A question of colour, bold & risky or safe & classy?

by **Gavin99** on Tue Dec 01, 2009 12:21 pm

Hello any Kitchen Designers out there!

I freely admit I haven’t got a creative bone in my body! but am in the process of designing a new kitchen. I’m quite practical and have a layout that I think will work well but when it comes down to colour and finish that’s a different ball game. I don’t know why but I’ve got it in my head to have black sparkly floor tiles, bright green acrylic doors and glacier white corian worktops and an as yet undecided colour glass splash back all along one wall. The problem is I can’t really visualise whether it would look fabulous, ok or just not right! My wife would prefer walnut doors with the rest the same. I’ve seen pictures of walnut doors and white worktops on the web which do look classy but conventional. I really fancy something different from the norm but given the costs involved I’m scared of botching it!

I know it’s down to personal preference but I’d be grateful for any advice or comments to help decide whether to go green or walnut and what colour splashback.

Now the tricky bit, to try and describe the layout. The room is 380cm x 600cm split 320cm kitchen and 280cm dining area. There are 3 large windows making it nice and bright.

If you draw a box 380cm x 320cm representing the kitchen area with the 380cm at the top. There will worktop all along the 380cm wall and glass splashback all along the 380cm. Near the centreline is the hob and extractor. Beneath that worktop 2 x 90cm wide drawer units in the centre, 30cm base units to the side of these and 4 cm corner spacers.

To the right hand side are 3 base units, 60cm, 50cm and 50cm. The worktop covering these is approx 72cm deep x 160cm wide. At the end of this wider worktop will be a black American style fridge freezer, approx 70cm deep x 90 cm wide.

To the left hand side of the room is a big window. Standard width worktop here 160cm long (60cm for dishwasher, 100cm sink base unit) with sink under window. The units on the left side are the same size as the right side (ie 60, 50,50).

So far so good a nice upside down U shape. At the end of the worktop on the left hand side of the room there is to be a peninsular/breakfast bar dividing the kitchen area from dining. 180 cm long from the wall and 85 cm deep. Underneath this will be 2 base units for ovens. (there is a snag in the 60x60 void that I still have to sort out).

100cm bridging units to be used either side of the extractor and one on the right hand ride near the fridge/freezer.

Phew!

Many thanks in advance,

Gavin

by **Majjie** on Tue Dec 01, 2009 8:33 pm

Hi Gavin,

I think I'm with your wife on this one. It's not that I don't like your colour scheme (well not all of it anyway) ... it's that you'll have to live with it for such a long time.

What colour splashback you have is really up to you. A cerise or mauve one would be adventurous, I've plumped for a more soothing pale tangerine one:

I don't like your combination of sparkly black floor tiles with the gloss units, though (I presume the doors are glossy). It's all too much, in my opinion. If I was going for the bright green door option, I'd choose some less "in your face", slightly textured floor tiles, as more of a contrast to the glossy green. That way the black would be more of an accent colour too:

If you choose the walnut ... it doesn't have to be classic. Combine it with bright lime green splashbacks (mine came out a bit pale - imagine them brighter and darker) and, if you're fed up with the green in a couple of years time, it won't break the bank to change it.

You could also experiment with having some of the walls a different colour ... and perhaps using some lime green wallpaper in the dining area:

The sparkly black floor tiles would look better with the walnut too, in my opinion ... more contrast. And, if you wanted to go classical in a few years time ... then change all the lime green to beige or eau de nil!

I didn't copy your units exactly, by the way ... but they're more or less in the same space.

by **Gavin99** on Wed Dec 02, 2009 12:19 pm

Thank you Majjie!!! Absolutely wonderful. Walnut it is.

I was thinking of having a 100mm coved upstand all round which would show off the seamless corian and glass splashback only on the wall where the hob is but the full depth between the upstand and the extractor/wall cupboards. Do you think that would be too much glass in a bright green or would it need to be toned down? Would you recommend a different colour altogether that would go better with the dark wood tones and white worktop?

Many thanks,

Gavin

by **Majjie** on Wed Dec 02, 2009 1:10 pm

"too much glass in a bright green" ??

aren't you the man who wanted all the unit doors in green?

No ... I think it would be fine ... and I like the combination of lime green with walnut. Another possibility would be a lilacy colour. I had a picture of that combination ... I'll see if I can find it.

by **paulcourtyard** on Sat Dec 26, 2009 1:23 pm

Hi,

A great site for some picturers of Glass Splashbacks is her ************** but I have seen a Lime Green Splashback that I think you would like at this address *********************
I think it might be what you are looking for.

Best regards

by **timfoley** on Sun Dec 27, 2009 1:28 am

Sorry Paul but you'll have to contribute a whole lot more to forum posts before I allow links to a website.
The best example of this is Marjie who comprehensively answers posts by those seeking advice on kitchens>
Tim

by **Gavin99** on Wed Jan 12, 2011 11:22 pm

Hi Majjie,

Incredibly I'm only just in a position to get the kitchen! Other work in the house has taken me far longer than I anticipated. We are still thinking walnut (burbidge lansdowne) though I still have lurking desires for something ultra modern. I've looked at so much stuff over the year my head is spinning! There have been a few revisions to the above layout but nothing too drastic. I don't know, the grain of the burbidge black walnut is great but it's all a bit brown!

I still really like the features of corian (decided to change colour from original glacier white to savannah, or antarctica) but this week have seen an absolutely fabulous granite that could sway me away from corian! It's too difficult to describe exactly what it looks like but from a distance it is pedominantly white with a very feint pinkness. Close up the crystal structure is wonderful.

Finally to my question, how do you think walnut would sit against this (very slightly pink) white granite? As well as the worktops I'd probably have the hob splashback and 100mm upstands in the same granite. You can probably tell I don't have much colour coordination!

Many thanks,

Gavin

by **timfoley** on Thu Jan 13, 2011 10:41 pm

Before Majjie comes back on this Gavin, I thought I'd offer my opinion on your worktops at least and tell you that we have the offer of a free Corian sink from a good selection for orders up to 31st March. If an undermount stainless steel sink is your preference then we also have a free offer on these too.
As an alternative to Granite and a far better one in my humble opinion, why not consider quartz as the free sink offer applies to both Luxore and Zodiaq ranges.
Silestone, Sensa Granite and Compac quartz are subject to a free cut -out offer for polished sink cut out or overmount sink cut outs up to the same date. Hob cut outs are also free but only in conjunction with an overmount sink cut out.
There!! - I got my sales pitch in and you can obtain a quote and choose the sink whilst filling in our quote request form at the following link http://www.kitchensfitted.co.uk/request_quote.php

by **Gavin99** on Fri Jan 14, 2011 3:19 pm

Thanks Tim, I originally considered quartz but it's the joints that put me off. I've been round a few showrooms and they all seem canyon like with loads of filler. I assumed that's the best that can be achieved given it's in a showroom. Ok, the joints aren't really big but to me they are quite noticeable. That's what put me off granite originally but the piece I saw the other day has really put the cat amongst the pigeons.

I totally agree some of the quartz is absolutely stunning and I would give it serious consideration if I could only come up with a scheme that is bold but not so far out that it will be too hard to live with or date in a few years (I've taken on board Majjie's comments on the all green scheme!).

The only thing I've got against corian is the cost! The research I did suggested granite was dearer than corian but in Dec10 I got a few quotes (yes, still not 100% decided between c & g!) for both and the corian was around 25% dearer than granite (and that was for some unusual granites). I did receive 1 corian quote that was way below the others, I checked with duPont and they are a member of the quality network, but it so much less it worries me!

The amount of agonising over this kitchen is too much. We moved house a couple of years ago and it took about 10 minutes to say yes to buying the house!

Gavin

by **Majjie** on Fri Jan 14, 2011 4:09 pm

Hi Tim, Hi Gavin,

Sorry, I saw that there was a new post on this thread - but ignored it. After all this time, I thought ... must be spam!

I love the Burbidge Walnut doors - they're proper walnut ,with great swirls of grain pattern and quite a bit of variation in colour - and they'll look great with pale worktops. You so often see walnut with black granite - which makes it look unnecessarily gloomy, I think.

Tim's right about quartz being the best choice - from a practical point of view - because with a very pale granite you're going to have to keep it well sealed. I particularly like Silestone's Stellar Blanco - with the sparkly bits in - but it's going to be expensive, even for quartz.

Your granite sounds lovely Gavin - I'm just not sure how well it would go with the walnut. It's really something you'd have to see in the "flesh" I think. Is it going to look as if it's echoing the walnut colour - with a slightly orangey tinge? Or does the pink have enough blue in it to contrast with the walnut? (I never did find that picture with the lilac glass - that looked stunning). Have you got samples of both that you can sit in your kitchen and look at - under different light conditions?

I'm afraid I can't really give you an opinion without seeing the granite! That's not very helpful, I know!

by **Gavin99** on Mon Jan 17, 2011 2:09 pm

Hi Majjie,

Thank you for your reply. I haven't got samples unfortunately. I did hold a door against the slab but that was under warehouse lighting. Determining if colours go together is not my strong point as you can see by the all green scheme. When you say has the pink got enough blue in it to contrast with the walnut I've got to hold my hands up as I don't really understand. I'm sure the granite and walnut will go together but the last thing I want to do is find it doesn't look just quite right. I fully appreciate you can't give an opinion without seeing it and thank you for saying that rather than just what I wanted to hear.

The natural variation of granite is it's strongpoint but that is also it's weakness! With something like the Silestone Stellar Blanco it's consitent and we all know what it will look like. It's a pity about the lilac picture as it's one of my wifes favourite colours and would be lovely to see it in place.

As time has moved on our ideas have changed a bit and we are thinking not to have big areas of black. Going for stainless steel appliances (or those by Siemens which mix some black & stainless) to add a modern look and changing the floor colour. Do you think a light floor colour would be a good match to the walnut and light worktop or go for something darker?

Many thanks,

Gavin

by **Gavin99** on Mon Jan 17, 2011 2:16 pm

Hi Tim,

With the quartz ranges can you have the worktop thickness built up to say 60mm? and if it can be done are there any visible lines on the edge where the front face has been built up?

I've only seen a chamfered edge profile on the quartz. Is it possible to have other profiles like double pencil round?

Thanks,

Gavin

by **timfoley** on Mon Jan 17, 2011 6:38 pm

Gavin,
After discussion with our fabricator on this earlier I hope the following helps clarify the visibility of seams on quartz surfaces for you and our forum visitors.

With the quartz ranges can you have the worktop thickness built up to say 60mm? and if it can be done are there any visible lines on the edge where the front face has been built up?

Quartz can be built up into pretty much any size, 40-100mm is the usual sort of front edge detail that gets chosen for kitchens, anything bigger and the height of the worktops from the floor can become an issue if standard units are being used.

You will be able to see a join line where the mitre is done but it is well disguised.
As a very general rule, the finer the quartz and the darker the colour of the material and therefore the glue, it should be easier to produce a mitre which is less visible.
Light coloured materials tend to show the mitre line a bit more.

However as you are gluing two pieces of stone together and you know what you are looking for,then it will be visible.
Here are a couple of photos of a Silestone Chrome Mitred top for you to give you a better idea of the mitre glue line

I've only seen a chamfered edge profile on the quartz. Is it possible to have other profiles like double pencil round?

On Mitred tops it is fairly standard to have a chamfer however this can be a pencil round (single or double) if required.
On 30mm quartz worktops there is no limit to the types of edge detail that became popular with granite surfaces in traditional style kitchens and I have seen a very classical double parrot beak edge made from a cream quartz on a traditional wooden painted kitchen before that looked amazing.
Personally though I think that as quartz worktops tend to be used more on modern designs, it's not as common to see edge details such as the bullnose edge, which remains a favourite on the more traditional country style kitchens.
However it is still there as a choice if required

by **Gavin99** on Mon Jan 17, 2011 10:35 pm

Thanks Tim, that's excellent information.

Gavin

by **Majjie** on Thu Jan 20, 2011 3:03 pm

Hi Gavin,

Sorry about the delay again - I've just been really busy.

I think if you really love the granite - and you're prepared to keep it sealed - then you should go for it. I doubt if it really wouldn't go with the walnut - you just need to choose your other colours carefully. I do think you need a sample to take home though. Most suppliers will lend you a sample - especially if you're thinking of spending a few thousand pounds on their worktop!

I also think it's important, with the less usual granites, especially if they're very vein-y, to go and have a look at the big slabs in the granite yard and choose one. They can be very variable and may look completely different to a small sample.

I think a paler floor is a good idea, although I do think it needs to be a slightly darker tone than the worktop. Imagine your kitchen in a black and white photo and the floor needs to be a darker shade of grey than the worktop.

Even if you're not good with colours, you must have some friends or relatives who are better. if you have a small sample of the granite - and you buy a single floor tile (if needs be) - then you can compare other colours. Here are a few examples:

A more olivey green and orange/tangerine shades (although not necessarily a whole wall in orange!) would go with a granite with orangey pink shades - and you could go for a grey (or greenish grey) floor:

Or a stone-y coloured floor (which would look more modern if it was shiny - but beware of having too slippery a floor!):

I think the lilac would need a less orange-y shade to the granite (more blue in the pink) ... unless of course you want to be very brave with your colours!

A question of colour, bold & risky or safe & classy?

A question of colour, bold & risky or safe & classy?

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