Cooking With Character: 13 Personality-Packed Kitchens
Not a fan of sleek, modern kitchens? Then these eclectic cooking spaces are sure to inspire
With all of the utilitarian whitegoods and functional cabinetry to consider, it can be easy to overlook the kitchen as a place to be playful, colourful, quirky and bold. Yet it’s the hub of the house. The place we spend a great deal of time, cooking, eating and gathering, so it should showcase your personality and the personality of the rest of your home just as much as any other room. Whether you live in a period house, a character-filled retro-styled cottage, or you just have an aversion to modern white kitchens, here are some wonderfully unique styles and themes that go to prove that kitchens can be as fun as they are functional.
Contemporary barn. The brick oven is clearly the standout feature in this cosy and inviting eat-in kitchen, but details including the mismatched wooden stools and chairs, oversized wooden beams, reclaimed timber floating shelves, black and white tiles, distressed table and rustic white brick splashback also add to the farmhouse feel. The contemporary rectangular light fitting and sleek kitchen cabinetry keep the look light and modern.
Monochrome magic. Black and white is a popular kitchen colour scheme, but few dare the boldness of this half-half approach. One side is pure white, including the table, vintage lighting, wall clock, open shelving and crockery; the other side is jet black, including the cabinetry and even the fridge. As different as day and night, but a fantastically dramatic result.
Quirky and colourful. Bright and bold artworks and colourful accessories in similar tones, including the chairs, clock and rug transform an otherwise plain white kitchen into something worth talking about.
Discover more beautiful colour pairings for kitchens
Discover more beautiful colour pairings for kitchens
Period drama. Bronze details unite this elegant kitchen, from the dainty pendant lights to the chunky rectangular cabinet handles and simple curved tapware. Ornate honeycomb-pattern tiles complete the period-style look.
Farmhouse with attitude. Sunny yellow wooden cabinets look anything but twee when paired with this wonderfully tough-looking soapstone island benchtop and large farmhouse sink. A modern white fridge might look out of place, so it has been covered with galvanised sheet metal, once again giving an otherwise cute cottage kitchen an exciting edge.
Commercial chic. Marrying the best of a commercial stainless-steel kitchen with the warmth of wood, this kitchen is both beautiful and highly functional. Industrial pendant lights, vintage Toledo chairs, open shelving and stainless-steel cabinets topped with chunky wood workbenches are a perfect match against the exposed brick wall.
See more of this New York loft
See more of this New York loft
Fifties revival. This kitchen embraces the fun of the 1950s with the addition of a white, red and blue colour scheme, vintage stove, distressed white cabinets and plenty of retro accessories on display.
That ‘70s look. They weren’t afraid to be bold in the 1970s. The avocado and brown cabinetry has been custom made, covering the fridge and surrounding the modern stove, to ensure the style isn’t interrupted by modern appliances.
Colourful country. Terracotta tiles, black pendant lights, a cast-iron AGA and a long wooden table all say ‘classic country kitchen’, but the inclusion of distressed aqua chairs adds a pop of shabby chic colour and fun.
Moody masculine. Concrete, wood and steel combine to create a kitchen with an overtly manly feel. The black-gloss cabinetry, oversized industrial pendant lights, white brick splashback, steel-frame downlights and custom-made wood and steel table with mismatched wood and steel chairs keep testosterone levels high.
Check out more sleek masculine kitchens
Check out more sleek masculine kitchens
Modern antique. The pressed-metal ceiling, vintage white stove and yellow/green walls are all classic inclusions in a period kitchen, but the look has been given a contemporary (and slightly quirky) update with the addition of chunky custom-made butcher’s blocks on castors and large industrial pendant lights.
Floral tribute. It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but the bright floral wallpaper, glossy pink cabinets and lime green chairs certainly make a gutsy feminine statement (and a statement against neutral kitchens for that matter!).
Colouring-in. Imagine if the cabinetry in this kitchen was white and the stove was stainless steel. This lovely duck-egg blue stove and range hood serves as a reminder that not all whitegoods are white and not all appliances are stainless steel. Two well-chosen shades can add life and personality to otherwise standard cabinetry and appliances, and go to prove that you don’t have to go crazy with colour to make a statement.
TELL US
What do you think of these kitchens? Do you prefer character-filled kitchens, or do you love the modern white and streamlined look? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
MORE
Kitchen Charisma: 10 Ways to Give Yours a Lift
How to Choose the Right Splashback for Your Kitchen
Think Like a Designer: 5 Steps to a Well-Planned Kitchen
TELL US
What do you think of these kitchens? Do you prefer character-filled kitchens, or do you love the modern white and streamlined look? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
MORE
Kitchen Charisma: 10 Ways to Give Yours a Lift
How to Choose the Right Splashback for Your Kitchen
Think Like a Designer: 5 Steps to a Well-Planned Kitchen