The kitchen has become a special place in a house. We like to relax there, we spend a lot of time preparing good food, we have drinks with friends… It is therefore essential that the kitchen is perfectly designed and beautiful to feel good. What better way to create a modern and chic kitchen than to call on the services of a renowned kitchen designer? Here are our tips for your kitchen.
Even though style is important in a kitchen, it is necessary that the kitchen is functional and easy to use. To achieve this, the different elements should not be placed in any particular way. The kitchen designer will be able to help you find the best solutions to create a coherent and logical space. You can also take inspiration from our online catalogue on our website.
There are several zones to set up, regardless of the size of your room. In a kitchen, the main zone is the activity triangle, which allows you to work quickly and efficiently without wasting time or effort. It includes the preparation and storage area (fridge, worktop), the cooking area (hob and oven) and the washing area (sink and dishwasher). These areas should be placed logically and optimised in your future kitchen. To do this, you can group the various cupboards together under the worktop and above it, all of which should be adjacent to the cold area (freezer and refrigerator). This way, you can quickly put away all your groceries without having to go through the kitchen and find what you need when preparing your meals.
The cooking area should not be too far from the worktop but should obviously remain far from the refrigerator (which should not be heated so as not to consume too much electricity). In this area, you can integrate a storage cupboard for your kitchen utensils (pots, oven dishes, pans, etc.).
Finally, the washing area should be installed where the water inlet and outlet are located. However, it is possible to carry out plumbing work to change the layout and move these two points elsewhere.
This is called a triangle, but depending on the configuration of the room, it may be a slightly different shape. The main thing is that each point must be easily accessible from another. For an I-shaped kitchen, for example, the zones will follow each other on one wall. For a double I, the cooking point is placed opposite the other two zones.
Once the layout is in place, it is essential to think about style.
We all dream of having a superb kitchen in our provincial house or city centre flat. So why not make your dream come true?
To do this, the kitchen designer will take into account various criteria. First of all, the colour scheme of your room. The colour of the walls and furniture is at the heart of this issue to offer a neat decoration. The style of the furniture and appliances is also important. A beautiful kitchen should be kept simple. The walls should not be overloaded to allow the eye to circulate as well as possible. Light should be brought in to illuminate the space.
Whether you are more rustic or contemporary, there is the perfect kitchen. Here are some examples of chic kitchen designs.
Do you love industrial style kitchens? These kitchens are very popular at the moment. It is true that they are particularly elegant and modern.
To create a refined ensemble, you need to focus on contrasts. The sophistication is brought by sober colours such as dark grey or black. Different materials should also be used in the kitchen. Small touches of concrete (worktop, for example) will blend in perfectly with wood (cabinet door). The talent of the kitchen designer will be to know how to “dose” these notes so that they remain elegant. You can opt for black furniture and appliances that you place in a row on a wall. The originality will be placed on the central island with metal and wood elements combined with refinement. To finish off this type of kitchen in style, don’t hesitate to display your dishes or small appliances in niches. After all, “orderly clutter” is part of the industrial style.
Very often, an industrial kitchen is open to the living room. The island (the essential touch of modern kitchens) will make the difference. It is therefore essential to choose it carefully. It can be made in different ways: herringbone, single square or rectangular block, T-shaped or L-shaped. To be elegant, it must be graphic. Don’t forget that it will become the centrepiece of your kitchen space.
If having an open kitchen doesn’t suit you, why not adopt a glass roof? It is a solution to keep a style without fault and the luminosity while closing the kitchen. It can replace a wall, be placed above the island, create a window effect between the rooms… Choose a model that matches the rest of the decoration for an elegant effect.
Your kitchen designer will also think about the accessories that will make the difference and personalise your room to the full. He can choose a superb multiple metal suspension to recall the industrial style with talent. Bare bulbs are also an excellent choice.
If you have a dining area in the kitchen, you will naturally also want to choose the perfect table and chairs. Purists will love to position seats inspired by the famous Tulip chairs, for example.
The rustic or country kitchen is not just for country houses. This style can also be integrated into a modern house in the centre of town.
Antique wooden furniture, such as a beautiful central island, can be combined with rustic stone walls. Antique elements should not be overused but chosen with care. They must be of high quality for a perfect effect. Wood is the king of the rustic kitchen, but it should be placed intelligently to enhance the space and not overwhelm it with a stifling appearance. Dark, untreated wood can be used in a very bright room for a solid piece of furniture with drawers. If this is not the case, you can also paint your furniture with white character or use light-coloured wood that is left unfinished for greater authenticity. The wood to be favoured in a kitchen is oak. But you can also choose walnut, ash, cherry, pine or exotic woods like wenge and even bamboo.
The country chic kitchen can also go off the beaten track by going green. This is a major current trend that plays on green colours (walls, plants, decorative objects) and natural materials (wood naturally, but also wicker, which can be used for hanging lights). If the space available is large, you can dress a wall with vintage wallpaper, flowers, for example. The rustic style allows you to reconnect your space with nature very easily.
If space allows, you can also succumb to the large cooking piano, which is reminiscent of old-fashioned cookers.
A kitchen can be rustic and modern at the same time. The different elements are mixed together for a successful result. You can place antique wooden furniture (which can be diverted from their original use), a zellige credenza and contemporary appliances in pastel tones or, for the more adventurous, in stainless steel. However, if you opt for the latter solution, it is important that the style of the kitchen is flawless or the effect will be ruined. Stainless steel will be perfect with, for example, a wall made of old grey stone.
As for the decorative elements, wooden furniture with glass doors and antique pots on shelves are preferred. The atmosphere should be warm and familiar.
The Scandinavian style can also skilfully divert a chic country decor to modernise it.
Not sure and would like to find other sources of inspiration? Why not turn to the trendy Shelfie style, an ultra chic trend that is sure to catch the eye. You’ll need to choose wise and contemporary shades for your space, such as a beautiful dark blue, black, white or a delicate green, depending on your preferences. No eccentricity is required here. Go for timeless colours that work well with this refined style. Add the main element: the tableware. Shelfie is all about beautiful objects. The aim is to display your dishes in a chic setting. Shelves or display units (preferably high, more visible) are therefore used. Don’t forget the lights that will highlight these areas with talent. With pretty, discreet spotlights or more original lamps, the eye must be directed towards your objects. They are the stars. And of course, the more noble the tableware, the more successful the style. Don’t hesitate to invest in famous brands (your kitchen designer will be able to recommend Tokyo Design Studio, Costa Nova and Lagostina from Italy or Degrenne, among others).
Neo-classical kitchens are also an excellent choice for designing a chic room. It will be perfect in a Haussmannian flat but can also be used in other places without any problem. Contrasts of colours (light and dark) can be played with on a distinguished white background. Touches of metallic slate and baroque are used for a successful effect. Symmetry is the order of the day and the different elements are distributed as best as possible around the worktop. We fall in love with a Versailles parquet floor and adopt a white coffered ceiling. The focus is on details such as pretty matt black furniture legs that enhance the cinnamon-coloured furniture. We play on the harmony of curves and straight lines.
