My kitchen needs .... something?!

[MaraScottie]

Hi,
Lucky enough to have a new build house which we've been in 1.5 years. Never been completely happy with my choice of kitchen colour and along with the wall colour, I feel it's a bit drab or flat.

What would you suggest I do with this to give it a lift? Tiles? Paint? Have been thinking of a geometric tiled splashback but I'm not brave with my decor (as you can probably tell!) so some advice would be much appreciated!

Thanks

It all looks a bit muted: do you just need stronger lighting?

Some great ideas here. Thank you!

Just for context, the kitchen is part of a larger open plan area with another window on the side wall, extending into dining area, sliding doors, lounge and window seat. So painting the window wall would extend a fair bit towards the garden!

I like the idea of updating the blind, but then I'd have to change them all, right? Could I just update the one in the kitchen area if the tones were similar?

Lighting is pretty good (fair bit of bulkhead lighting) but there is a dark area near the shelves for sure.

Haha, thank you SmartArse

It's a lovely basic kitchen, but I agree it's a bit lacklustre.
Personally as much as I like the idea of a geometric tile, I wouldn't start with tiles as that's a real pain if you want to undo it. You don't seem like someone who naturally likes bright colours so I wouldn't tile or paint in anything other than neutrals and then add colour with the decorations.

I would:

1. Absolutely change the beach print for an oversized colourful graphic one similar to the little one on the shelf wall. The beach print is a bit boring sorry, too small, a bit old fashioned and washes in to the wall.
2. Get another print to go next to the little one. Ideally you'd have these things in threes but because of space, you could have two and then an object.
3. Consider painting a very (couple of metres) wide vertical stripe on the shelf wall in eg a darker grey like you have in a couple of places. It would have to work space wise to be central to the shelves but not finish in a weird position with the prints.
4. You have nice bits but they are all quite small and bitty. Get bigger plants and plant pots. Get a few big objects for the shelves that tie in with the colours in your new prints. Declutter the rag tag assortment of Mismatched crockery. You've got big expanses of white clean lines and then patches of lots and lots of small mismatched things. It kind of makes it feel unbalanced if that makes sense? So I would be decluttering the busy areas and filling up the stark areas to try to make the whole thing more cohesive. Your rugs are a nice print but a bit small and lost. Maybe a statement rug?
5. Your stools look like a leather effect finish? It's the only bit of warmth in a white shiny space. Can you bring some more natural fabrics in somehow that work with the glossy cabinets?

Thanks for the suggestions skiddy, loads of ideas there I hadn't considered.

That print is actually my favourite South African artist, Philip Barlow. Check him out on Instagram . But yes, perhaps it doesn't belong there!

Here are two shots taken shortly after we moved in. Obv it's very sparce and furniture has since been changed, but it might give you a better idea of the space I'm working in.

Ooohhhh.

society6.com/product/geometric-1708_print

I wouldn't fanny about with chintzy accessories or more clutter or just one wall painted - I'd paint the entire area a bold colour and consider including the ceiling too. Zone it.

I would go for a bold green or pink

This kitchen isn't as nice as yours but see how they've included the ceiling (and I'd go a brighter shade than this) www.babywatchome.com/304900-visual-texture-home-renovations-with-green-walls-and/

I would suggest painting the wall with the shelves. Pick a colourful graphic print you love, and then use that to determine what colour paint to use, to bring it all together. I also really like the idea of a thick vertical stripe instead of painting the whole wall - you could go for something quite dark/bright/dramatic without it taking over the whole room.

I seem to remember a rule of thumb for decorating is 70:20:10? Ie, mostly 1 colour (in your case white), then 20% another (black I think from your photos) and 10% highlight, ie Teal or pink or whatever rocks your boat. Change the blind, it doesn't have to co-ordinate with the other blinds - making it different will help "zone" the open plan, and reiterate that it is a different room.

Most of all, have fun! Don't go overboard price wise, and if you decide you hate the colour paint, the blind or whatever, you can always change it.

You could also put together a mood board, or use Pinterest to find things you like. You won't need to worry about if it matches or not, just pick things you like, and after a while you are bound to see a common theme - I'm a sucker for all things bohemian, but actually realised that my Pinterest lounge is all very mid-century, scandi g-plan style!

Good luck! And post pics when it is done!

Agree pick out a colour from a print. Lots of young artists sell prints quite reasonably. Something fairly individual.
I don’t want to be rude but agree with the person that said about the shelves being a bit untidy. I think it just shows because the rest is so tidy. My idea though would be to use them as a focal point. Take everything off and arrange them. If you can afford to I would buy some crockery in the accent colour and add a couple of trailing plants. Or crockery that has more definition either a collection of a strong plain colour or a pattern.
I think it is lovely but the colours are a bit too much the same. Agree teal would look good. Take some large samples of wallpaper in a solid colour and blutack it up so you don’t make a mistake.
Your print of the bathers on the beach is lovely maybe pick out some colour from there to tie in. Pinterest.

Love these 2 from Pinterest

Made some small changes this weekend. Stole a print from the hall, looks great in this spot but hall looks shite now, ha ha.

Tried to get rid of bitty things and put in some larger plants. Still pondering paint colour, just for the back wall id say....

The coral or blue in the print would work on the back wall.

I vote Coral but don't wimp out and just do one wall!

Yeah, like it!

If you fancy a bright wall, do it. Teal, petrol blue or a burnt orange would be awesome.

I would paint the wall with shelves yellow to match your windows seat and change your blind to a print with a bit of yellow in it but other more dominant colours you can pick out in accessories 😀

And then get new bar stools to coordinate with with the other colours in the blind 😀

Those bar stools are leather! No way am I getting rid :D

I was looking at F&B Inchyra Blue for possibly the back wall and around the corner as far as the side unit. Might work well but not take over the entire room which is fairly large. I'll need to get paint samples - not sure yellow would work as the grey in the units have a slight green tinge so it might just be too acidic ....

I like the idea of inchyra blue. It works well with grey, yellow or orange.

Sorry if anyone has mentioned this but have you thought about adding colour to the panel inside the island? Eg where the stools live? I think that would look great painted or covered with your bold colour choice.

How about some trailing plants for the shelves? I love those blue tiles you posted above. Although it is a nice kitchen, it is all very much samey. There are no textures, its all smooth. Would you be able to change the shelves for wooden ones? Maybe even just have a veneer over your current ones?

I would get rid of the shelves and put in a hanging bar for mugs, or hang the wine glasses. And a hanging pot plant in a string basket from the ceiling. Then fair that whole wall geometric tiles in a bright colour, or even a couple of very similar colours to give texture.