There are a lot of surfaces in the kitchen - most are hard with angled edges
which don't exactly spell out a warm and
comforting environment. You can balance out the inevitable uninviting
surface with soft textures and patterns, as well as warm and homey
colors.
To bring an instant cheer to the space, put a potted plant on the
window sill in a terra-cotta pot or some other kind of pot. You should try to
find flowers that bloom all year around and that have a soft and gentle
looking texture to them. Try to use a wood bowl to contrast the granite
or marble countertop; if you have a butcher block counter top, then use
a glass bowl to contrast the wood.
If you have ever been to the South of France, you may have already set
your heart on a French Provincial style kitchen. Then you must also be
aware that textures play a very big part in the overall design.
The very easy to get and to add a very dramatic feel to the whole space is to put
plaster on the walls—use soothing colors such as a light lime. Accent
the whole kitchen by opting for copper pots and pans and hang them above
the stove or the island. Don’t forget to choose a placemat with earthy
tones—such as a brown or a darker green.
If your kitchen countertops are constructed of bleached maple and are against a
backsplash of ceramic tiles painted in bright colors, the contrast in
texture will help to bring out both of the pieces. The sink should be
accented with brass that would bring about a nice addition of a
different type of metal—a swan-neck spout would also put a decorative
element into the space.
When decorating with texture look closely at the
texture of an object, think about how it will look next to the other objects that you have selected or
were thinking about using. (see also
creating a composition). If you would think about, for example, a
glass-top table on a wood floor, you would probably get a more cold and
barren feeling from it.
If you would simply add a rug underneath, it
would bring a sense of softness and the colors of the rug would bring a
sort of homey feel in an otherwise sterile pairing. To soften up the
sink, put a cotton washcloth draped across a little towel rack.
Playing with the balance of wood and fabrics is very interesting because
it is a play on opposites. You should consider the interaction of textures in
your kitchen when choosing kitchen
cabinets and
flooring material. Many enjoy the look of waxed wood floors in the
kitchen and so usually they do not place more than just a few small rugs to show off
as much of the floor as possible.
If there is too much hardwood present
in the kitchen one should opt for a larger rug that would very
nicely contrast the immense amount of wood which may seem overbearing if
not balanced.
While many are used to the custom of hanging fabrics
in the kitchen, either in the front or the window or on the sides of the windows as a
means of softening up the space, you can very easily use a window box.
You can plant flowers that coordinate with your kitchen style
in regards to the character of the flower as well as the color.
During the process of designing your kitchen you should always keep in mind the functionality of what you are about
to put into the kitchen. It should be resistant to moisture and grease
because it makes for an unsanitary environment. There are not enough
times that you could possibly clean up or enough vents that you could
use to circumvent the problem.
It is not too hard to find products that will fit your
kitchen design - but you just must pay
close attention. Look for products like paints, wallpapers, wallpaper glues, and fabrics
with mildewcide in them which would be very helpful in a kitchen that happens
to be not as ventilated as you would like. The smart choices of environmentally
friendly materials will add not only add character and array of textures to your
kitchen, but provide a proper ventilation and contribute to the
indoor air quality
Once you have chosen the kitchen style and
color scheme for your
kitchen, look for the design elements that carry the theme through. If you find
certain prints or patterns that you like, you should choose your solid colors
for large surfaces from there. There are many products designed for kitchen on
the market reinterpreting or simply bringing back historical motifs.
Before doing anything, review the sight lines from outside the kitchen and
any adjoining spaces, especially any areas you must pass through to get
to the kitchen. Think of them sequentially. Ideally, there should be an
interrelationship among all the patterns and colors that run from room
to room. If you want stripes in the kitchen but an adjoining area has a
floral print, coordinate the colors.
Before making any changes, you must think about the sightlines in the
kitchen - what you will see when you first walk it, what can be seen
outside of the kitchen.
A noticeable, bold pattern could easily make a larger kitchen feel more
lived in and much cozier, but may make the smaller kitchens feel
cramped. Horizontal designs will act like a road, guiding the eye of the
viewer all around the room. A vertical design will draw the eye up,
making the ceiling appear higher. Use patterns in your kitchen if you would like the
appearance of a traditional room. If you would like to have a modern
feel for the kitchen, then you should concentrate on the clean architectural
lines by not using any patterns that would appear to be too pronounced.
