We're starting off with some black kitchens this week. This has been greatly exercising me as the Mad kitchen refurb has begun and the cupboards have now very firmly over on the dark side. I'm not going to show you yet because a) it's not finished and b) there is a photo shoot planned very soon so all will be revealed then.
Although the point about it not being finished yet is an important one. Have you ever started a project, stopped halfway through, or even at the end of the day, and thought Oh God what have I started here? We had an element of that with the cupboards. Usually I'm pretty sure when I start a project what I want and how it will look.
I was pretty sure about these cupboards but it was such a dramatic change that it has definitely taken a couple of days to get used to. I'm comfortable now but there was a small moment of panic. Do bear that in mind if you are planning a huge change in your colour scheme. Just because you don't like it immediately doesn't mean it's wrong, just that it might take a little while for the heart to catch up with the head. Which is the opposite of the way things normally happen.
I thought I'd show you these gorgeous dark kitchens as inspiration in case anyone else is thinking of doing the same thing.
But next up; contrasting bathrooms. Which do you prefer? Dark or light?
This pale grey and marble affair is pretty stunning isn't it. Definitely needs the brass taps to warm it up though and, while I love the look of the shower curtain, this is probably better for a bath than a shower from a practical point of view.
If you fancy a dark bathroom but are nervous about painting the walls, you can use this trick of painting the window frame and woodwork dark and leaving the walls pale. This bathroom, by Suzy Hoodless, has the earbleedingly expensive Agape bath in it as well as black taps but this scheme would work just as well with a more traditional white bath. The key here is the tiles. For similar try encaustic tiles .
Moving into the sitting room, this pastel scheme is prevented from being too sugary by the black wall and pendant lights. Both of which are real beauties.
This apartment in Paris is available to rent and I love it for the uneven beams on the ceiling and the worn terracotta tiles on the floor. Pretty much anything would look good in here but the Tom Dixon copper pendant light just echoes the pinky shade of the floor and brings the whole scheme together.
Here's another shot from the other end of the room – fabulous fireplace isn't it?
This picture below is one of my favourites. It's a Dutch house that featured in Living etc some years ago and I have never forgotten it. I remember from the story that the owners found the double-backed chesterfield in a sale of hotel furniture and if ever I have a sitting room big enough that's what I want.
photo credits: Renée Frinking for Living etc, December 2012
But for all my current fascination with the dark side, I'm still drawn to light airy spaces like this one below. It's a dilemma. I really do need two houses. Perhaps a double fronted one – one side dark and moody, the other light and airy. Easy.
I hope you have enjoyed wandering through these beautiful rooms with me. Which side are you on – dark or light? Join the debate below.
from Mad About The House http://ift.tt/1NZh8ew
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