Kitchens Archives - Page 4 of 4

AW16 Kitchen & Bathroom Trends

Posted on September 14, 2016November 7, 2019 by katy@hawkkb.co.uk

Within the design industry, September is the month for looking at trends. With London Design Festival, Decorex, London Fashion Week among others all based around next seasons trends, it is a great time to re-look at what’s coming up this season. Here are our top trends for Autumn Winter 16.

Brassware is Back

Golds, coppers and brass have been a big hit in interiors for the past couple of years and it is now making its way into kitchens and bathrooms too. Once dominated by chrome and nickel, everything from shower heads to kitchen taps are being replaced by this warmer metal. Brass is often seen as a metal used for more traditional kitchens and bathrooms but it adds a beautiful twist to a contemporary scheme too.

The richness of brass is perfect for warming up a white marble scheme in a bathroom or to add style and substance to a kitchen.

Mix with Metallics

Similarly, metallic finishes are still key. Although, this time a pared back approach has become more popular, with brushed metal and satin finishes taking over from the gleaming, shiny metallic surfaces of last year. Here the tarnished metallic splash back, matt worktops and satin finish cabinetry come together to create a softer finish that would be at home in both a traditional or contemporary setting. Similar tiles can also create a stunning feature wall in a bathroom.

Go Dark

Alongside all these metallic’s, a block dark colour will really show off the finish. Colours such as navy blue or charcoal grey, as used in this recent project above, create a cosy atmosphere, perfect for a dark winter’s evening. In bathrooms a deep blue or teal will work well, particularly when paired with grey and white tiles to create a calming Mediterranean feel.

The Charm of a Classic Country Kitchen

Posted on August 10, 2016November 7, 2019 by katy@hawkkb.co.uk

The relaxed style of an English country kitchen is part of its charm and offers a lovely alternative to the modern-day sleek contemporary kitchens. Whether it’s a thatched cottage or a manor house, British country properties take cues for their interior style from the natural landscapes that so often surround them.

Colour is key and with hand-painted cabinetry in a palette of chalky, natural hues, a simple, shaker-style kitchen can offer a beautifully refined style. Colours such as dove grey, shell or moss green offer a timeless appeal, particularly when paired with traditional cup handles.

No country kitchen would be complete without the classic British-made Aga. Introduced in the late 1920’s and popular with owners of country homes, the Aga provided the ability to cook in numerous methods as well as providing heating for the home. Nowadays the Aga comes in a vast array of enamelled shades to suit all kitchens, from classic black or cream to more quirky pistachio and lemon. We also now specify many electric Aga’s that can be controlled by an app for the more modern country kitchen.

Another staple for every English country kitchen is a beautiful, big ceramic sink. From butler to farmhouse, these robust sinks are perfect for busy kitchens with enough room to wash a whole family’s pots and pans easily.

In such a warm, charming space, a beautiful wooden farmhouse table will complete the look and offers a place to sit, eat, drink and entertain. The Neptune Chichester shown above is one of our favourites and compliments a country kitchen perfectly.

Above all, it is important to work with the existing framework of the building. In character homes, make the most of original architectural features such as wooden beams and exposed brickwork, as each will add to the charm of the kitchen. In more modern homes, simply adding some freestanding furniture such as a kitchen dresser will add interest to any empty spaces and complete your country kitchen look.

Click here to view our Country Cottage Kitchen project.

Opening up the Outdoors

Posted on July 27, 2016November 7, 2019 by katy@hawkkb.co.uk

When summer arrives, nothing is more appealing than dining al-fresco. Having a kitchen that allows you to open up and extend your living space to the outside is the perfect way to achieve a seamless, open-plan, open-air dining experience. The key to creating a kitchen and dining space that feels connected with the garden is through the use of glass. Flooding the room with natural light through the use of large windows or doors allows inside and out to flow.

Bi-folding doors offer the biggest connection to the outside and will make your kitchen feel much larger and open. It’ often thought that you need a large space for bi-folding doors, however when used in smaller kitchens, such as the one we designed _above, the effect can be just as exceptional, transforming what could be a small kitchen into a beautiful space that opens out onto the garden beyond.

In more contemporary homes such as this London project, a modern glass conservatory will achieve the same affect. Here, we designed the kitchen and dining spaces to fit around this beautiful glass structure which bathes the space in natural light alongside offering panoramic views of the sky and garden.

If doors into the garden aren’t an option, adding skylights can also create a beautifully light space as can be seen in our project above. Combined with a bright white colour scheme and bold pops of colour from plants and flowers, we created a light-filled summery space.

To complete your connection to the outdoors, choose natural colours and materials that will blend seamlessly with the outside and with a minimal use of furniture, the garden view beyond will become the main focus.