten up your kitchen.

What are your thoughts on Gen Z yellow and would you ever have a kitchen in any of these shades? Leave your thoughts in the comments below or head over to our Facebook or Twitter pages to start a discussion.

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Here at Solid Wood Kitchen Cabinets we are dedicated to offering excellent quality at an affordable price. The cost of our kitchens is even better than usual – you can save 10% on everything until October 2^nd!

Just by entering the discount code SAVE10 at the online checkout, you can save 10% on everything until October 2^nd! Whether you are planning a Shaker or a traditional style kitchen, this saving can be applied to everything in our collection, from our cabinets and doors to our solid wood and laminate worktops. Our 10% sale is a great time to buy accessories like handles and knobs, oak plate racks, sinks and kitchen shelving.

Whether you are redesigning your entire kitchen or just replacing your worksurface, take advantage of this offer and save some money. But do not delay, this sale ends at 23:59 on Tuesday 2^nd October. Our 10% off everything sale is not available in conjunction with any other offer and the cost of delivery is also not included.

Do you know someone who is looking for a new kitchen? Share this sale blog on Facebook or Twitter to let your friends and family this great offer.