3 Bold Patterned Kitchen Ideas

Ah, the kitchen! In our previous house, I’d argue that the kitchen renovation was our biggest triumph. You can read all about it here but in a nutshell, we turned a house with no kitchen into a house with a beautiful, bright and fun living space which we never felt like a chore to be in. It really was a dream to create as part of our first renovation, especially for a couple of 20-somethings who’d lived on Pot Noodles for too long.

The house we live in now, will soon again see us renovating a kitchen – another big challenge but in a different way. You see, whilst we have a pretty nice little kitchen here, it’s a galley in a peninsula, if you like, at the rear of the property – and it feels a little isolated. I’d like to create another social space – the belly of the home.

To the extended portion of our home lies an enormous playroom with adjoining conservatory (with jigsaw flooring as it was once a childminder). I’d like to merge the two together and make it into a great big kitchen space. but the time won’t come until at least next year whilst we save for the project. As we budget, we’ve started to dip our toes into colour schemes and themes to see what it might look like.

Today, I’ll be using kitchen worktop samples, kindly gifted by Worktop Express, to test out different looks. We’ve used items already in our home, because I think it’s great to use bits already in your collection so you can match ideas to your existing taste levels. Oh, and when I say “we”…my daughter made most of these moodboards! I think we have a stylist in the making with her mother’s bold eye.

Option 1: The Unofficial Household Colour Palette

Black Sparkle Solid Laminate Worktop Sample – Worktop Express
‘Drawer’ wallpaper – Tong Ren from Feathr
Decorative Plate – Rob Ryan
Dark marble hexagon coaster – BoConcept
Paint Chart – Farrow & Ball
Pom pom garland – Country Baskets

“Black sparkle solid laminate worktops are a robust option for even
the busiest kitchens. Their solid construction ensures they are resistant to impact,
wear, heat (to 180° for up to 10 minutes) and are also completely waterproof.
This also means they are suitable for use with undermount sinks,
unlike traditional laminate worktops.”

Worktop Express
on Solid Laminates

Me: It’s become very quickly apparent that my favourite combination is pink and blue. In all kinds of hues, and with various accents paired with it. If we were to pick any colours scheme that I KNOW will stand the test of time for Joe and I, it would be this. I’m thinking a rich smalt blue for the units and this utterly fabulous wallpaper on the walls, perhaps picking out some of that punchy pastel pink for a tiled splashback. With a stripe of black thanks to the black sparkle solid laminate worktops, I think it would be bold as heck. And look, we already have so much in our collection that would fit the colour scheme!

My 3 year old:
“Mummy, don’t you think we need pom poms here? They’re so soft!”

Option 2: The Zebrano Jungle

Solid Wood ‘Zebrano’ worktop sample – Worktop Express
Lemur Wallpaper Silver Holden – B&Q
Rosendale Amethyst Glassware – Soho Home
Paint Card Samples – Valspar

“Zebrano worktops are exotic and dramatic, marrying dark brown grains
with a pale golden colour that will deepen over time. The result is an
innately decorative surface bearing a faint resemblance to the ‘zebra’
of its name. Strikingly contemporary, a zebrano worktop is sure to stand out.”

Worktop Express
on Solid Wood

Me: I personally love wooden worktops but am incredibly picky with the style. I adore the mixture of reddish, natural tones in this pattern, but with the warmth and “gimme a hug” feeling that tropical weather brings to so many, which to me, marries well with a social kitchen ideal. The darker streaks in the wood grain can make it look really contemporary so it’s the best of both worlds for me. In keeping with the jungle fever, my daughter was quick to point this wallpaper out to me in one of our many regular trips to B&Q, although it’s quite apparent we need to teach her what a lemur is (see quote below), and actually, as the conservatory end of this space gets incredibly warm, I think this could be a very fitting feel for the space.

My 3 year old:
“Oh my goodness me, that monkey is SO cute. Wait here mummy, can I get the purple glasses off the table?”

Option 3: The Playful Garden

Marble Effect Laminate Worktop – Worktop Express
Cork Leaf Wallpaper – 1838 Wallcoverings
‘How The Leopard Got His Spots’ Velvet fabric – The Monkey Puzzle Tree
Paint Colour Chart – Little Greene
Paint Sample – Farrow & Ball “India Yellow”
Faux florals – IKEA
Faux Moss – Country Baskets
Purple Curtain Sample – Dunelm
Dark Marble Candlestick Holder – BoConcept

“These marble-look work surfaces are an elegant choice for kitchens, and
look stunning with a delicate pastel colour palette. Our Calcutta Marble laminate
worktops are made from cutting-edge AEON™ Enhanced Performance Laminate
– a brand new way of making laminate worktops, creating a stronger, better-defined
surface with three times the scuff, scratch and wear-resistance
when compared to the industry standard.

Worktop Express
on Laminate Worktops

Me: As our future kitchen will adopt what is now the conservatory, it will essentially be an extension of the garden, so any nature-inspired themes will work beautifully with all of the excess light. And let’s not forget that it’s been a playroom for over 20 years thanks to its previous life as a childcare provider, and honestly, I’d be sad for it to go too serious in the future! As the conservatory overlooks our playground, I can imagine deep greens on the units, pops of pinks, purples and yellow through the appliances and fabrics (how beautiful is that velvet – upholstered dining booth anyone?). As we have such eclectic and, perhaps admittedly, “loud” taste in decor, the marble laminate would be a wonderful way to create some harmony and cohesion amongst the madness of our choices.

My 3 year old:
“Mummy, I’ll get the flowers from my bedroom. We can share them if you like? You have the purple ones that are same as your curtains. I’ll have pink ones. Can we fingerpaint with the yellow after I borrow your camera?”