Going Green
Colour drenching is all about embracing colour with confidence. A major interior trend in recent years, it has been widely used in bedrooms and living spaces to create warm, cocooning environments - and it is now making its way into the kitchen, where it works beautifully to unify what is a naturally busy space.
Green tones provide an especially effective backdrop for kitchens, pairing effortlessly with classic materials such as stone, brass hardware and natural wood worktops. Olive green, in particular, strikes the perfect balance between warm and cool tones, offering a contemporary take on a neutral palette. Its organic and calming quality creates a timeless foundation that feels both sophisticated and easy to live with for years to come. | | Elevated through Texture
Texture plays a defining role in how a kitchen feels as much as how it looks. Marble, for example, creates a striking contrast against deeper colour choices such as timeless navy blue, introducing an immediate sense of luxury and refinement. It can also serve as a softer alternative to a pure white surface, offering a more layered, harmonious finish while still pairing beautifully with crisp white elements.
In more rustic-style kitchens featuring natural wood elements, pairing rich ochre tones with warm browns creates a relaxed and welcoming environment. This combination brings balance and calm to one of the busiest areas of the home, blending everyday functionality with a sense of understated serenity and style. | | Forgotten Walls
One of the most overlooked elements of interior design, particularly in kitchens where multiple surfaces compete for attention, is the ceiling and flooring. Yet extending colour and material choices to the ‘fifth and sixth walls’ is a powerful way to introduce depth and design interest.
Carrying colour onto the ceiling in a slightly deeper tone can create a more intimate, cocooning atmosphere, making the space feel warm and inviting. It also helps unify the overall scheme, ensuring the ceiling is seen as a considered design feature rather than an afterthought. Stone and tile surfaces, often found across splashbacks, worktops and flooring, also offer an opportunity to draw out subtle tonal references. These colours can then be echoed on the ceiling to create a beautifully balanced scheme that feels thoughtfully connected throughout. | | Lilac
Pastels have always been a mainstay of decorating trends, delivering soothing, gentle washes of colour without shouting for attention - making them particularly well suited to the kitchen.
While pastel tones work beautifully on cabinetry, they are equally effective on walls, helping to create a seamless flow between the kitchen and adjoining living spaces. Opting for delicate shades such as pale pink or soft lilac can introduce a sense of calm and openness, enhancing natural light and making the room feel more spacious. Paired with natural materials such as wood, stone and linen, these subtle, almost ethereal colours bring a feeling of tranquillity to one of the hardest-working rooms in the home. | | 60-30-10
The 60-30-10 rule in interior design is a formula used to create balanced schemes. By allocating 60% of the room to a dominant colour, 30% to a secondary tone, and 10% to an accent, it creates a cohesive palette that feels intentional rather than overwhelming or cluttered. In the kitchen, this approach works particularly well due to the variety of surfaces and finishes available. Cabinetry, worktops, walls, tiles and accessories all provide opportunities to introduce colour, texture and contrast. The 10% accent element, whether through pendant lighting, bar stools or decorative details, can add personality and visual interest to a scheme.
It can be adapted to a wide range of schemes, from understated to more expressive approaches. In rustic style kitchens that feature open shelving and wooden cabinetry, pairing a soft white with muted grey undertones walls as the primary colour and wooden cabinetry as the secondary tone will further enhance the relaxed style. Introduce a pop of off-black as an accent to offset the lighter tones, while earthy browns help to ground the scheme, making being in the kitchen a calming and convivial experience. | | | |
