Designing a kitchen is a process fraught with decisions, from the big, expensive, can't-go-back ones (cabinets, worktops, flooring) to smaller ones that still make a huge difference to how the space looks, such as paint, lighting and accessories. Wouldn't it be great, then, if you could just… copy someone else's? There's no need to be slavish, but there are some rooms that feel so timeless that it's silly not to take inspiration from them. We've picked three of our favourites from the House & Garden archive to point out why they're classic designs and where to shop the essentials.
The small kitchen in Ben Pentreath's Bloomsbury flat is a lesson in combining traditional and modern style, with timeless results. A simple structure of white shaker cabinets and dark wooden worktops is enlivened by a beautiful olive colour on the walls and pale pink floorboards. Open shelving is helpful on one wall of a narrow kitchen like this, making it feel less oppressive, and it's relatively easy to find bespoke options at the length you need. The accessories, including the enamel light fitting, letterpress print and industrial clock, have a more mid-century feel and knock the traditional look back. If you have a galley kitchen, this is a foolproof design.
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This kitchen, designed by Chris Graves of Clarence & Graves for his own Chiswick house, became an instant icon on House & Garden when it was published. Much of the popularity of the look emerges from the combination of colours: the deep green of the cabinets, the fresh apple green of the Crittall windows, and the pale pink of the walls. The kitchen itself was designed by deVOL: the combination of dark green cabinets and marble worktops feels fresh and of the moment, while French cafe floor tiles lend an understated timelessness. While we'd always recommend going to deVOL if you can, because they make utterly beautiful kitchens, if you're looking for a simple replacement of cabinet doors, Cut My is a great source for doors in a huge variety of colours. We also love Ruggable for washable kitchen rugs, if the idea of rugs acquiring kitchen grease gives you the ick.
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Creative consultant Lucy Williams' London house is packed with inspiration, not least in the heavenly sky blue and brown kitchen. She had the help of a dream team of designers in creating it; the bespoke kitchen cabinets (painted in Paper and Paints' ‘Sky Blue’), were made by Browson Design, while the butcher's block island, painted in Farrow & Ball's ‘Cola’ was designed by Jessica Summer. Many beautiful things inhabit the space, including brown marble countertops from Lapicida and plaster lights by Alexandra Robinson along the back wall. Sky blue has become a popular colour for kitchens, and it is possible to get the look on a budget: try Magnet's ‘Wardley’ kitchen for a similar design, and jazz up the fronts with Beata Heuman's brass hardware.
