Still not keen on my kitchen...

7 years ago

I decorated my kitchen around a year ago and have lived with it but I'm still finding something really lacking about it - I think maybe it's the colour seems a bit dreary and hospital-y but before we invest the time in repainting it I wondered if anyone else had any thoughts? The flooring and cabinets need to stay but the light above table can go (also would needmoving) and table/chairs/curtains/anything else really can be changed in an effort to bring it together.

Also, if people think it does need a colour change/wallpaper on end wall etc ... what sort of colours do you think? The last image is one taken in natural day light (admittedly a grey day) but the room does not get a lot of light in general.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions - this room is really driving me mad!

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AlenaCDesign

7 years ago

Hello there, I see you've put a lot of thought into kitchen and dinning area and 1 year is not so long time ago. It would be a shame to strip everything off and start from the begging. I think we can fix easily what you've got there!

First when I see your kitchen, I don't see blue, I see slim kitchen cabinet with slim handles and chunky metro tiles back splash. Along with this fact, tile colour starts dominating in the room and it shouldn't happen. Tiles should be an accent but not dominant. Moreover It stands out on its own and doesn't work with blue. I would start from fixing kitchen colour. Get colour tone or two darker than your tiles. I would suggest Natural taupe 1 Dulux. It is rich and warm colour. It will calm kitchen down, in a matter colours are not blending and not matching at the moment. Rich taupe will come tone darker than your tiles and will make white kitchen stand out more. It sounds like paradox but using rich (darker) neutral tone, you brighten your kitchen up. White will stand out and this is your first impression when you enter - light, clean kitchen.

Here is internet example of Taupe1 Dulux

Moreover, taupe is quiet warm tone and will make kitchen more cozy and it will play well with tiles and flooring. Paint three walls: behind cabinets, wall around window and double doors wall around door. Wall with 3 pictures in the dining room leave blue as a feature. It is great way to show that this area is separate. Blue curtains will show up better with neutral background, leave it.

As for pendant in dining room, choose something white to complement white kitchen cabinets. Bring a little bit of white colour to this side.

I will agree with comment above that you should add fresh and may be a little bit bright colour in the kitchen. You will have 2 areas in one space, it will give you a right to add roller or Roman blinds with mustard (muted yellow) with grey or blue or teal in pattern) on a window. Add pots with green herbs or even faux grass in pots from Ikea. Your kitchen and dining will look fab with this few changes.

Alena,

Cheers

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Comments (14)

Sandra Marshall
7 years ago
Hi

it is a lovely room, but a bit dull. I think a mustard end wall, and different chairs would make a difference
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Solid Furniture Design
7 years ago
Hi daniellehinves83,

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e-mail: kitchen-wardrobe@o2.pl

Kind Regards,

A&S Kitchen Wardrobe
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miffyoliver
7 years ago
The kitchen part is great. I think the grey curtains could be changed for something brighter or patterned to add character and vibrancy.
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Demo Interiors
7 years ago
Hi daniellehinves83 the kitchen and dining area are nice and I agree with Sandra Marshall regarding the vibrant mustard wall collor as a feature and chair swap.

How about:

- making all the walls a light warm grey to keep the room bright and give a light contrast to your kitchen

DINING AREA

- make a big bright white frame (or black to copy the kitchen worktop) in the centre of the dining table wall and paint on the inside the vibrant mustard shown in the pictures below;

- on the sides put some stylish/contemporary floor lamps to light up the area;

- do not use light bulbs that emit a yellow light, the floor is a warm enough colour, the light you get from spotlight in the kitchen area is nice;

- a modern white/grey rug under the table will help lighten things and tame the wood floor that is dominating at the moment the room;

KITCHEN

- I can see in the left side corner of the hob that you have a 500mm corner door unit and a large filler that you could shrink a bit and bring the sink area a few cm out from the window wall so that the freestanding appliances can be hidden in the deeper worktop and units;

- consider replacing the kitchen worktop with something a bit thinner and with a sharp edge. You will find some good laminates that do that at a 25 mm thickness and reassemble very much luxurious products like silgranite and corian worktops.

- ultra modern wall tile that could have a thin vibrant mustard wall tile line to copy the dining area

- for future investment maybe consider replacing the american fridge freezer (around 300L capacity) with an integrated full fridge (arround 220L) and an undermounted freezer that could clear a space to install a wall unit with a microwave.
AMB
7 years ago
I think you really need a splash of bright colour (maybe blinds by the sink) and I think the spotlighting is too harsh. Put a colourful lamp in the kitchen area (either on the shelves, windowsill, or worktop) to add interest and soften the area. You could also add colourful kitchen accessories for the worktop - colourful utensils, jars, potted herbs, chopping boards, even a kettle or toaster.
tamp75
7 years ago
The first thing that stood out to me was the washing machine & DW. I can see you've tried to tie all your appliances together with the chrome elements but they stand out a lot & so the kitchen doesn't look 'complete' because the cabinets stop part way along that sink run. Obv you won't want to replace them right away but worth considering having them integrated when you do replace them.
tamp75
7 years ago
It might even be worth purchasing the integrated doors now so that you can still get that door design ready for whenever / if you do replace them.
I actually like the wall colour but think it clashes with the floor a bit. A different wood - slightly lighter / more brown-grey tones would work better & look more modern to match your modern kitchen. Flooring looks too 'country'.
daniellehinves83
Original Author
7 years ago
Hi all - thanks so much for the advice on here as lots of good points. We are def going to be moving the washing machine through to the garage as knocking through shortly and will certainly look to integrate for the future. The fridge is the bane of my life but my husband insisted on it. Has anyone got any ideas on how I can make it less of an eyesore by any chance?

We are looking at colours still but as there are so many great ideas we are going to sort curtains/blinds/lighting/chairs etc first and see how we feel then.

Thanks so much again as I'm really pleased with some of this advice and think it will really help!
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Demo Interiors
7 years ago
If you are keeping the american fridge freezer in the same position and considering the space available on the right side of it (without modifying the light switch position), you could consider having a tall pull out unit on the right side of the fridge,a cladding panel on its left and above a unit with a flap door so that it would make an enclosure for it. The panel and pull out would semi integrate the fridge and create some storage space for you. Hope it helps..
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Bloc Blinds
7 years ago
Hi Danielle,

I actually love the colour and was looking something similar for my living room, what is the name of it?

It does look very different though at each end of the room and I can see why you feel it can be a bit dull. What about a bright pop of colour with a roller blind above the sink. Some of our plain translucent fabrics which come to mind are Limeade and Vibrant Cerise, I tried to upload a pic but it is not displaying the colour correctly so I would suggest ordering a few different fabric samples from our website and see how they look in the light of your own kitchen.

The great thing about our roller blinds is that they are swappable roller blinds so if you change your mind about a fabric choice or redecorate a few years down the line you just hook off the old fabric and hook on a new one, you have a completely new look in seconds.

Give us a call or send us a message if you have any questions at all,

Kiera
whippet girl
7 years ago
I like what you've done, the suggestion of mustard highlights, such as roller blinds and placemats would pick up on the picture on the wall.
How about slipcover for the chairs, the white would link to the kitchen units and brighten the room?
whippet girl
7 years ago
Oh, and paint the radiator the same colour as the wall!
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Best Heating
7 years ago
If you are going to paint the radiator, be sure to visit our handy guide - http://www.bestheating.com/info/blog/painting-a-radiator/

Still not keen on my kitchen...

AlenaCDesign

Comments (14)

Sandra Marshall

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Still not keen on my kitchen...

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