This time, whilst everyone is enjoying the glorious weather, we’re having a relaxing look at some fabulous kitchen schemes that work beautifully. That’s what a kitchen has to do – function perfectly, at the convenience of the owner. Here are some of our favourites, alongside some suggestions for colourful accents…

This design from Life Kitchens is described as their Structured Look … It has a hint of industrial style, thanks to the setting itself, which is a very striking contrast to the classic Shaker-style Stanton cabinetry. This L-shaped kitchen has a breakfast bar – which acts as a physical and visual divide between the room beyond. Stanton cabinetry is teamed with wall cabinets with reeded glass doors and a clever mix of materials for the work surfaces, splash back and breakfast bar.

This is the Homely Look from Life Kitchens. Graeme Smith, head of Retail & Commercial Design at Life Kitchens, says ‘Incorporating more than one colour in kitchen design is becoming increasingly popular. Combining soft shades with strong, bold hues forms a striking look and plays with depth creating an illusion of more space, perfect for compact spaces. We are now being much bolder in experimenting with texture and material which result in spectacular kitchen designs. New and innovative materials now available drive the change in tastes, like compact ceramic finishes, which create a slick look, yet are also resilient and durable. We’ve also seen an arrival of new textures not previously seen in the kitchen, such as those with a porous feel and mixed marble finishes. Combining these materials with a quartz, for example, creates a striking colourful contrast and can also be more cost-effective. As we all start to design our homes with our daily requirements in mind, “broken plan” living becomes a more functional solution for modern living. Broken plan fully utilises an open plan scheme but focuses on creating individual functioning zones within the space for dining, cooking, working, etc. Incorporating an island or peninsula to your kitchen can be a first step to achieving this style of living. A multifunctional feature, they can be used as a working, dining and food preparing space as well as providing you with ample storage options and helping in zoning the space’.

And one more from Life Kitchens , this is the Seamless Look which has elegance and glamour. Shown here, cabinetry in Cashmere and Mid-Oak with a brass accent trim used vertically and horizontally. Knurled brass handles on the pantry doors add just the right amount of detail and interest.

We always like a vibrant and unusual splashback, and those from Emma Britton certainly fit that particular requirement. This is the Bright Lights shaped splashback – made to order of course – from the HomeGrown collection, inspired by vegetables. This is chard, by the way! There’s also a slightly newer collection, which is named Heritage Luxe and features gold and metallic accents. Any designers considering gold or bronze brassware for their next project should definitely have a look at these made-to-measure designs in toughened laminated glass. Bespoke commissions are also available.

This is a beautiful example of how a sleek and contemporary kitchen can be made to work within a spectacular period setting. This is a perfect island from Kitchens International. Angus Macintosh, Senior Sales Designer from Kitchens International, comments ‘The island is central to over three-quarters of our kitchen designs. It can be a transitional link to the living or dining room in an open plan kitchen, or a large statement piece of furniture in itself. It’s the heart of the home. Bulky overhead extractors are gone and downdraft extraction, as well as chiller troughs are incorporated into the island. Most hobs are now located on the island as cooking is now a social activity rather than something to be relegated to the back of the room. The shape of islands is getting more adventurous, with curves, double connecting islands and floating islands making this vital part of the kitchen steal the limelight. Or, it can be extremely simple and elegant, as this one here’. The island is Callerton from Kitchens International in light grey with timber accents and a Corian work surface.

A classic kitchen in neutral shades can benefit from pops of colour –  perhaps for an upstand to add a band of colour across the kitchen, or as a splashback. These tiles are Azul Lavanda by Indigenous

Add a warm glow with Salmon Glazed Wall Tiles from Indigenous as above. Available in four different sizes, 75mm x 75mm; 100mm x100mm, 100mm x 200mm and 135mm x 135mm for plenty of scope for creativity …

Go for a bold, bright look with Rojo Glazed Wall Tiles from Indigenous, in sizes as detailed above. And there are lots of other delicious shades too, including Blanco and Crema for pale schemes.

A colourful island layout from John Lewis of Hungerford. The classic Shaker kitchen is given a twist of colour by opting for Tangerine for the island, which is a fabulous contrast to the Damson Blue perimeter cabinets. Both shades are from John Lewis of Hungerford Paint Collection, which is highly resistant satin eggshell formula.

Going for a crisp contrast, again from John Lewis of Hungerford, this time it’s a Shaker kitchen in Flour with an island in Evergreen. A very traditional combination that works well, creating a focal point island with just the right amount of colour to enhance an otherwise very subtle, low-key scheme.

John Lewis of Hungerford do ‘contemporary’ as well as they do classic. This is the simple and beautiful Pure Kitchen, a handleless design that works well in large and compact spaces. Shown here in Marina Blue and Pure White, both colours from their own Paint Collection.

Choosing a heat storage range cooker for a new project is a big step, and we’re very admiring of clients who go for a bold colour choice as well. The new Rayburn Ranger is their most technically advanced, with a cast-iron hotplate with two settings, a two-zone induction hob with nine temperature settings, plus a bridging option so it can be used with a larger pan or griddle. The top of the roasting oven includes a 900w grill, with four shelf positions. The second oven bakes and simmers, and both ovens use radiant heat. The third oven does the warming job, and there’s an e-setting to control energy usage. And it also comes in glorious colours, Marmalade is shown here, plus Sunshine Yellow, Tomato, Olivine, Midnight, Slate, Mist and Linen.

And lastly, we’re delighted to say that Roundhouse have recently opened a brand new showroom in Cambridge, with the layout designed by Senior Designer Allison Lynch. As with all their showrooms, the new one demonstrates creative and inspirational use of different materials and surfaces. It’s split into two spaces, the Design (which includes an antique copper wrap island) and Studio collections. Allison explains ‘The Cambridge design team is devoted to creating luxury designs tailored to each individual client. Right from the beginning, the very essence of Roundhouse has been the client – creating beautiful bespoke furniture that is truly reflective of each individual and their home’.