Kitchen Know How

We don’t often feature kitchens in Style Counsel, but doing a mini reno on ours at home has got us thinking!  Kitchens, as we know, are the new living rooms in the modern home, and need to be more than just a space to store, cook and serve up food.  That’s why we love this kitchen; it works on different levels of functionality and serves as both a working space and a show piece. Let’s look at what’s going on:

• Black walls aren’t often chosen for a kitchen but work beautifully here because the floor is light and therefore the overall look isn’t too heavy. It would be so glum if the floor was made of dark tiles or timber!
• Chalkboard paint is fun and useful – we love our blackboards at home as they help us never forget that bright idea or shopping list item!  If you don’t feel like a whole wall of chalkboard paint, just try a panel propped against the wall to give the idea and the inspiration should follow.
• Open shelving – love!  Practical and pretty as everything is in-sight and on-hand. But – and it’s a bit but - open shelves must be tidy and co-ordinated otherwise you’ll just end up with a cluttered mess. Here, classic white crockery and clear glass is strictly grouped and clustered, giving an ordered look and adding lightness to the tonality of the setting as a whole.
• Pendant lights – love, love! Again, they are practical and pretty and such a visual feature over a dining table. Diffused light is refreshing in a kitchen, especially when the work is done and the dining can begin – pendants are much more intimate and relaxing than overhead strips or downlights.
• Comfy armchair – to die for!  If you have room in your kitchen/dining area for an armchair or sofa, you’d be crazy not to go for it!  How much nicer than perching on a bar stool is it to snuggle in a welcoming armchair, nursing a glass of wine, ready for a chat with the cook. This really makes a statement – home is where the heart is and the heart of a home is the kitchen.

If you’d like your kitchen to look like this (and we definitely would!) then Eco Chic can get you going.  Our Trestle Table is just like this one, and comes with a timber or glass top. The Luanne chairs would look fab around the trestle table, as would the Lachlan or Betty chairs.  Try the Pumpkin, Hobart or Pierre pendant light over your table.  The Santa Barbara bookshelf is ideal in such a setting, having a warm yet industrial look. We have several lovely armchairs that would make your kitchen a haven of comfort – check out the Vintage Kantha, the Kilim, or the Claudia. Finally, our World Clock would be just the ticket in such a setting, or try www.millarandmore.com.au in Bangalow who have a lovely, huge showstopper of a clock on offer that was spotted and coveted just this weekend!