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Kitchen Textures

kitchen textures

Textures in the Kitchen

There are a lot of surfaces in the kitchen - most are hard with angled edges which don't exactly spell out a warm and comforting environment. You can balance out the inevitable uninviting surface with soft textures and patterns, as well as warm and homey colors.

To bring an instant cheer to the space, put a potted plant on the window sill in a terra-cotta pot or some other kind of pot. You should try to find flowers that bloom all year around and that have a soft and gentle looking texture to them. Try to use a wood bowl to contrast the granite or marble countertop; if you have a butcher block counter top, then use a glass bowl to contrast the wood.

If you have ever been to the South of France, you may have already set your heart on a French Provincial style kitchen. Then you must also be aware that textures play a very big part in the overall design.

The very easy to get and to add a very dramatic feel to the whole space is to put plaster on the walls—use soothing colors such as a light lime. Accent the whole kitchen by opting for copper pots and pans and hang them above the stove or the island. Don’t forget to choose a placemat with earthy tones—such as a brown or a darker green.

If your kitchen countertops are constructed of bleached maple and are against a backsplash of ceramic tiles painted in bright colors, the contrast in texture will help to bring out both of the pieces. The sink should be accented with brass that would bring about a nice addition of a different type of metal—a swan-neck spout would also put a decorative element into the space.

kitchen details

The Balance of The Kitchen Textures

When decorating with texture look closely at the texture of an object, think about how it will look next to the other objects that you have selected or were thinking about using. (see also creating a composition). If you would think about, for example, a glass-top table on a wood floor, you would probably get a more cold and barren feeling from it.

If you would simply add a rug underneath, it would bring a sense of softness and the colors of the rug would bring a sort of homey feel in an otherwise sterile pairing. To soften up the sink, put a cotton washcloth draped across a little towel rack.

Playing with the balance of wood and fabrics is very interesting because it is a play on opposites. You should consider the interaction of textures in your kitchen when choosing kitchen cabinets and flooring material. Many enjoy the look of waxed wood floors in the kitchen and so usually they do not place more than just a few small rugs to show off as much of the floor as possible.

If there is too much hardwood present in the kitchen one should opt for a larger rug that would very nicely contrast the immense amount of wood which may seem overbearing if not balanced.

While many are used to the custom of hanging fabrics in the kitchen, either in the front or the window or on the sides of the windows as a means of softening up the space, you can very easily use a window box. You can plant flowers that coordinate with your kitchen style in regards to the character of the flower as well as the color.

kitchen design

Design and Color in the Kitchen

During the process of designing your kitchen you should always keep in mind the functionality of what you are about to put into the kitchen. It should be resistant to moisture and grease because it makes for an unsanitary environment. There are not enough times that you could possibly clean up or enough vents that you could use to circumvent the problem.

It is not too hard to find products that will fit your kitchen design - but you just must pay close attention. Look for products like paints, wallpapers, wallpaper glues, and fabrics with mildewcide in them which would be very helpful in a kitchen that happens to be not as ventilated as you would like. The smart choices of environmentally friendly materials will add not only add character and array of textures to your kitchen, but provide a proper ventilation and contribute to the indoor air quality

Once you have chosen the kitchen style and color scheme for your kitchen, look for the design elements that carry the theme through. If you find certain prints or patterns that you like, you should choose your solid colors for large surfaces from there. There are many products designed for kitchen on the market reinterpreting or simply bringing back historical motifs.

Before doing anything, review the sight lines from outside the kitchen and any adjoining spaces, especially any areas you must pass through to get to the kitchen. Think of them sequentially. Ideally, there should be an interrelationship among all the patterns and colors that run from room to room. If you want stripes in the kitchen but an adjoining area has a floral print, coordinate the colors.

Before making any changes, you must think about the sightlines in the kitchen - what you will see when you first walk it, what can be seen outside of the kitchen.

A noticeable, bold pattern could easily make a larger kitchen feel more lived in and much cozier, but may make the smaller kitchens feel cramped. Horizontal designs will act like a road, guiding the eye of the viewer all around the room. A vertical design will draw the eye up, making the ceiling appear higher. Use patterns in your kitchen if you would like the appearance of a traditional room. If you would like to have a modern feel for the kitchen, then you should concentrate on the clean architectural lines by not using any patterns that would appear to be too pronounced.

 
KITCHEN TEXTURES