10 Kitchens that Break the Mould
Celebrate kitchens that swerve convention, favouring a look that’s quirky, colourful and highly original
Jo Simmons
5 October 2015
Houzz UK Contributor. I have been an interiors journalist since 1995, writing several books on design and numerous features for glossy homes mags over the years. For Houzz, I cover decorating ideas and trends and interview designers and professionals for their insights. My favourite pieces to write, though, are Houzz Tours, as I love exploring and learning about real homes. Call me curious — or nosy!
Houzz UK Contributor. I have been an interiors journalist since 1995, writing several... More
While there’s plenty to love about the classic contemporary kitchen – bifold doors, side return extension, sleek and modern styling – some of you have been in touch to request a showcase of a few of the less conventional kitchens on Houzz. So if you love the sleek functionality of many contemporary kitchens, but hanker for a cook space that cuts a more unique dash, style-wise, then look no further.
These fabulous kitchens work hard but have combined their practical role with gorgeous, unusual features and exciting ingredients. Best of all, many of these spaces incorporate affordable ideas, proving a big budget is not always necessary when it comes to boosting the style and personality of your kitchen.
These fabulous kitchens work hard but have combined their practical role with gorgeous, unusual features and exciting ingredients. Best of all, many of these spaces incorporate affordable ideas, proving a big budget is not always necessary when it comes to boosting the style and personality of your kitchen.
Avoid the high street…
…and head for salvage yards and second-hand stores instead. Get creative with the raw materials out there, often being sold for a song. In this original kitchen, the cabinets were sourced from a house being demolished, while the worktops are from a restaurant. Overhead, the beam was rescued from a bridge and found at a timber yard.
…and head for salvage yards and second-hand stores instead. Get creative with the raw materials out there, often being sold for a song. In this original kitchen, the cabinets were sourced from a house being demolished, while the worktops are from a restaurant. Overhead, the beam was rescued from a bridge and found at a timber yard.
The island was made out of timber from an old outbuilding, and the tin at the back of the island was found at a reclamation yard.
Try modern minimalism
This gorgeous black kitchen feels like a fresh take on the all-white kitchens beloved by the minimalism movement – stunning in their own way, but not for everyone. It’s beautifully designed, without being showy, and its dark good looks and original splashbacks give it heaps of character. The design is wonderfully pared-back, too, and the whole kitchen looks as thought it has been quietly slotted along one wall of this apartment, taking up minimal space and ensuring the beautiful ceiling mouldings and flooring still shine.
This gorgeous black kitchen feels like a fresh take on the all-white kitchens beloved by the minimalism movement – stunning in their own way, but not for everyone. It’s beautifully designed, without being showy, and its dark good looks and original splashbacks give it heaps of character. The design is wonderfully pared-back, too, and the whole kitchen looks as thought it has been quietly slotted along one wall of this apartment, taking up minimal space and ensuring the beautiful ceiling mouldings and flooring still shine.
Introduce vintage
Don’t overlook the opportunity to bring pre-loved furniture into a kitchen. While new cabinets that have been professionally fitted deliver practical benefits, a vintage piece can work equally well and will add a shot of unique character and style. Try a simple wall cupboard or make a bigger statement by sourcing a large piece like this old display cabinet from a department store, which now functions as storage and an alternative island.
Don’t overlook the opportunity to bring pre-loved furniture into a kitchen. While new cabinets that have been professionally fitted deliver practical benefits, a vintage piece can work equally well and will add a shot of unique character and style. Try a simple wall cupboard or make a bigger statement by sourcing a large piece like this old display cabinet from a department store, which now functions as storage and an alternative island.
Fit coloured cabinets
This kitchen takes the familiar sleek contemporary cupboard doors and gives them a wild new look thanks to bold, Mondrian colours (and with the artfully positioned bowl of tomatoes, that palette is now complete). The island is cleverly mounted on a Perspex stand and appears to be floating, helping the space to feel bigger and lighter.
This kitchen takes the familiar sleek contemporary cupboard doors and gives them a wild new look thanks to bold, Mondrian colours (and with the artfully positioned bowl of tomatoes, that palette is now complete). The island is cleverly mounted on a Perspex stand and appears to be floating, helping the space to feel bigger and lighter.
Mix up materials
Steer away from a minimal, matchy-matchy look and work a clutch of different materials into your space for a really fresh, unique kitchen. This beautiful kitchen in a Victorian house mixes antique furniture with contemporary cabinets and uses luxurious sheet copper as the splashback and on each end of the island. Mixing up materials in this way helps keep costs down, too, allowing you to splash out on some details and save on others, without compromising the look of the space.
Ten beautiful kitchens in deliciously dark shades
Steer away from a minimal, matchy-matchy look and work a clutch of different materials into your space for a really fresh, unique kitchen. This beautiful kitchen in a Victorian house mixes antique furniture with contemporary cabinets and uses luxurious sheet copper as the splashback and on each end of the island. Mixing up materials in this way helps keep costs down, too, allowing you to splash out on some details and save on others, without compromising the look of the space.
Ten beautiful kitchens in deliciously dark shades
Reuse and recycle
This kitchen was created using entirely recycled materials. The units are faced with old cupboard doors, which have been cut down and sanded, and are topped with a worktop made from old scaffolding planks, sanded smooth. Salvaged corrugated iron clads the walls.
Read more about this clever cottage kitchen
This kitchen was created using entirely recycled materials. The units are faced with old cupboard doors, which have been cut down and sanded, and are topped with a worktop made from old scaffolding planks, sanded smooth. Salvaged corrugated iron clads the walls.
Read more about this clever cottage kitchen
Paint a patchwork
Giving your kitchen cupboard doors a coat of paint will quickly refresh them and ensure your space had a new look, but why stop there? Try painting the doors in a handful of different colours, to create quirky, eye-catching storage.
Giving your kitchen cupboard doors a coat of paint will quickly refresh them and ensure your space had a new look, but why stop there? Try painting the doors in a handful of different colours, to create quirky, eye-catching storage.
Brighten the walls
Adding a vivid shade to the walls is a simple, effective method for instantly giving your kitchen lots of character. This space also contains vintage decorative pieces, which all stand out boldly against the striking green walls.
Adding a vivid shade to the walls is a simple, effective method for instantly giving your kitchen lots of character. This space also contains vintage decorative pieces, which all stand out boldly against the striking green walls.
Have fun with freestanding
Forget building in expensive cabinetry and celebrate the freedom that freestanding furniture offers. This kitchen simply consists of three large, chunky units (one containing the sink) from Ikea. Teaming them with stripped floorboards and salvaged wood, used to clad the walls, adds exciting contrast and gives these mainstream pieces a more exciting, original feel.
Forget building in expensive cabinetry and celebrate the freedom that freestanding furniture offers. This kitchen simply consists of three large, chunky units (one containing the sink) from Ikea. Teaming them with stripped floorboards and salvaged wood, used to clad the walls, adds exciting contrast and gives these mainstream pieces a more exciting, original feel.
Sail to an island
If you are having a kitchen designed from scratch and made bespoke especially for you, why not let your imagination run wild? Instead of a regular rectangular island, you could choose something shaped like a boat, as here. Nautical style, at its most literal!
TELL US…
What do you think of these original kitchens? Share your thoughts – and describe your perfect kitchen – in the Comments below.
If you are having a kitchen designed from scratch and made bespoke especially for you, why not let your imagination run wild? Instead of a regular rectangular island, you could choose something shaped like a boat, as here. Nautical style, at its most literal!
TELL US…
What do you think of these original kitchens? Share your thoughts – and describe your perfect kitchen – in the Comments below.
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A perfect opportunity to convert the oven tower into a control tower.
Beautiful spaces!
The Perspex stand also was very cool!