Thoughts on kitchen

[blinkbonny]

We are redoing our kitchen, see attached photo. We are happy with the design/layout but can’t quite finalise on colour. The colour we have chosen, and shown in the image, is “fossil grey” but we are also considering doing the island and the top row of cupboards in white instead. We don’t want the whole kitchen in white, but DH is concerned that the grey throughout will be too dark.

Other points of consideration are whether to use the worktop material as the splashback - in the current design we’ve got a mirrored section but would worktop be better?

Then we have to start thinking about flooring - so I’m looking for any input! What is shown in the attached was just how it came out of the kitchen designer’s software.

thanks in advance for any thoughts and comments from all you clever people!

Is there natural light via a window/velux in the ceiling?

I think grey has had its day and tbh would think twice about buying a house with it if I could factor in the cost of replacing.
However its your home and have what suits you .
All that aside , its a nice grey , but not a colour I'd pick .

Personally not on board with the mirror.

Is the room north or south facing ? I’d lean into the monochrome but soften with a wood tile for the floor . Mirrored will be a nightmare to keep clean in a kitchen I’d use a marble tile or the splash back as you’ve suggested

Are you sure you want your sink in the middle? My sink is usually not empty! It feels like a focal point ….. and the mirror will double any pots you leave next to it!
Also, I would add a couple more breakfast bar spots given the size of the kitchen - just take out a cupboard to the left side of island

Just ripped out my grey kitchen, it made me miserable. I love my new red island 😁

Thanks for all the fast comments!

• Yes, there’s natural light through 3x veluxes in the ceiling.
• understand about the grey, though I do like it. And it is going to be there with us for at least 10 years, at which point grey might be back! What would you prefer instead?
• yes, am having doubts about the mirror too.
• room is north facing.

I literally just went through the farrow and ball samples and picked my favour colour for the island, then a neutral that went with it. My kitchen makes me v happy.

Ref the bar stools, we deliberately kept to just two as the dining area is next to the island so it seemed there would be too much in the way of seating/clutter. Originally we weren’t having any stools but decided a couple would be good, but we envisage this more as “perch and chat to the cook” rather than a Breakfast bar.

I’m not loving the grey, would you try a cashmere or similar maybe? I think the mirror is ok.

Is your old kitchen still in? I painted whole cupboards in sample pot colours. I thought I loved dark green, but putting it on there made me change my mind

Personally I wouldn't have the sink directly behind the hob, someone's always getting a glass of water or filling the kettle while I'm cooking and that would get annoying! I have the sink, bin and dishwasher together and the cooker elsewhere but each to their own I suppose. I agree with others on the grey but if you like grey then stick with the grey! Perhaps a lighter grey for the island to make it a bit less imposing? I really like the worktop for the splashback idea but I'd run it the full length rather than just behind the sink, or, you could do a sort of 'shape' behind the sink. Like the upstand would run all the way along but swoop upwards into a half moon behind the sink or something.

Being dark isn’t the issue. If anything the grey is just bland. If you’ve settled on the colour of the units as shown I would look to put a bright colour on the back wall to contrast and brighten it up.

I love the grey and if my kitchen was big enough I'd love an island its really nice

But it can be brightened up with kitchen accessories if op wants to

Grey has been done to death, kitchens, walls, upholstery. Vibrant work tops if you are sticking with grey. Personally it would put me off buying

I like it! It’s a nice grey. Pretty neutral. I’d play with wall colours instead.

it all looks great. Enjoy!

And it is going to be there with us for at least 10 years, at which point grey might be back!
It won't.

I wouldn't go with grey, and bright white is a bit stark. If you want a neutral, I'd go with oak, cashmere or cream.

I wouldn't do a mirror. I think the same material as the worktop is a better plan.

I also think you're going to find it quite dark at night unless you add additional lighting - I'd get some good under cabinet lighting and then something over the island.

Is that the type of sink you're going to get? I find those divided ones annoying as they're not large enough for big pots and that small side is too small to be useful.

No grey and no mirror.

Grey is and always has been a horrid colour. I have been bewildered at its popularity for the last few years.

It makes everything dark and sucks the life out of any space and any persons within that space.

Plus this is the UK - who wants grey inside and out every day of their life?

OP, literally any other colour would be preferable. The idea of two different colours top and bottom sounds good 😊

I agree with @stickygotstuck on the 3 first paragraphs.

I also would not have the oven and sink opposite each other.

I would have the hob closer to the ovens. And have you considered a second sink next to the hob? I have that and 2 others (I know, I know) and use them all. Where will you leave food to defrost?

These are all really interesting insights and definitely making me reconsider grey - however, I have always loved grey… hmmm.