Well ok, it’s cold and freezing but we’re getting over the January hump and feeling a bit more enthusiastic about the coming year. I’ve been looking for some new design ideas to help create plans for a new kitchen or other living spaces.

By Linda Parker

As ever, any kitchen-related conversation I get involved with ends up with me banging on about the importance of streamlined, logical storage. Naturally, LEGRABOX   is a favourite system, and can be used in other rooms as well as the kitchen. The drawer sides are perfectly straight, inside and out, and the load capacity of an individual drawer is 40 kg or 70 kg, depending on the width of the drawer, so that means all that heavy kitchen equipment can be stowed away.

If you’re looking for streamlined storage for living and/or dining spaces, use the same cabinetry as in the kitchen area, with the option of three different motion technologies – Servo-Drive, Blumotion and Tip-On Blumotion, all with the soft-close BLUMOTION movement. So drawers glide open and close beautifully, with just a touch. As they say: Think Blum. Think Differently …

This is the Foodshelf kitchen by Ora Ito for Scavolini – the layout and design is intended to blur the boundaries between kitchen and living room by including furniture that can be used in both spaces. Vittorio Naldi, branch manager at Scavolini UK recommends using harmonising materials, colours and textures so open plan spaces flow seamlessly. He also suggests zoning with an island or peninsula, creating a visual barrier between different areas. For more ideas, visit Scavolini here.

This simple L-shaped layout works equally well for large or small spaces. In a smaller room it can tuck into a corner, in a large space it can act as a room-divider. Plenty of shelf space means there’s no excuse for a cluttered work-surface! This kitchen is the new Bolton design, shown in here in a new finish, Metal Black. Also in Concrete and Rust. Handles are tin-coloured, No 672. Find out more at Keller Kitchens.

We’re usually focussed on kitchen ideas, but the new porcelain Marble Collection from Craven Dunnill is worth a look from both a bathroom and a kitchen point of view. The patterning on these tiles is simply stunning. Marquis Marble Tortora (above), shown in a bathroom setting, is part of a range of five natural marble looks, replicated in original colours and the option of matt or gloss finishes. Marquis Marble Light Grey (below) looks amazing in a minimalist kitchen setting; and there are wall and floor versions available, in 700mm x 350mm wall format and 592mm x 592mm floor formats. Make your own choices here.  

This kitchen design, from Hubble Kitchens was voted best project by more than 1000 Leicht kitchen advisers, designers and architects. Director Anthony Crespi said  ‘We are strong believers that design is its own reward, so to be recognised by one of our brand partners is further confirmation of our unique ability to transform interior spaces in to lifestyle environments’ We love the sheer scale and subtlety of the entire design – particularly the open shelving and huge island …

Flooring is an integral part of any kitchen design, and is best considered and chosen very early on in the design project. New ideas from Ted Todd include Calico Plank (left) and Strada Bernini Plank (right). The company has a commercial arm (Studio Ted Todd), plus they also restore antique and reclaimed wooden floors, so there’s something for everyone, whether you want solid, engineered, parquet or cladding. Visit the website here for some serious inspiration!

February of course, gets taken over by Valentine’s day … it seems that the stores have been awash with red hearts since the Xmas decorations came down! So in honour of Valentine’s day, we had to bring you some rather tasteful heart-themed ideas! From left: Pretty little cut-out ceramic heart-shaped trinket dish, from Live Laugh Love; Centre: Mural wallpaper with distressed-style heart motif, from the new Grunge collection by Galerie Wallcoverings. The range features raw textures, quirky metallics, exposed brickworks, and even library-style illustrations. This one certainly catches the attention with the heart motif. See the full range here soon.  Right: Screw-fitting Hato Heart LED Light Bulb in Amber lustre glass, £25; it will fit in a normal E27 fitting, or can be used with a Vico lamp base, both from Oliver Bonas.  

And finally … time for a colourful inspirational interior design treat, featuring two hugely on-trend colours and ideas. A rich shade of teal is a big favourite at the moment, especially when used with glamorous and luxurious fabrics, such as velvets. The background paint colour is a wonderful contrast, and is a slightly darker shade of Living Coral, as we mentioned last month. All items here, from the new Spring-Summer Home Collection from Next Home.