A Guide to Mood Boarding & Colour Combinations
We know renovating or redecorating a space can seem like a daunting task to take on. With endless options of paint colours, decorative tiles and handles in all shapes and finishes; it’s a lot to take in. This is why mood-boarding can be a great way to narrow down your options and help you visualise your space easier. A little visual aid never hurt anyone after all!
Mood Boarding Basics
There a few different ways of creating a mood board. Traditionally, a mood board consists of a physical board like a push pin board of foam, where images and textiles can be attached. However nowadays it’s more common to use apps like Pinterest, or photo editing software to create collages full of your inspiration images. More and more clients are using Instagram to help organise their thoughts. You may want to keep things even simpler, by ordering samples of things like paint, handles, tiles and textiles and laying them out in different arrangements. This way you can have a very clear understanding of what works with your scheme.
Pinterest to The Rescue
If Pinterest is already something you’re familiar with, there’s no better place to start your mood boarding journey. Start by collecting images of completed spaces you find attractive or that speak to you and evoke the feeling you want your own space to feel like. Then go on to Pinning images of more specific things like taps, patterned tiles, fabrics and paint swatches. Pinterest in particular is a great app to use, as not only can you save inspirational images to your Board, but you can also add images directly from company websites. For example if you have your heart set on that Perrin & Rowe tap, you can Pin that exact tap.
Start by collecting images that speak to you or evoke the feeling you’re after in a space. You can find these anywhere from magazines, company websites, Pinterest or even taking photos yourself when visiting shops or different spaces. Restaurants, galleries and other commercial interiors often serve as great inspiration. Once you have a general idea of what you want in your space, try arranging images around one larger image of a completed space with a similar vibe or similar elements to what you’re after. This can be used as a visual aid througout the project and help you to understand what does and doesn’t work for you and your space.
“What defines whether a colour is stimulating or soothing is not the colour, it’s the intensity. A strong, bright colour will stimulate, and a colour with low saturation will soothe”
Choosing your Colour Combinations
Colour combinations are often a part of design that people have the most trouble with. How to choose different colours and make sure they live harmoniously and above all, are pleasing to the eye. Artists and designers often use the Colour Wheel method. By looking at the wheel, working out which colours, hues and tones work best with each other.
You may well have chosen a colour you absolutely love and have settled it! The best thing to always remember is that in design, it’s all about balance and juxtaposition.
Some examples:
If you’re using a bold and vibrant colour, on your main or island cabinetry, introduce a softer, lighter version of that colour respectively.
If you’re going neutral and inoffensive all the way, why not add a bold and intricate patterned tile to avoid looking clinical.
As with anything, there are exceptions to the “rules” if you may. If it looks and feels right to you go with your instinct. If you’re still unsure, you can always call us and ask for our advice. We love helping you out and making sure you’re as happy as possible with the end product!
One very important thing to remember is, you can follow all the “rules” and trendy colour combinations, but the most crucial part of any design is that you love it. Imagine yourself waking up each morning and making yourself a cup of coffee (or tea) in that kitchen and feeling happy! So get on that Pinterest board, or whack out a scrapbook and have fun!
More Blogs From Herringbone…
A Guide to Islands and Peninsulas: Which One Is Right For Your Space?
One of the most frequently asked questions we get and receive on a daily basis is how to decide between choosing an island and a peninsula for your new kitchen. We’ve decided to break it down for you!
Firstly some basics: An island is a free standing structure, offering an all round access, whereas a peninsula is essentially an extension of your kitchen, being attached to a wall and offering three open sides.
Islands and peninsulas both offer great benefits and are highly functional. From creating extra work surface, additional storage and more room for socialising with your favourite people! Although the decision making process between the two may seem daunting at first, in reality it’ll more than likely come down to two major factors: the shape and size of your kitchen & livability (In other words, how do you and your family function within a kitchen and how will that be affected by the structure.)
On average, we would recommend an island for larger scale kitchens and peninsulas for ones on the smaller side. However, when talking about the available space in your kitchen, we might not always necessarily mean whether your kitchen is tiny or extremely large. It could be that your space is in fact on the larger size however the shape of it may not allow for a full island, therefore dictate over the island VS. peninsula decision drama. This is something you will want to discuss with your designer during your first design consultation with your kitchen’s plans at hand.
All in all, it really depends on the shape and size of your individual space. Either way, whether it be an island or a peninsula, you’re guaranteed to love it!
A Guide To Plants: Say "Aloe!" to Kitchen Plants
Bring the outside in with some kitchen plants! Plants are a great way to add life into your kitchen. As well as looking beautiful, they'll purify your air and add life to your kitchen.
Drape some English Ivy, Spider plants or a String of Pearl over open shelving or up and around a window for an easy way to make your kitchen look green and full of life.
Keeping a small kitchen garden on a worktop is a great way to add a natural, fresh and multipurpose element to your kitchen - they can also be used to spice up any recipe! Keeping an aloe near your sink may come in handy in case of any burns, mint, basil and coriander are some more great candidates as they're easy to maintain; they're basically indestructible!
Adding plants as well as fresh flowers is an excellent way to bring in brighter colours into your kitchen without the commitment of a paint job.
Some easy ways of ensuring your flowers remain fresh for longer are making sure to top them up with cold water and avoiding any direct sunlight. A myriad of shapes and colours on an island or windowsill add an additional interest and make a space feel instantly brighter!
A variety of live plants and flowers can easily transform your kitchen into a greener, eco space. Play around with height by adding smaller plants on high spaces like shelves and placing larger foliage like a Monstera Cheese plant or a Rubber plant on the floor in emptier corners that “just need something”. All in all, plants are a cost efficient way of updating a space and bringing in colour to your kitchen.
Choosing Handles For Your Kitchen
Choosing handles for your kitchen is one of the many important decisions to make during the design process. There are many different options available, but our clients usually end up choosing from Armac Martin’s range of solid brass handles. They are available in a range of finishes, including Satin Brass, Burnished Brass, Satin Nickel and Satin Chrome. Each handle is made in their Birmingham factory and finished by hand.
Our favourite handle collections are now available to purchase from the Herringbone Pantry along with a selection of decorative tiles and stone flooring. There are a range of styles, traditional, industrial and contemporary handles. We have used all of these on our classic framed shaker door and we love that they are versatile designs that can be customised to reflect your own personal style.
A recently completed kitchen in Essex with Satin Brass Sparkbrook pull handles
We design and make bespoke kitchens from our studio and workshop in Canterbury. We are a family business and we believe that kitchens should be built to last, from first steps to first dates. For more examples of the handles our client’s have chosen, have a look at our Projects page where we post images of kitchens we have designed and made together.
If you have any questions about choosing handles for your kitchen we would love to help, you can drop us a message on Instagram, by email or just give us a call on 01227638066.
Tea for Ru
On Saturday 16th June we will be joining others from across the UK to raise awareness and money for RU's Fund. Ru was a very happy little boy, who sadly passed away last August after being diagnosed with a rare form of paediatric cancer. Since than his parent's have done an incredible job at raising funding and awareness for rare and underfunded paediatric cancers.
Ru had a malignant rhabdoid tumours (MRT), which is a very rare but very aggressive tumour that occurs in childhood, with only a few cases diagnosed each year in the UK. Because the cancer is so rare, it is also one of the most underfunded.
Ru's Fund is a named fund for the Grace Kelly Ladybird Trust which aims to-
raise awareness of childhood cancer
educate about the early signs and symptoms
provide grants for research into rare and underfunded cancers
support families of children with rhabdoid tumours
