Main House
Skirting Doors
Open to dining
Wall cupboards
Open gas fire
Lights
Hanging lights in bathroom
Floating front entrance
Lights
Skylight above sink
Connect the old and newA side return extension often provides a new passageway from the front to the back of the property. When thinking about the transition between these areas, it’s important to consider how you’re going to connect the old part of your home to the new.The architect at ARCHEA who created this extension has used stairs and a pocket door to cleverly balance the two spaces. The pocket door can be pulled right back for an uninterrupted connection between the front and back of the house, but the change in level clearly emphasises the division.See before and after pictures of this Victorian terrace transformed by a side extension
Keep it airyHere’s a different approach to the blue-and-white combination that’s such a big hit for kitchens. A soft take on both colours in this open space helps keep the room bright and airy. The pretty shades are repeated in the tiled splashback, which is framed by toning over-island pendant lights. These units have a satin finish that’s between gloss and matt. Consider it if you want to gently boost the reflective qualities of cabinet doors without full-on shine.How to make a feature of your cooker splashback
This island also stands apart from its neutral kitchen partner. A dark lavender (this is Farrow & Ball’s Brassica) is a sophisticated companion for the divider between cooking and eating zones.
Age gracefullyThis is another low-contrast option. The room has an island unit that strikes an alternative note to the other units in both colour and style with its distressed grey finish. It’s a tactic you might care to embrace to ensure a kitchen takes on a lived-in character. Or try it in an open-plan scheme to blur the boundary between work and living spaces.
Here’s another take on blue and white that’s perfect for smaller kitchens. White on the walls prevents the room closing in when there’s a necessity to fit in lots of closed storage, while blue is elegant and smart.
Beautify with blueDark blue’s become a kitchen classic, but this room proves it looks just as good in a block for an island as it does in a whole-kitchen scheme. Check out the way the white finish for wall and base cupboards creates a crisp backdrop to the blue. This room keeps things attractively simple with white worktops and bar stools, too, but notice how glass-fronted cabinets create display space and decorative interest.
Size downA large kitchen is not a prerequisite for a two-colour design. In this extension to a flat, a narrow galley sees a dark and light combo for the two runs of units. The cabinets to the left have a solidity that helps delineate the kitchen in the open layout, while the peninsula is light in colour and presence to make the extension feel as large as possible. There are other small-space strategies worth noting here. Slim pendant lights keep the view through the room uncluttered, while floorboards laid widthways make the kitchen floor appear wider.Discover way to make your galley kitchen layout work better
Make it subtleThe kitchen in this period home is understated, with an off-white and aluminium grey combination that visually separates the island and the remaining cabinetry. Both shades tone beautifully with the stone fireplace to add the new to the old without a clash.Choosing between a contemporary or more classic kitchen for a period home? Sleek, handleless cabinetry like this can help to make intricate period detail stand out rather than fight for attention.
Undercoat if necessaryPriming may also be necessary before adding colour. “If you’re using eggshell or gloss, then an undercoat or primer is advisable,” says Hewett. “Some paints for wood are self-undercoating, though, so it’s important to always check the instructions on the tin or ask your local decorator’s merchant for advice.”How to perfectly pair two different kitchen cabinet colours
Kitchen window at sink
Mod shaker
Mark out a pathThin slivers of railway sleepers set into crunchy gravel provide a practical and charming walkway in this country-style garden. They’re a nice angular alternative to traditional round stepping stones. Ask a pro to help install a path like this if you’re not a confident DIY-er, as the sleepers will need to be firmly set into the ground to ensure they don’t shift when walked on.
Make a two-level planterThe designers of this wide, sloping garden also employed sleepers to break up the space. They used the sleepers not only to create several raised beds, but also steps. Here, they have cleverly carved out space for a second, lower-level raised bed. This lower bed could also have been turned into a bench, rather than an extra planting area, if more seating was required.
Zone your spaceThe owners of this garden have employed sleepers all the way around the edges of the lawned parts of their outdoor space, as well as using them to neatly zone different areas by cutting into the length of the garden.By breaking up the long, narrow space into three clear areas they have marked out a dining space, a lawn and a children’s play area at the very end, creating a series of ‘rooms’.View more photos of this garden project
Color alcove in lounge
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