Kitchen Trends: Autumn Days Are Back
The days are getting a little shorter, a little colder, the kids are back in school, and you may have a strange urge to put pumpkin in absolutely everything. As the autumn season slowly rolls in, we like to make our homes, including the kitchen, a little warmer and a little cosier. Here are some of our favourite ways to embrace autumn in the kitchen.
DIY Dried Autumn Wreath & Bouquets
Coco’s homemade wreath on her front door!
Go for a walk! We’re blessed to live in a country so filled with natural resources like parks and woods. Set yourself a little scavenger hunt, (get the kids involved!) and see what you can collect for your wreath.
Try looking for a mixture of textures, sizes and colours; a larger, flat leaf is best for the base of your wreath, while smaller, dainty dried flowers look lovely tucked in on top. If you’re feeling really crafty, pick up some thick sticks to nail or hot glue together to make the wreath’s frame.
Instead of chucking them away, dry out a bouquet by snipping off the wet stems and hanging them upside down by a window. Roses, gypsophila and cornflowers work particularly well with this technique!
Once you have your cornucopia of plants and flowers, give them a good shake outside just to make sure no critters get left behind. Once you have your base, this can be the aforementioned stick & nail ‘circle’, a bit of firm wire or even a pre-made wreath base, in a clockwise direction (I find this the easiest method) start laying your branches and flatter leaves down, securing them with twine or floral wire as you go.
5. Start to layer the smaller flowers on top, continuing to go round and round. Try to keep the same volume all the way around the wreath, but don’t worry if it’s not perfect; nothing in nature ever is!
6. Step back and admire your work. Hang it outside your front door or in your kitchen to maintain it longer.
Dried bouquets and foliage can also make for great decor, simply popped into a vase on your mantle, island or countertop. Add muted colours for a moody, autumnal look like burgundy, olive green, browns, burnt orange and brass elements. This can be done through flowers, artwork, decorative vases and jugs and much more.
Rugs
Area or runner rugs are a fantastic way to cosy up your kitchen in a very simple way. Adding that little bit of texture, colour and warmth beneath your toes will elevate your kitchen space and leave it looking chic and snug. If you’re a messy cook, are worried about spills or simply have children or pets, look for a rug made out of materials that allow for it to be chucked in the wash if needs be. Ruggable are a UK based company that specialise in beautiful, machine washable rugs! They have a fantastic array of shapes, sizes, patterns and colours and are made to order to reduce waste.
Art & Decor
You make a house a home by adding elements of yourself within the space. Whether you’re a minimalist, maximalist or somewhere in between, adding personal touches and decorative elements to your space will elevate the space’s aura and sense of cosiness. Art is a great way to add some flare, colour and texture in your kitchen. You can frame artwork you love, family photos or even postcards and old letters from loved ones, each will bring life to the hear of your home and tell your story.
Bookcases and libraries have a naturally warm and inviting energy. Your family’s favourite books, photo albums full of memories and personal nic nacs collected over the years from a myriad of places will put a smile on your face every time you glance over.
Displaying seasonal fruit and veg on your island or countertops will really bring some of that burnt orange hue into your space, (we all know what just a single pumpkin can do!) and makes for some yummy recipes!
Cosy Seats
Banquette seating, especially when paired with comfy cushions is the perfect spot to cosy up in on a rainy autumnal day. Decorate with seasonal colours in blankets and cushions or keep it simple and add a candle nearby. One of our favourites is the Velvet Woods & Amber candle by WXY.
Wallpaper
Moody wallpaper is a great way to spice up any space and will definitely make it feel more homely and eclectic. You can find thousands of artists and designs to suit everyone’s taste on Etsy!
Smells & Tastes
Autumnal Sunday Vegan Pancakes
For Fluffy Pancakes:
1 Cup flour
1 tbsp baking powder
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup alternative milk like oat, soy etc
1 tbsp apple cider or white wine vinegar (trust the process!)
For Baked Fruit & ‘Sauce’
2 Pears, Nectarines, Apples etc
Local honey, agave nectar or maple syrup
1 tsp cinnamon
1-2 tbsp water
Method:
Combine milk, vanilla and vinegar and allow to sit for 5 minutes, meanwhile combine dry ingredients. After the 5 minutes, combine the wet ingredients mixture in with with dry. Allow to sit for another 5-10 minutes before frying in ladles.
Cut fruit into wedges and coat them in the honey or maple syrup and cinnamon. Pop them in a preheated oven at 180ºC for about 30 mins or until they have softened.
Remove some of the wedges and lightly mash them, adding a couple of tbsp of water until the sauce is the consistency you like.
Stack your pancakes, top with some Greek style yoghurt (Oatly's one is great because it gets the thickness of Greek yoghurt perfectly), add your wedges and drizzle your sauce all over. Finish with some Chía seeds for some extra texture and goodness and enjoy with a cup of chai or coffee.
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Kitchen Tips: 'Countryfying' Your Kitchen
If you prefer a more traditional or ‘English Countryside Chic’ kitchen to a modern sleek one, there are a few things you can consider when designing and decorating your kitchen to ensure it’s every bit of what you first visualise!
Mixing & Matching Burnished Brass Handles and Knobs
Mixing up the shape and type of hardware in your kitchen will offer a traditional yet stylish look to your space. Keeping all the handles the same will offer a more modern and sleek look. Another thing to consider is the harshness of the shape. Squared off, geometric designs lend themselves to more contemporary kitchens. If what you’re after is a softer, more organic country look, think gentle, rounded shapes! An antique-esque burnished brass finish is perfect for adding that old, golden warmth so many farmhouses have.
Belfast & Pie-Crust Sinks
A big Belfast sink screams country kitchen! These ceramic beauties are not only beautiful but very practical because of their depth. You can get them as a single or a double (or an 1000mm if you want that extra bit of space!). A ‘pie-crust’ sink offers the same charm as the conventional Belfast sink but gives an extra bit of * spice *.
Keep Your Beams & Expose Your Brick!
If you’re lucky enough to have beautiful old wooden beams or an exposed brick wall, keep them just as they are! These natural textures and warm tones really aid that feeling of cosiness that a traditional shaker kitchen has. Try adding touches of wood throughout your kitchen to really amplify this with your stools or chairs, worktops or even displaying a lovely heavy wooden chopping board or pepper mill on your countertop.
Dresser Units
This isn’t your Nanna’s sideboard with all her fancy china, it’s a new and improved version! A dresser unit or side board unit is a classic piece in any English kitchen. Bi-fold doors and glass fronts can make it a really special piece that you will love using each day. We love seeing the beautiful oak or walnut on the inside as well as a cold shelf which makes cleaning much easier! If you want to take a step further, paint this unit an entirely different colour to the rest of your cabinetry or even consider exposed wood.
Table Seating
With kitchen islands and peninsulas truly stepping into the spotlight more and more, they can sometimes be a replacement for a kitchen table all-together. Keep a kitchen table for a more nostalgic and traditional feel (bonus points if it’s wooden).
Colours: Off-whites, Creams & Soft Greens
We all know of a country kitchen in an off-white or cream, and if it ain’t broke don’t fix it! Warm neutrals, beautiful sage and olive greens will bring a cosy and natural feel to the space.
Window Bench Seats
If you’re thinking of adding some banquette seating or even a bench to your kitchen, consider placing it under a window if possible. These little nooks are wonderful places to curl up with a cup of tea and a book, where kids can do their homework or simply gaze into the garden.
Tiled Splashbacks
More modern kitchen designs have been leaning more towards quartz splashbacks to match the worktops or glossy, white metro tiles. Try a small, square porcelain tile for your splashback for a more traditional look. Play around with colours, patterns and textures to find what works best for you and your space; maybe try a terracotta tile!
Leave us a comment telling us what your dream country kitchen would look like!
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