Save me from spoiling my new kitchen!
Alison Young
9 years ago
Hi, you all did such a good job with advising me on my living room that I'm setting you loose on the kitchen. This is fairly new - as you can see the main cabinets are a kind of cappuccino colour ("cashmere" high gloss), with the top cabinets in Acacia grey wood, and the cabinets around the ovens in Anthracite grey. The worktops are in a white stone with small grey fleck.
I need to buy a new table and chairs, but can't decide whether to try to get something that blends with the wood, or a white table that blends with the worktop. The look I want in this kitchen is contemporary yet homely family space.
My personal preference would be a distressed wood, as I think that's more homely (and easier cleaned). I'm worried that if I go with a white high gloss table the whole kitchen will start to look too clinical - I'd like the vintage look on the table to balance it out. However, this corner can be quite dark, so is there a risk I'm going to darken it even more?
I have brought in a colour pop of burnt orange in the table pendants & a plant pot so far. I'm thinking of perhaps bright coloured chairs (potentially quite modern chairs), but don't want to go OTT and spoil the room.
My second dilemma is what colour of bar stools should I go for at the little coffee bar inset into the window? I had thought of burnt orange to match the lamps, but most of the orange stools I've seen are very bright orange which I don't like. Plus, when those lamps are on they actually look red, so then orange stools might look wrong at night. Overall I think they would look garish, so I'm thinking of white gas operated stools which I can lower to the correct height for the coffee bar.
Thoughts on table / chairs / stools colours please? I will post some types of tables I've been contemplating.
I am the Queen of 'not wanting to play it safe but not quite pulling it together', so your help is appreciated.
I need to buy a new table and chairs, but can't decide whether to try to get something that blends with the wood, or a white table that blends with the worktop. The look I want in this kitchen is contemporary yet homely family space.
My personal preference would be a distressed wood, as I think that's more homely (and easier cleaned). I'm worried that if I go with a white high gloss table the whole kitchen will start to look too clinical - I'd like the vintage look on the table to balance it out. However, this corner can be quite dark, so is there a risk I'm going to darken it even more?
I have brought in a colour pop of burnt orange in the table pendants & a plant pot so far. I'm thinking of perhaps bright coloured chairs (potentially quite modern chairs), but don't want to go OTT and spoil the room.
My second dilemma is what colour of bar stools should I go for at the little coffee bar inset into the window? I had thought of burnt orange to match the lamps, but most of the orange stools I've seen are very bright orange which I don't like. Plus, when those lamps are on they actually look red, so then orange stools might look wrong at night. Overall I think they would look garish, so I'm thinking of white gas operated stools which I can lower to the correct height for the coffee bar.
Thoughts on table / chairs / stools colours please? I will post some types of tables I've been contemplating.
I am the Queen of 'not wanting to play it safe but not quite pulling it together', so your help is appreciated.
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Alison Young
9 years agoPlus another kitchen view of the anthracite grey cupboards area... The table sits to the right of these in the opposite corner.
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9 years agoHmmm - yes, the doors are an issue. However, I can't easily change the door beside the table, as that door leads into a hall where there are 6 other doors all of the same colour, and I don't have the budget (or desire) to go changing all of those. The others are solid wood panelled doors - if I start changing those, it kicks off a whole chain of changes, as then the front door doesn't match, the cornicing in the hall doesn't look right, etc.
What about a more white-grey table like the main image in this photo?
I hadn't considered timber bar stools. They would have to be modern, height adjustable ones. It might be hard to get the right wood to match the Acacia coffee bar?
Sophie - which table were you suggesting the orange chairs for?
Alison Young
9 years agoAlison Young
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoMost of the vintage wooden stools I've seen so far are very industrial, like this one. OTT industrial for my space? I prefer groveraxle's Tractor Stool, but sadly US!
This stool shown can have the legs in gunmetal grey or white as well.
Alison Young
9 years ago
Joanna Zygo
9 years agoI really like your kitchen. I like the modern clean look of it. My personal choice would be a white table and chairs. I don't understand the bar space, could you make another direct photo where you want to put bar stools?
Alison Young thanked Joanna ZygoAlison Young
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoJoanna Zygo
9 years agoMore ideas...sorry for the quality
I personally like modern look, a timeless combination of white, wood and black. Wood gives a warm feeling to a modern space. Color accents in candles, flowers, bowl of fruits, are enough. With a clean and simple base you can add/change colorful accessories whenever you like.
Joanna Zygo
9 years agoOk, now I understand. I thought there is a bar somewhere. I will look for some inspiration and see what I can find.
Another one for the table:
Alison Young thanked Joanna ZygoJoanna Zygo
9 years agoI found BERNHARD series on Ikea website. They have matching bar stools and chairs which would match your modern style kitchen. They have different colors, also in orange.
I don't know about the dimensions ( height etc).
Alison Young thanked Joanna ZygoAlison Young
9 years agoJoanna Zygo
9 years agoI see the grey part of the kitchen now...it looks great. I am not sure if that shade of grey of that table fits with the rest of the kitchen but I can see where you are going. I actually did something similar, modern white kitchen and a wooden table (to add that warm feeling).
But I feel that the dining corner looks to busy as it is now, the mirror, big plant, the shelves...and the door. That mirror doesn't feel quite right. I would probably move the plant somewhere else and add small plants on the shelves instead so that the whole dining space would look more spacious. Less is more. A nice dining set, little bit of decoration will complement your great kitchen.
The bar stools are the most problematic because I don't know how much space there is and which type is going to fit and which are not. Bar stools have different heights, some are adjustable (although hard to find and more expensive). I always liked this one (picture 1 & 2)- it is adjustable to any height
but it can be something more simple like the 3rd picture.
Joanna Zygo
9 years agoFunny how much I feel the same...I love decorating and interior design is my passion. Sometimes it goes smoothly almost without any effort but sometimes it can be a real headache. For example something fits qua style but wrong dimensions etc.
I feel that in a narrow space between the window and kitchen the stools should be without the back. But it would be nice to match them with the dining chairs. I personally couldn't match them at my home, although they are not matching at least they are white. It is not easy but worth every amount of time you spend on it.
Alison Young thanked Joanna ZygoAlison Young
9 years agoAlison Young
9 years ago
groveraxle
9 years agoGreat stools here:
http://www.nest.co.uk/browse/product-type/stools/bar-stool/zeitraum-morph-bar-stool
http://www.nest.co.uk/browse/product-type/stools/bar-stool/scp-max-bar-stool
http://www.nest.co.uk/browse/product-type/stools/bar-stool/hay-about-a-stool-sled-base
http://www.nest.co.uk/browse/product-type/stools/bar-stool/e15-jean-stool
Alison Young thanked groveraxle- Alison Young thanked Joanna Zygo
Alison Young
9 years agoAlison Young
9 years agolast modified: 9 years ago
PROAlison Young thanked JudyG DesignsAlison Young
9 years agoAlison Young
9 years agoJoanna Zygo
9 years agoI would suggest what I have done: go to Ikea, sit in different bar stools, measure the difference in height that you mentioned and you will have a better idea which type is more comfy. I do not know about that it must be 25cm difference, I would simply check it out. Last month I wanted to buy a bar stool (for the piano), loved the appearance but when I tried it was so extremely uncomfortable.
Ikea used to have nice bar stools with very low back (last pic) but I don't see them anymore (out of assortment?)
Anyway I found another table for some inspiration
Alison Young thanked Joanna ZygoAlison Young
9 years ago
User
9 years agolouisep2012
8 years ago
PROCaldicot Kitchen & Bathroom Centre
8 years agoHi really love your kitchen - lovely mix of cool, contemporary clean lines with the dash of colour: fantastic! I can understand your dilemma wrt the dining area. I'd tend to echo many of the previous comments - I would go for a smaller, simpler mirror with a plainer (probably white) frame and then I think there are a few options on table & chairs. White would work well - both for table and chairs - and then I'd jazz it up with some orange cushions and a nice runner or table mats. Really liked the white (Ikea?) chairs proposed by Joanna Zygo here:
And the table works too. Alternatively, I like the grey/wood table you proposed (the second one), although I wonder if the style is a little "chunky" - thinner, simpler lines may work best with your very sleek units.
While I recognise the "dangers" other have flagged wrt using too much white, I really think it would work here, and would really accentuate the inspired use of the orange highlights. As it currently stands, with the mirror and chrome table/chairs, I don't really get the full impact of those gorgeous orange lampshades - and they should be the stars of the show!
PROCreoGlass Design
8 years ago
groveraxle