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SOLID WOOD KITCHEN CABINETS BLOG

The Psychology of Blue Kitchens

Posted by admin on April 30, 2019 at 12:10 pm. Filed under: General

We all know that choosing the correct colour scheme can affect the design of a kitchen but did you know that it can also change how you feel? In the second of a series of posts, we explore the psychology of blue kitchens.

Farrow & Ball offer a wide range of blues, from the light Blue Ground to the deep Hague Blue.

Credit : Farrow & Ball

Blue is a conservative and traditional colour that is popular for its soothing feel. It has an air of calmness and serenity that adds a peaceful, tranquil and secure ambience, bringing a sense of order to any room it is used in. Conversely, blue is sometimes associated with sadness or detachment, especially within art, and has connections with appetite loss – which makes a lot of sense when you consider that blue rarely occurs naturally in food. For these reasons, it needs to be used wisely in a home so as not to give off the wrong feeling.

This kitchen island has been painted in Farrow & Ball’s Cook’s Blue.

Credit : Farrow & Ball

There are many shades of blue, from delicate baby blue to vibrant and rich ultramarine. Colours such as teal have subtle additions of yellow and when used in combination with a variety of other shades can either emphasise or diminish blue’s calmness and change the overall sensation of a kitchen. Inchyra Blue by Farrow & Ball is a great example of how blue can be transformed when yellow is added to create a green tinge. Depending on the light, this dark moody tone can even look grey.

This cabinets in this kitchen have been painted in Farrow & Ball’s Hague Blue.

Credit : Farrow & Ball

How to Use Blue Effectively in a Kitchen

Although calming, using blue in a kitchen can create a bold statement – more so with the rich shades than the powder hues such as Pavilion Blue. Using blue in a controlled manner results in a subtler design – introducing blue accents on accessories or appliances for instance. In this example, Farrow & Ball’s Lulworth Blue helps to retain the light airy feel of the kitchen.

Pale blue cabinet doors paired with oak worktops results in a serene feel whereas a whole kitchen painted in fluorescent blue can be incredibly stimulating.

Although a calming colour, the fluorescent blue in this kitchen is stimulating.

Credit : Domino

Key Considerations

  • •Blue instils feelings of peacefulness, tranquillity and security.
  • •Creates a stimulating effect when used in excess.
  • •Use to create a light and airy kitchen.
  • •Consider using blue accents on accessories and appliances.

What do you find appealing about blue kitchens? Let us know in the comments below. Do not forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest for regular updates and ideas or subscribe to our newsletter for weekly updates on kitchens, trends, offers, and more.

 

Inspirational Kitchens

Posted by admin on April 25, 2019 at 3:05 pm. Filed under: Products

Nowadays there are so many kitchen styles to choose from it can make achieving your perfect design tricky. These inspirational kitchens are here to spark your imagination, so continue reading to find ideas to implement yourself.

The combination of full-height cabinetry with curved worktops and cabinets make this beautiful kitchen both stylish and functional. Featuring Farrow & Ball’s Lime White, this kitchen is light and airy.

Cream coloured cabinets paired with mid to dark toned worktops and handles work in harmony to create a well-balanced traditional style kitchen.

The peninsula is a prominent feature in this kitchen and the cabinets, which have been left unpainted to expose the natural wood, are allowed to take centre stage.

This one wall kitchen has been designed in a traditional style. It features full stave oak worktops, cabinets painted in Farrow & Ball’s Wimborne White and a ceramic Belfast sink.

With the sink and hob installed in this island, the focus of this kitchen is central. The minimalist colour scheme and contemporary style make this design highly modern.

Blue is the colour of choice in this kitchen. The exposed brickwork and solid wood flooring help to create a traditional feel in this welcoming cooking space.

The combination of dark and light colours creates a striking contrast resulting in a contemporary feel that is accentuated by the use of stainless-steel appliances.

The seating area on this island allows for a social space. Perfect for preparing meals, entertaining or dining – this kitchen has it all.

Another kitchen with blue cabinet frontals, this time organised into a U-shape. The undermount stainless steel sink and Shaker doors are just two features that give this kitchen a contemporary feel.

The full wall pale green splashback not only looks great in this kitchen but also serves to protect the wall from splashes and stains – as well as giving this kitchen a modern touch.

G-shaped kitchens, like this one, optimise worktop and storage space. Here, the peninsula has been turned into a seating area to add space for dining.

This is a fine example of a farmhouse kitchen. Everything from the choice of wood to the stools is traditional, giving this kitchen an authentic and welcoming feel.

This kitchen has both dark worktops and flooring. However, the use of pale blue walls lightens the room. Solid wood floating shelves give extra storage space and add to the contemporary appeal.

Dark worktops combined with light cabinets and walls to deliver a well-balanced colour palette in this L-shaped kitchen.

Which of these kitchens most inspire you? Let us know in the comments below. Do not forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest for regular updates and ideas or subscribe to our newsletter for weekly updates on kitchens, trends, offers, and more.

 

Kitchen Trends for Summer 2019

Posted by admin on April 23, 2019 at 2:59 pm. Filed under: General

In the world of kitchen design, styles change from season to season. With that in mind, we take a look at four of the most anticipated kitchen trends for summer 2019.


Warm Metallic Accents

Metallics have been popular for a while and adding them to your kitchen this summer is a great way to update your home. Brass or copper fixtures can be added to kitchens easily – for example, door handles can be replaced to give your cabinets a fresh feel. Warm metallics in a kitchen with a neutral colour palette will stand out and catch the eye. The warm coloured metals complement the hot summers that are just around the corner.

Pull-Out Storage

Every kitchen, large or small, can benefit from smart storage. Utilising pull out storage, such as wicker storage baskets, instead of shelves helps to achieve a timeless appeal. They give you plenty of space and can be tucked away when you are not using them. The ones that we supply are available in widths to suit either 500mm or 600mm wide cabinets. These are perfect because they remind us of wicker patio furniture and long summer days.

Statement Splashbacks

Splashbacks are becoming increasingly popular now that there are many more exciting patterns being introduced to the market. Splashbacks that make a big impact in terms of colour, pattern and textural contrast will be on trend this summer. In particular, those with a shiny surface or that have the effect of stone, such as stainless steel and marble effect will be big. Splashbacks are the perfect backdrop for introducing colour and can set the overall tone for your kitchens trends.

Stone Islands

Often referred to as the heart of a kitchen, islands have to exemplify form and functionality. Natural stone surfaces definitely have plenty of style, but they can be prohibitively expensive. Laminate worktops are a great way to recreate the look of solid stone for less. We offer stone, quartz, granite and marble effect varieties to suit any kitchen.

Which of these kitchen trends for summer 2019 are you most looking forward to? Let us know in the comments below. Do not forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest for even more great inspiration or subscribe to our newsletter for updates and information about new products, special offers and competitions.

 

Easy Clean Kitchen Ideas

Posted by admin on April 18, 2019 at 10:34 am. Filed under: General

Are you looking for a way to spend less time cleaning your kitchen? In this blog post, we discuss easy clean kitchen ideas so you can spend more time cooking and entertaining instead.


Easy Clean Worktops

There are several options to consider for an easy to clean countertop and laminate and solid wood are both good choices. Stone worktops can sometimes have indentations which can gather debris, becoming unhygienic. Laminate work surfaces, on the other hand are an extremely low-maintenance option and are not only easy to clean but also highly durable. As long as you maintain the surface with oil, solid wood worktops are quick and easy to clean too.


Easy Clean Splashbacks

Tiles are a good choice for protecting your walls however they require a lot of work as the grout can become dirty. Splashbacks are an ideal solution to this problem. They are functional and also easy to clean because they do not require grout for installation. If you have set your heart on tiles, consider the larger sized ones as they give you less grout surface to clean.


Easy Clean Flooring

It is inevitable that kitchen flooring will become dirty and with that in mind, you will need something that is easy to clean food and spills from. Carpet should be avoided but other materials such as laminate and vinyl are ideal. Our guide to kitchen flooring materials explores some popular materials and focus on their advantages and disadvantages.


Appliance Storage

Keeping appliances such as blenders, toasters and coffee machines out on the worksurfaces definitely makes it quicker to use them, however, they also gather dust, grime and oil quicker. Our top five kitchen organisation ideas has some amazing organisation inspiration for you to consider. The trick is to store them somewhere you can quickly get to them when you need them. One of the advantages of this is because your worktops are free of clutter you can clean them quickly and your kitchen will tidier when not in use.

Do you have any easy clean kitchen tips? Share them in the comments below. Do not forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for even more great inspiration or subscribe to our newsletter for updates and information about new products, special offers and competitions.

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Industrial Kitchen Mood Board

Posted by admin on April 9, 2019 at 11:56 am. Filed under: General

Although solid wood kitchen cabinets look good in a traditional style kitchen, they can work well in contemporary settings too. This industrial kitchen mood board offers inspiration so that you can achieve a similar look in your own home. Let us know what you think.


Colour

Many industrial kitchens feature a dark colour scheme. These Shaker cabinet doors have been painted in Farrow & Ball’s Stiffkey Blue but could work equally well with Studio Green or even Pitch Black. To contrast with the dark cabinet colours a lighter coloured worktop has been included – in this case, a concrete effect laminate worktop. You could also lighten up the space by introducing reflective metals such as stainless steel. The sophisticated colour scheme makes a statement and complements the industrial theme.

Visible wood does not feature much in this mood board and in fact the only place that we have introduced it is in the floating oak shelves. Again, the light colour lifts the darker shades of the cabinets.


Features

Exposed brickwork is a popular feature in industrial interior design but sometimes it is not practical or even possible to do. One alternative is to hang brick pattern wallpaper. There are many realistic options out there, such as the one by I Want Wallpaper.

The use of metal also helps to achieve an industrial feel. In this mood board we have included American copper pull handles which not only have a dark colouration but also complement the pendant lighting. The Rangemaster Glendale stainless-steel sink which, unlike the handles and the light, has a shine. This helps to reflect light back into the room, balancing the dark shades of the surrounding décor.

The concrete effect laminate worktop is a nod to the brutalist roots of industrial interior design. Concrete is an expensive material to use and is difficult to install, so a worktop that closely resembles the authentic material is a fantastic alternative.

Finally, solid oak floating shelves lend themselves perfectly to this design style and will contrast beautifully with the exposed brickwork wallpaper and the overall design of the kitchen.

Which parts of this industrial kitchen mood board would you feature in your kitchen? Let us know in the comments below. Do not forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for even more great inspiration or subscribe to our newsletter for updates and information about new products, special offers and competitions.

 

5 Inspirational Kitchen Wine Racks

Posted by admin on April 2, 2019 at 10:40 am. Filed under: General

Whether you enjoy the occasional glass of wine or are a connoisseur, finding a special place in your kitchen to store your bottles is a good idea. These uniquely beautiful kitchen wine racks are perfect for a wide range of kitchen styles, personal tastes and budgets, so crack open the 1947 Château Cheval Blanc, sit back and enjoy this inspiration.


Solid Oak Wine Rack Base Cabinet

Our solid oak wine rack base cabinet is made from 18mm thick solid oak panels and measures 720mm x 300mm x 570mm. It holds 20 bottles of wine in total and can be seamlessly integrated into your kitchen’s design. The classic style makes it ideal for both contemporary and traditional kitchen settings. A 150mm wine rack is also available.


WM12 wine rack by Buoyant Wine Storage

This stylish cable wine storage system is incredibly minimalist and so is suitable for a contemporary kitchen. The chrome plated brass, stainless steel and black walnut which it has been constructed from, give it a sophisticated feel. This allows it to perfectly complement black American walnut, wenge or black oak worktops. With a 12 bottle capacity, this wine rack is also available in a 96 bottle version.


Live Edge Walnut Wine Rack by Raws Custom Shop

This live edge wine rack by Raws Custom Shop has also been made from solid walnut but has a much more rustic style. It has been hand made from Ohio walnut slab and black metal wire for holding wine bottles and glasses. You can easily see how this feature would work particularly well in a farmhouse kitchen.


Industrial Pipe Wine Rack by Case Concepts 2000

Case Concepts 2000 reclaim materials from barns, mills and farmhouses to create quirky items such as this industrial pipe wine rack. Suitable for a kitchen with an industrial feel, this industrial pipe wine rack holds three bottles in cleverly constructed from iron piping.


Wine-Stem Rack by Crate and Barrel

This wine-stem rack by Crate and Barrel is wall mounted for a space-saving solution. Made from acacia wood, the straightforward, farmhouse design would look perfect paired with iroko worktops. It can comfortably hold six bottles of wine as well as six stem glasses which hang underneath.

Which of these kitchen wine racks would you display your wine in? Let us know in the comments below. Do not forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest for regular updates and ideas or subscribe to our newsletter for weekly updates on kitchens, trends, offers, and more.