When you're renovating a dated kitchen, it's important to consider not only the appliances and layout, but also the colour that will naturally set the mood.
Lucy Glade Wright, interior stylist at design outfit Hunting for George, has the following advice for nailing the perfect palette.
Start with research: When it comes to selecting a kitchen colour palette, a great place to start is by collecting samples and swatches of different materials in the kitchen and putting them out in front of you to see what works. Grab some different options to experiment with, i.e. paint sample pots, swatches of cabinetry finishes, flooring samples and even decor.
Alternatively, you can look for inspiration in magazines and Pinterest first, save some images you like and then look back over them. You might find that you have a clear style you like just from reviewing the inspiration you've saved.
Get plenty of inspiration: Colour inspiration can come from everywhere. Sometimes I'll notice interesting colour combinations walking through a train station, or noticing a person's outfit on the street, and often nature is a great source of inspiration.
Colour is incredibly important when it comes to your interiors as it can impact your mood. Some colours are calming, while other are more energetic, so it's important to think about the energy you wish to create and choose colours that help achieve that.
Consider appliance finishes: For the kitchen I always recommend choosing your appliances first, then take a look at your cabinetry.
For our latest home renovation, we chose Electrolux dark stainless steel appliances, including a dishwasher, fridge and cooktop which set the tones for the rest of our decision making in the kitchen, especially our cabinetry finishes, and make for sleek feature pieces.
Your cabinetry really needs to work around your appliances so it's best to know the finish and dimensions of these first.
It's always good to try to decide on an overall colour scheme, so you have a clear idea of what materials will work best. However key choices to make are your wall colour and cabinetry; from there you can build on your tiles, fixtures and decor.
It's important to think about what kind of energy you wish to create and choose colours that help you achieve that.
Work with what you've got: If you're working with what you've got, then I'd recommend paint, paint, paint! A fresh coat of paint will instantly update and change the appearance of your space. Then think about how you can switch out decor pieces to create a new look rather than making big structural changes.
Don't be afraid to experiment: Once you get researching, have a look through magazines, start a Pinterest board and gather all the images you like. From there you can start to identify which colours resonate with you most, which will help give you the confidence to choose sample pots and swatches that fit within your overall colour palette. Don't forget, it's all about experimenting, so don't be afraid to test things out.
