Pat Elliott: ‘Specific patterns can narrow down options’

Published on Tuesday 14 February 2012 00:00

KITCHEN trends change rapidly. However, provided the bones of your kitchen design are in place, refreshing the look can be simple and cost effective.

For the more expensive appliances such as fridge, freezer and dishwasher, it is wise to choose a model whose looks won’t date. Cooker design tends to be more enduring – today’s Lacanche ranges could easily be mistaken for early 20th-century models. Elements such as flooring, worktops and tiling tend to be expensive to change, and specific colours and patterns can narrow down options.

It is easier to change the colour of walls, ceilings and cabinet doors. Bear in mind the overall style you want to achieve when choosing a new colour. Historically, Victorian kitchens favoured tongue and groove to dado height with walls above whitewashed in pale blue (believed to deter flies). Edwardian kitchens favoured creamy yellow and dark green (said to be a hygienic colour). Pre-war kitchens often sported dark woods and gloss creams, whereas the 1950s carried ice-cream shades with flashes of primary colour.

Similarly, there are loose geographical colour associations. Soft white with pink or dark blue often appears in Scandinavian and rural French styles, whereas rust reds and yellows suggest New World; blues and yellows belong to Mediterranean style, while white, greys and black spell New York chic. Shapes and textures tend to belong to different styles. Sleek woods and glass add a contemporary urban note whereas decorative painted or natural timbers are more akin to rustic style.

Next week find easy ways to give your kitchen a quick makeover.

• Pat Elliott, The Borders Design House. Visit our online shop for our design services and courses together with a range of unique, eco, chic home accessories. Learn to ‘Be Your Own Designer’ with our distance-learning interior design course (07765 057 409, www.thebordersdesignhouse.co.uk)

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