A little bit country, a little bit rock and roll.
I chose this particular photograph to review today for a few reasons. The minimalist kitchen is visually appealing and there are a number of reasons why.
First and foremost is the focal wall. The built-in shelves catch your eye and make a grand statement. Built-ins were popular in decades past but are making a comeback in an updated, contemporary way. Cabinet doors on built-ins have gone by the wayside. Open shelving is the popular choice whether you're displaying linens in a bathroom or crockery in a kitchen.
If you don't have the option of installing built-ins, consider removing cabinet doors in a hall closet, for instance, and create open shelving. I did this a few years back in a hall closet and used decorative square wicker baskets to house small toiletries. The baskets look lovely and the contents are accessible.
Built-in open shelving can work in many rooms. In the bedroom it can house shoes, folded sweaters, baskets of socks, magazines and books. You can design a headboard with built-ins to create a grand statement. In a casual kitchen, everyday dishes can be housed in open shelving for easy access. In a child's room, mountains of toys, books, computer paraphernalia and so forth can be kept in easy reach but off of the floor.
In the entryway or mudroom, cube shelving like this can hold winter wear, sporting gear, boots, shoes and even keys and mail. In the laundry room, open shelving can hold laundry supplies in a pretty and convenient fashion.
Paint the built-in cabinets in a complimentary colour to accentuate them further, as was done in our feature room. Good lighting will help highlight displayed items. The particular mix of antique crockery, books and dishes in our feature room contrasting the modern island cabinet and KOHLER under mount sinks are a nice blend of old and new.
Just because you like old things doesn't mean that your home has to look like a museum or a barn. You can showcase old treasures in a contemporary space with success. Sometimes, having a few well-placed items gives them more visual impact versus having a room overfilled with old things.
Using colour to your advantage
THE steel blue and soft white colour palette in our feature room is demure but still has a lot of visual oomph.
Using the darker colour on the bottom third of the wall (and on the floor) keeps the focus on the upper part of the wall which further enhances the focal wall shelving. The dark colour on the lower portion of the room also makes the white island cabinet pop as well.
You can use contrast to create a number of interesting looks. In our feature room, for example, you could paint a wide band of the dark grey on the upper portion of the walls and ceiling to create further drama.
Or, if you reversed the two colours in this room you could create an entirely different look and feel.
Another idea would be to make a third shade of medium gray by mixing the two contrasting colours, then create a graduating horizontal colour band around the entire room. Dark grey on the bottom third, medium gray in the middle and leave the top third white.
Another idea would be to use those three colours to create interest on the front of the white island cabinet. Painting the backs of each cube in the open shelving in white would make the display items pop even more and would brighten up the focal wall. Two simple paint colours can go a long way if you're willing to experiment with them.
Rather than doing this by trial and error, do some practising on your computer with a program that can allow you to move colour around in a basic room or draw a simple room outline and play with colour on paper. It's not the actual colour that's important, but the right mix of contrast for your specific room and taste.
Lighting is important
THOUGH you can't see the actual lighting fixtures in our feature room, you can see the positive effect it has on the space.
Ceiling lights flood the top of the island cabinet workspace while spot lights highlight the display in the open shelving.
One simple ceiling light wouldn't do the trick here. If this room had only one light from the ceiling the shelving would be dark and gloomy, the workspace dim and the overall feel would be depressing.
Do what you can to enhance the lighting in your home. Sometimes a simple floor or table lamp can open up a once-dreary corner or a room. Painting dark cabinetry or built-ins in a light colour can also help reflect more light into the space.
Old and new, dark and light. A little contrast goes a long way to creating drama in your space.
connieoliver@shaw.ca
