Statement Appliances - as promised!

Another great way of injecting colour into your kitchen or utility room is through the use of statement appliances. The big applaince brands now offer a wide range of colours so you know there will be one out there to suit you.

I've rounded up 5 of the most colourful brands. . .



Mixing tradition and colour by way of a feature range cooker is one of the most popular looks around. I love Everhot cookers. Because they're electric, no flue or concrete base is needed, meaning they can be positioned almost anywhere along side your kitchen units. They are incredibly versatile and look fantastic Colour options include Burgundy, Blue, Green and Graphite plus black and cream.

If you plug for a Britiania cooker you can specify the exact colour you wish your range to be. Thier new customer service Colourange means that you can choose a colour as outrageous or as subtle as you like. Your inspiration can come from anywhere, a kitchen tile, an off cut of fabric, your new car, a nail varnish sample or a cosmetics swatch. Check out their website for more info.



For a retro twist check out the range of appliances from Smeg. As you know I featured a pastel green fridge freezer in my very own kitchen.

Visit bigchillfridge.com. Unfortunatly they are currently unable to ship outside of the US, but their website is still worth a peek, even if it's just for inspiration. You could also help me pile on the international pressure!




Dont forget small appliances. Kitchenaid Artisan stand mixers are ever popular with our clients and are available in 16 colour choices.

Scrabble Wall Tiles

I found these Scrabble wall tiles by Bokstavskakel whilst trawling the web yesterday. They are too funky! Ideal for creating a bit of cheeky wall art.

Have a play with the sentence maker on their website. . . imagine the possibilities!

Tala Bakeware

I indulged in a little retail therapy in Bath at the weekend. Among (many!) other things, I picked up some items from the retro inspired Tala Bakeware range. I know some may say I have an obsession with all things 1950s, but I promise i'll start on my bathroom soon...

Tala bakeware is available from Lakeland

Colourful Kitchens

Although white and cream units are very popular, introducing colour into your kitchen can give it a real lift. There are three ways of injecting colour. Either through the use of stunning units, beautiful detailing or statement appliances.

Today I’ll focus on cabinet work but stay tuned for more tips!

Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on your viewpoint!) there are no set rules regarding colour & cabinet work. But hopefully these little tips will serve you well…

1. When picking two or three shades balance is key. Avoid equal areas of dark and light - use darker colours for large areas and use lighter tints to add detail or vice-versa.

2. Similarly, keep very bright colours to a minimum. Use them as accents within a more neutral scheme.

3. Try not to feature a colour only once in your kitchen; reappearance will always tie a space together. Adding small appliances and kitchen accessories is a great way to achieve this.

4. To conclude, cabinets in different colours will always look more appealing than cabinets all in the same flat shade. You can keep your scheme rather minimal by mixing two colours together or go all out funky and use four or five. Its all up to you!

GreenPan

A recent client has been raving about the benefits of GreenPan, the eco-friendly cookware manufacturer. They produce hard wearing eco-pots, pans and saucepans which are also safer to use than others (all thanks to their revolutionary non-stick substance). For more info on the 'science bit' visit their website - www.green-pan.com

All I need to know is that they are environmentally friendly. . .

All the stainless steel and aluminium used throughout their entire range is sauced from waste materials, meaning less landfill. Very strong green credentials indeed!

. . . and that they help even the most inexperienced chefs manage crisp and even cooking.

It's a no brainer.