Ask The Team is all about our talented designers helping you to solve your interior design dilemmas.
Our design team are full of insight and ideas so if you have a design question or are just in such of some inspiration hit us up!
Hi KLD!
I’d love to be bold and brave and paint my kitchen in a really dark shade to give it a totally new feel. Can you advise me on how to choose a dark colour that will really work?
Thanks, Jane
Hi Jane,
Thanks for getting in touch. Dark kitchens can be so powerful and stylish. We love navy and bluey-grey tones lately and have recently designed a few kitchens in these dramatic yet elegant shades. When choosing a dark colour the first thing I would advise is to go for a shade that is very definitely dark. You will get great impact by going for a colour that has a lot of depth and really beautifully rich tone.
It’s always a good idea to test out your colours and consider them together with other key features of the space like flooring, splash-backs, tiles, fabrics and finishes. If a beautifully rich grey blue colour is something you’d be keen to try I’d recommend Colourtrend’s ‘Into The Stratosphere’ (Code: 0627) or Day Spa (Code: 0634) which has a beautiful bluey-green tone. Here are a few examples of dark kitchen units to get you inspired.
Happy decorating!
Moya
Hi KLD Team!
I would like to revamp my hallway and stairs and love the paneling in your Before and After pics of the Ballsbridge Residence. My hallway is quite dark but we have a nice feature window on our return and (currently) white woodwork around doors etc. I have 2 young children and pets so the hall sees lots of action! Can you advise on paint colour/wall treatment?
Thanks in advance, Sarah
Hi Sarah,
We love how paneling can completely transform a space. Very often opting for a dark colour in a dark space is most effective. It means the colour will have maximum impact and as designer Abigail Aherne has taught us we shouldn’t fear dark rooms but instead embrace dark and moody shades. In terms of colours we love Colourtrend’s Thunderstorm, its a gorgeously moody grey and will create an amazing impact in your hallway.
As hallways are high traffic areas a gloss paint can be a good idea as they are extremely practical and can be wiped clean, a good idea with children around. You can consult with your painter on how much of a sheen you would like, as it doesn’t always have to be a full sheen. Here are some dark hallways we really love to get you inspired.
Best of luck with it!
Lauren
Hi KLD,
Our kitchen and living room needs livening up however we can’t afford a new kitchen at the moment. We just bought a vintage haberdashery unit which we intend to use as a peninsula island instead of our existing snack counter. We have lots of interesting art work however we feel our walls don’t do them justice. Any suggestions?
Robert
Hi Robert,
Thanks for getting in touch. I love the idea of the vintage unit for the peninsula island! Paint is one of the most powerful ways to transform on a budget – have you considered painting the space in an entirely different shade? You could also paint colour blocks behind your artwork to pick up on accent tones and really make the pictures stand out.
A gallery wall of artwork and photographs can also be a really nice touch. We love the IKEA picture ledges – these are a really easy way of showing off lots of art in a fun way. Here are a few ideas for kitchen art that will hopefully help.
Amy
If you need further help from our design team, we have recently launched the ‘Create by KLD’ service; a personalised interiors masterclass by KLD. To find out more visit our Create by KLD page by clicking here.