As the heart of the home, the kitchen can be one of the most personal spaces to design. It’s where I hang out with the M’s, where friends and family gather for casual meals and conversation. We all know your dream home, let alone a dream kitchen, can’t be built in a day. However, with my trusty must-haves guide, I’ll get you started out on the right foot. So, without further ado, I’ll take it away…
1. A STATEMENT LIGHT
I am obsessed with lighting. It has transformative powers turning a room from feeling unfriendly and sterile to cosy and dramatic. For many people, they see the kitchen as a practical place to carry out chores, for me, it’s somewhere I relax to make a delicious supper or yummy brunch. In my kitchen, I love playing with scale and have a large chandelier, which hangs over my work space creating a totally new vibe in the kitchen. I also have one hanging over my dining table too – it just mixes up the feel and atmosphere of a conventional kitchen.
2. COOKBOOKS
I adore my cookbooks. I always have them on display as they inspire me on a daily basis and make me feel happy. In my opinion, more is always better in the kitchen. If your cabinets are bursting at the seams with the things you love, to me, that is the best approach to kitchen essentials.
3. THE INDISPENSABLE BIN
I am a big believer in recycling. I even have two bins so I tick every box when it comes to proper waste disposal. Not to rant, but if you don’t recycle you must, you can really make a difference to the pollution levels!
When it comes to the kitchen bin, you need a reliable design. In our house, after the (coffee machine) it is the most used kitchen accessory. I highly recommend Brabantia, if you’re on the hunt for a new trusty bin. They have cool, sleek dark colours, which fit super-well into my design aesthetic. My new Bo Brabantia is unlike any other bin design, I’ve seen. Take a look at the pics below…
You know I’m all about breaking design rules, so I love the different approach of this design. It’s super-elegant four-legged design, really pushes the boundaries of kitchen essentials – making them smart, cool and practical. Plus, it has 3 inner buckets made from 100% recycled materials, so it’s great for recycling too, and keeps the smelly M’s leftover food tucked away.
4. COLOUR
Obviously, I am a lover of the dark hues, so I am always going to side with the dark side. However, if in the kitchen you want to use lighter colours, balance out the dark shades with a neutral – a rich caramel, creamy taupe, khakis greys or blacks. These are the “new neutrals”. If you really want to add the glam factor, I also treat animal print and metallic as neutrals – just like in fashion, they go with anything!
No matter what room you are decorating, paint is the cheapest most transformative thing you canto do any room. When you go for bold hues it takes confidence. You won’t always get it right first time, so don’t panic. Just paint in the colours you love.
5. POTS, PANS & JARS
Last but by no means least, pots, and jars – aren’t we all just massively obsessed? It’s gotten to a point where my drawers and cupboards are overflowing with the latest tools and gadgets, and I am totally OK about it.
I often find myself standing at the open pantry staring aimlessly or leaning on the fridge door wondering what I might cook up next. What can I say—it’s my happy place. I also happen to think the better the kitchen essentials you work with, the better your cooking will be. Therefore, let your shelves and storage be full-to-the-brim with swoon-worthy pots, pans and jars to allow your inner-cooking-connoisseur grow.