Sleek, modern kitchens are all very well, but this year the buzz is all about the ‘kitschen’. Packed with colour, textiles, and vintage accessories, the kitschen is a place of great charm. Where certain kitchens can feel like highly functional, hygienic spaces, the kitschen embraces eccentricity and idiosyncratic touches. It has more personality and is more forgiving of a little light mess and clutter. What are the essential components of a kitschen? Colour is certainly one: this is not a place for brilliant white, grey or metal surfaces: instead, think cabinets and walls painted in rich hues or prettier, paler shades. Texture is also key: fabrics have a large role to play, so consider incorporating curtains instead of cabinet doors, while panelled walls can make a great alternative to expanses of tile. When it comes to lighting, avoid spotlights at all costs and scatter table lamps throughout the space; they will provide softer light and decorative touches too. And take the time to really decorate: fill the space with considered accessories and hang plenty of artwork on the walls. We've selected our favourite purchases to make it easy to get the kitschen look at home.
The right accessories can absolutely make a kitschen, even if you do nothing else. Invest in some pretty ceramics that you'll be happy to leave on the counters, and look for bright colours and a vintage aesthetic. We're also rather keen at the moment on the rich earthy hues of slipware, which have a pleasingly timeless feel. An enamel bread bin is a perennial classic, as is Sabre's traditional French cutlery.
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A kitschen is no place for harsh lighting. If you're renovating from scratch, make room for one or two wall lights, but otherwise adding some charming table lamps to your counters will work wonders. For overhead lighting, a cone-shaped enamel shade is a classic choice.
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This kind of kitchen absolutely requires plenty of decoration on the walls themselves. Take inspiration from Butter Wakefield's kitchen above and create a gallery wall that combines vintage art, decorative plates and some cheap and cheerful flower prints.
