BY LINDA PARKER

It only takes a small amount of yellow (or mustard or ochre) to add a summery vibe to a kitchen plan. Bold mustard yellow is a current favourite and of course is featured in lots of the current home collections for Summer ’19. So this month we’re having a look at how just a touch of this vibrant shade adds a sense of optimism and cheer to a new kitchen …

These retro-look  splashback tiles really make all the difference in this Linear kitchen by Harvey Jones. The Linear design is simple and effective, and can be painted in any colour in the world … the owners here chose a rich brown, which is Conker Brown from Dulux. It works beautifully as a restrained contrast to the bright tiles, and Timeless by Dulux   wall cabinets and that gorgeous natural wood floor. We’re also imagining this layout and these tiles perhaps with a deep, dark, charcoal grey or navy finish.

The layout of this kitchen is so logical and streamlined … the breakfast bar is neat and unobtrusive, and visually the whole space is clean, clear and minimal. The Linear cabinetry has oak drawer boxes and totally flat fronts, which create a defined, crisp look. There are endless choices of handles available, here the owners have gone for simple, narrow bar handles. 

Retro-style tiles are definitely starting to prove very popular; the ones here are Yellow Glitz by Dominic Crinson.  For a similar effect, try Skyros in Delft Blue and Grey from Soak.com;  Acapulco multi-coloured and multi-patterned tiles from Fired Earth;  Swing tiles from Tile Mountain, and  Andalusia from  The London Tile Company.

So, on the trail of further mustard-toned inspiration I came across the latest colour from Everhot, as shown here on the 90 model. It’s an economical electric heat storage cooker that simply needs to be plugged into a standard 13 Amp socket, and will then provide two ovens, a full-width grill, hot plate and simmer plate. And if you’re concerned about the electric bill there’s an ECO Control which now comes as standard on all Everhot cookers. As well as this glorious  Mustard shade, it comes in a host of other colours, including Aubergine, Marine Blue and Dusky Pink. 

The colour game is strong here – a simple combination of a black-painted brick wall, white cabinetry and textured wood-effect porcelain floor tiles, which are Ardennes from Tile Mountain. The joyful spark of the yellow chair in the corner lifts the whole look – and although this feature is mostly about yellow, the choice of a pink, green or orange chair would look similarly striking. For a stunning choice of yellow chairs to suit this scheme, take a look at those available from  Heal’s, and have a quick peek at the outdoor options as well – we love an indoor-outdoor option for dining chairs – it makes summer entertaining easy-peasy!

These spicy tiles are Pellezzano Mustard, from tile and flooring specialist Claybrook Studio. Also available in Emerald, Blue Lagoon and Grey, they’re handmade in Italy, have a crackle glaze finish, and are suitable for most kitchen and bathroom wall installations. A jolly good option for adding a rich depth of colour; and of course can be installed in various configurations, from standard brick to zig-zags and chevron. 

Changing the subject somewhat, I want to extol the joys of a laundry room. I’m not going all Kirstie Allsopp, , but having been in the fortunate position that I’ve always been able to hide the washing machine and tumble dryer away from the kitchen, I got rather enthusiastic after seeing the latest Laundry Space concepts from Scavolini – better known for their extremely beautiful kitchens. Yes, it’s possible to utilise existing cabinetry, cupboard and drawer designs to create a laundry or utility room, that goes without saying, but it’s refreshing to see these particular examples of how to do it well.

Here, we love the sink and lift up-surface which hides away the ironing board – and of course adds a surface for storing freshly ironed clothes. Open shelves and a hanging rail are also a good addition – whether they’re used for storing cleaning products, towels and bedding or just for hanging up or airing freshly washed and ironed shirts and frocks. 

So, I suppose having a dedicated laundry space begs the question … is it only people who are already passionate above having a streamlined and efficient utility/laundry space who will embrace these ideas, or could it make otherwise unenthusiastic housekeepers up their game?! Let us know your views!

Sitting Comfortably in the Sun and the Shade Get your garden summer-ready with a set of cheerful chairs; this one is just right for summer days and evenings spent sipping a Pimm’s, it’s the Armando Woven Garden Lounge Chair in Mustard from Cult Living, also available in Black, but we’re going to stick to the Mustard! Planning ahead for chillier evenings (it will happen, needless to say!), think about an outdoor heater … such as the Column Patio Heater from Swan, which has carbon fibre heating elements, an aluminium frame, tip-over safety switch and IP24 approved. And finally, I actually can’t resist showing you this Sloth cushion from HomeSense. It has pom-poms, it has embroidery, it has a gorgeous sloth picture and geometric background print. So many boxes ticked!