This month I’m admiring the latest lovely kettles from Dualit, planning how to utilise some gorgeous new fabric designs and pondering on the latest theory about food vibrations …

Looking at yesterday’s Sunday Times Magazine, I couldn’t quite believe what I was reading. There’s a restaurant in New York abcV which is ‘high vibration’. Apparently, food has vibrations … eating high-vibration dishes means more energy, of the feel-good kind. High-vibration eating seems to be basically plant-based, fresh and organic, which sounds to me very ‘clean-eating’ … I need to investigate further. Watch this space for further vibration news next month. Personally, I think a glass of champagne does the trick!!

THINK PINK

The latest new colour from  Everhot is a fabulous Dusky Pink. Quite a distinctive choice for a kitchen, but upon further consideration it’s a perfect focal-point choice; it will look great with all-white or deep and dark coloured cabinetry. The starting price is £8425 so it’s a major investment, but has very appealing features, which include a traditional hob plus an induction hob. This electric storage range cooker uses half the energy of a regular cast-iron range cooker, is very straightforward to install, just needing a regular 13A socket, with no requirement for a concrete base or flue. Simples!

MARBLE-ISH

I’m very keen on laminate splash backs for the kitchen. Laminate is easy to wipe over, very affordable, and with are so many realistic designs available it’s difficult to choose! The new Pescara with a Glaze texture is from the Options range by Bushboard . The range of 34 new designs covers all current interior design trends – from elegant greys to wood-effects, metallic versions and for a simple look, plain colours. This (above) is Pescara marble, from £45 per linear m for a work surface and available as hob and mid-way panels. An idea worth considering if you want to replace a scruffy or out-dated tiled splashback area.

DELIGHTFUL DINING

Of course, we’re all about kitchens here, but that extends into furnishing and accessorising any adjoining dining room or kitchen-dining space. The new Willow.2 chairs from Jointed + Jointed are a new, short-armed variation on the original Willow chair. Available in solid American oak or walnut, every single piece is hand-finished and produced in-house by their own team. Seat upholstery is available in neutral oatmeal or olive-grey leather, but if you have a favourite fabric or colour scheme you’d like to include, a bespoke upholstery service is provided. Look at the full collection here. Better start saving if you’ve got a ten-seater table! Take a look at the stools too, good value and perfect as a classic finishing touch for a newly installed kitchen.

LIGHTING UP TIME

As we all know, fantastic lighting in the kitchen-dining area makes all the difference. Living rooms and bedrooms are fairly easy to deal with, as there’s always the opportunity to add a quirky table lamp or tall standard lamp in the corner of the room. Overhead lighting needs to be meticulously planned for kitchens and dining rooms. I can’t be the only person who has had to have a pendant light moved (involving re-plastering part of a new, perfectly plastered ceiling!) because the builder ignored the size and position of the dining table … Anyway, if you are planning new lighting, take a look at these amazing Glass School Pendants, Size 2, from Davey Lighting. These are mouth-blown, and the translucent shades provide a soft and pleasing ambient light. Matching wall lights also available too. See the whole collection here.

STOCKING UP …

These little Minshin jam spoons from Kalinko are extremely pretty and appealing. They come in a mixed set of four colours in mother-of-pearl and jade.  Although we hardly have jam in the house anymore, I’m thinking that they are perfect little condiment spoons to put on the table when it’s a curry night … perfect for little spoonfuls of chopped onion, mango chutney and yoghurt etc. They might be a good addition to my ‘presents to give’ list for Christmas. See/buy them here. I’m very tempted by the rattan trays and dog bed too … I think I can feel a shopping spree coming on!

This apron and oven mitts set might also go on my ‘presents to give’ list for Christmas too (sorry to start on Christmas already, but the world of magazines we have been attending the Christmas press shows for the last few weeks already!). This is the Lobster Apron, from new company Lobster Homeware. It’s a bit different from your usual apron, as it has integrated and detachable oven gloves, tea-towel loops, a mobile phone pocket, recipe/notepad pockets and adjustable poppers so it fits all sizes. It comes in a presentation box too, from £20. Choose your design here, and tick all your foodie friends off the present list. Done and dusted.

Stop Press … Dualit has just launched a New Neutral collection of Classic toasters and kettles. The four new colours, inspired by organic materials are Porcelain, Feather, Shadow and Powder. Shown here, the kettles in Shadow and Powder. A wonderful, practical choice for the new kitchen. The colour range was designed with the advice of colour and trend forecaster Anna Starmer, and reflects the need for calm and meditative spaces within the home. Take a look at the whole range here. Brilliant choices to go with the latest Mereway kitchen (or vice-versa, whichever you are buying first!). This is the Newbury in Cashmere and Ivory from the Town & Country range. Have a look here if you need some inspiration and creative colour ideas.

If you’re looking for some final, inspirational finishing touches for your new kitchen – perhaps some fabric for a Roman blind, bench cushions, curtains or seat covers, please do take a look at the new Upperlands Collection from Earthed. It’s a colourful, joyful range of splashy printed and plain linens that are inspired by the Irish landscape, plants and rivers. Explore the collection here.

AND FINALLY… We remember Mark Wilkinson, OBE

26^th October 1950 – 5^th July 2017

One of the iconic Mark Wilkinson kitchen designs, the authentic and beautifully detailed Cook’s kitchen

 It’s with sadness that we wish to send our condolences to Mark’s family, friends and colleagues. He was an outstanding designer and delightful company. I met him several times over the years and he was never less than friendly, witty and observant. He will be greatly missed.