On the Palette

By Justine Olivier

Experts at Whirlpool explain that colours can be used to create an accent that makes your kitchen come alive, adding new value to it: “Colour is an excellent medium for creating an alluring atmosphere at home and an interesting atmosphere that highlights the furnishings.”

“Different colours affect the kitchen’s mood and feel,” explains Sandi Larkin of Plascon. “It is important to integrate the colours with the style of the kitchen and the personality of the owner.”

While one can change colour through the use of paint and wall coverings, introducing a simple colour trend can be as easy as bringing wood into your kitchen. Chantelle Edwards of SieMatic says: “The advantage of using a very detailed wood grain is that you can keep things basic and work rather with undertones, which you can pull from the wood grain.” Chantelle explains that a subtle change of colour can take place through the use of colour accessories such as kettles, toasters and pots.

While some home owners prefer solid colours to grace their interiors, others choose to mix and match, choosing either complementary hues or contrasting shades to produce the desired overall result. However, deciding on which colours to mix and match requires some careful thought, as the last thing you want is to create an eyesore instead of a masterpiece.

While colour choice brings a whole new ambience to an interior, particularly the kitchen, colour trends keep changing, offering fascinating colour combinations and contrasts. At the Eurocucina 2010, the International Kitchen Furniture Trade Show which took place at the Fiera Milano in Milan in April, neutral colours and pastels came into play, particularly two-toned hues as opposed to the wacky and wild colours of previous years.

“The Eurocucina this year showed that kitchens have successfully made the move to being a featured living space, where one can cook, relax and entertain, and at the same time, it can still be a masterpiece of form and function,” explains Philip Richards of blu-line living.

With thanks to Alpine German Kitchens, blu-line living, Easylife Kitchens, Plascon, SieMatic, Snaidero Cucine, Whirlpool.