As we head into Autumn, we’ve been looking at some timeless kitchen designs from Olive & Barr and deVOL, as well as some colour scheme suggestions for more seasonal colour schemes…

This Hunter Green Shaker Kitchen by Olive & Barr has a rich, earthy green paint finish, and is from a company with sustainability at it’s core. Handmade Shaker kitchens such as this are a classic choice for all types of home, and can look good in a ultra-modern setting – providing a warm and appealing contrast to slick lines, or can blend into a traditional interior. There’s an installation service, with cabinetry being given a final paint finish once installed, or the cabinets are also available for installation and painting by the client.

This huge Olive & Barr Shaker Kitchen is painted in two contrasting shades, to great effect. The perimeter cabinets are Hicks Blue, the island is Pall Mall, both by Little Greene. The kitchen has a country air, as well as all mod-cons – we love the bank of built-in ovens!

Classic cream cabinetry looks perfectly positioned in another example of Shaker design by Olive & Barr. There’s a contrasting dark blue island, and the induction hob is paired with a discreet integrated extractor with bespoke surround. See more projects here.

If you fancy a range cooker but can’t justify re-doing the kitchen to accommodate a new appliance, take a look at the latest stove designs from Everhot. This little genius is electric, energy efficient, made from enamelled steel and cast iron. It’s not just a room heater, it’s a cooking oven as well, with a middle shelf behind the door, which opens to reveal a 20-litre oven. It plugs into a standard 13A socket and provides gentle heat even after the stove has been turned off. It’s available in four standard colours – Black, Cream, Graphite and Marine Blue as shown here. Everhot suggests it can be used in the conservatory, summer house, a shepherds hut or even a narrow boat.

The Everhot stove viewed from above, showing the top surface positioned heat vent.  Also available to order in 14 (yes, 14!!) different colours, including Mustard Yellow, Burgundy, Aubergine, Teal and Pillar Box Red. See the colour range here.

The contrasts within this kitchen project by deVOL are glorious … there was an existing, highly contemporary steel island, which is an Bulthaup model, left in place to give an edgy, industrial look to what was once a school dining hall. It works perfectly with the steel sink, hob and appliances and is a fabulous contrast to deVOL’s Real Shaker Cabinets. The mix of open shelves, classic cabinetry and modern steel is eclectic – but works perfectly!

A view from the end of the kitchen, looking towards high windows and painted brick walls. We love the dark timber flooring – a contrasting floor always highlights the cabinetry and here, dark wood is an excellent contrast to ivory painted cupboards and steel appliances. See more of this project by deVOL here.

Textured finishes are definitely on-trend at the moment, and the new Lausanne design from Eggersmann is beautifully presented, and will provide textured, dimensional interest to a kitchen project. Cabinetry here is Lausanne Silver Oiled Oak, and the work surface is Unique 5mm Hot Rolled Stainless Steel. Glass doors provide a change of pace, design-wise and of course, allow in-cabinet lighting to provide atmosphere and a stylish finish.

Lausanne Silver Oiled Oak cabinetry in detail, looking good with sleek integrated ovens. Available from Eggersmann

Radiators are too often neglected within a kitchen project – it may be that radiators are already in place; in which case it can be considered easier to leave them in place than to start afresh. However, a good kitchen designer should consider suggesting a radiator in a new kitchen. Add an extra touch of warmth and of course, a contemporary look, as some can be considered almost as a piece of artwork! Such as .. the electric Vasco ONI O P EL which is just 8mm in depth, and which simply provides easy to install heat, which can be in addition to the central heating system or underfloor heating.

Over the years I have tried out dozens of pepper and salt mills, and some have indeed been fabulous at first use, but have perhaps attracted to much grubbiness, or just wore out too quickly, or had insecure tops which fell off at the wrong moment, tipping a whole batch of peppercorns into a casserole in one go (yes, it’s happened twice, also with salt!). So I was delighted to review the indestructible and totally reliable Peugeot best-selling Paris Classic Mill in Chocolate beechwood. The U Select function enables the coarseness of the grind to be adjusted by a graduated ring on the base of each mill. Absolute heaven to use, and a wonderful replacement for my tiny metal Peugeot mill with a drawer that only held about 20 peppercorns in one go and which, alas, got lost in a house move… Anyway, it’s all in the mechanism and these mills are totally reliable and long-lasting… make your choice here, the new Olive Wood designs are striking, too.

Autumn days bring a desire to look at new colour schemes, so here’s some suitably seasonal colour inspiration from James Hare … if you’re involved in choosing fabrics and soft furnishings for a kitchen-dining-family room project. These calming, warm neutrals can add nuances of colour and texture with woven and embroidered fabrics. Shown here, Beauchamp Velvets in Bergamot and Fir, Tamarind in Natural and Slate and Gardyne in Sage Green, also Siam Linen and Natural and Brush fringe in Almond. See more details and other collections from James Hare, including decorative embroideries and prints, here.

And finally, however many screens and phones we all have, there’s always a time when only a real-life notebook will do. Whether it’s always on the kitchen island to jot down interior ideas, or in your backpack to make notes on-the-go, a lovely notebook is honestly one of life’s little indulgences! So make a note of the range from Warner House, such as this Trio of A5 Notebooks. Perhaps a good idea for the Christmas list! And at the same time, take a look at the gorgeous Warner House Amazon Taupe wallpaper, just right for that feature wall…