Our guide to Colour in your Kitchen in collaboration with Mylands of London
25th January 2017
When deciding on your kitchen colour scheme, there are some general factors to take into consideration. It’s possible to have a Middleton kitchen in any colour you choose – the freedom of working with a truly bespoke maker.
1. Which colours work best in the kitchen
We tend to recommend two to three colours for the different cabinetry elements and walls, so that everything ties into a complementary scheme.
It’s often best to have the lower level cabinetry in the darkest shade of your palette. These areas tend to get the highest wear so, by being a little darker, any grubby marks left between cleaning won’t show as easily. For the higher-level cabinetry, such as wall cupboards and Armoires, we recommend using a lighter shade, to avoid visually overpowering the space.
If there’s an island or a butcher’s block in your arrangement, this is where we like to be bold. These striking elements create a real statement and are easily changeable should you wish to update things in future and give a new feel to the space.
2. Colour choices to make smaller rooms appear bigger
The space in your kitchen should become a stage for the cabinetry. To help create this, paint the kitchen walls, woodwork, windows and ceilings in the same colour for smart backdrop.
A big trend for 2017 is having cabinetry and the walls the same colour. This is particularly pertinent in a smaller room, where painting cabinets the same colour as the walls will make the space feel bigger. Choose a light neutral colour to allow the cabinetry to fade into the wall.
Alternatively, create drama with a bold statement colour for the walls and cabinetry. This looks particularly fabulous in grand spaces with high ceilings, big windows or lots of glass.
3. Colours to suit the style of your home
When choosing colours it’s important to consider the provenance of your home, as well as the overall aesthetic of the space.
For Period and country homes we tend to recommend heritage colours that allow the kitchen to become part of the architecture, as though it was always there.
For a more contemporary feel, bolder shades can be used on traditional cabinetry to give it an all-together different look. Modern kitchens should become a backdrop to the space and the lifestyle. A mix of bold hues and different materials create interest and grounds the kitchen into a new space.
4. Trends for 2017
If you’re feeling bold, we predict strong colours such chalky blacks, woodland greens, mulberry hues and a dash of sunshine for 2017.
Strong colours, such as dusky blacks, work well to give a modern look to traditional shaker cabinets. Woodland and heritage greens create a timeless elegant look, which sits beautifully in period or country homes. Mulberry tones bring warmth to the kitchen and look striking when paired with dark greys and natural stones.
For a contemporary fresh look in the kitchen, a pop of yellow creates a statement and sets the tone for a mid-century interior.
For a more cautious approach to creating a bold look, paint the kitchen walls in a strong colour and keep the cabinets neutral. This will create a statement while the walls can be easily changed to refresh the look, as and when you fancy.
5. Putting together your colour palette
Putting together your scheme can seem daunting to start with, but as your confidence grows with the various layers of the overall look it starts to become simpler.
When its comes to choosing kitchen colours, Dominic Myland, Managing Director of Mylands of London gives the following sound advice: “
It’s a good idea to consider other dominating colours in the room such as worktops, tiles and flooring before selecting your colour to ensure you achieve a harmonious look.”
With this in mind you can start to create a lookbook or moodboard of the hues that suit your style. Mylands of London recommends a simple pallete for a neutral look:
“Try ‘Honest John No.58’, ‘Sloane Square No.92’ or ‘Egyptian Grey No.154’.
“Pale blue-greys, such as ‘Hawkesmoor No.112’, or ‘Mid Wedgewood No.113’ and soft sage green colours ‘Museum No.151’, ‘Myrtle Green No.168’ and ‘Greenstone No.7’ suit most styles of kitchen, especially the classic country or farmhouse look.
“Alternatively, opt for a bold or bright colour – try ‘Boathouse No.33’, or ‘Observatory No.34’ combined with brass or copper accessories for a more contemporary feel.”
6. Extras factors to consider when choosing the paint for your kitchen
When researching your bespoke kitchen always ask what paints are used, how many coats and the durability. A bespoke kitchen is a significant investment in your home and the quality of paint finish will ultimately be a factor in determining its longevity.
At Middleton, we adopt an ethos of ‘belt and braces’, with our cabinets receiving a total of ten coats of paint in all.
We use only Mylands of London paints for their superior quality and finish, available in any shade you choose. The final stage of our handcrafted process is for your kitchen to receive a total of eight coats of highly durable paint, applied by our master painter in the workshop.
Our kitchens are painted everywhere – even where you don’t see – an approach that protects your kitchen from any moisture or damage in its environment.
Once installed, your kitchen will receive a further two coats, painted by hand by our specialist kitchen painter.
7. Keeping your painted kitchen in tip top shape
Caring for your hand-painted bespoke kitchen is of the upmost importance. As with all natural materials, wood requires maintenance and protection.
We recommend a bi-annual maintenance visit from our specialist kitchen painter to quickly flick over your kitchen, keeping it as new.
For general cleaning, use only warm water to wipe the cabinets down and specialist wood cleaning products for tougher stains. It’s a good idea to test out on a non-conspicuous area first with any new product.
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