At Kitchen Design Centre, you’ve probably heard us talk a lot about the feel of our kitchens. And quite right too! But how do we define the ‘feel’ of a room? Well, there are a whole lot of factors in play, but out of all those factors, materials is definitely one of the biggest.
As a designer kitchen company, we know that when it comes to evoking emotions about our kitchens, a material’s texture is at least as important as its colour. You don’t need to have physical contact with a room to feel the power of textures in it. Glass, wood, stainless steel, stone and ceramic each has its own very distinct feel, and so each has a different set of characteristics associated with it. Stone feels hard to the touch, raw and unyielding, which is why it’s so often used in industrial kitchens, which feel powerful and hardwearing. Meanwhile the colour and tone of wood is well-known for its sense of warmth, making itself and its surroundings feel cosier and more intimate, a common characteristic of traditional kitchens. Then there’s the smooth curves and glossy shine of a contemporary kitchen – and again, it’s all to do with materials.
Picture a contemporary kitchen in your head, and then imagine instead of glossy kitchen cabinetry, it uses a rich, warm wood species instead. It would bring a completely different feel to the space. Different, we hasten to add, but not ‘wrong’! Some of the most fascinating and successful movements in kitchen design have been the results of experimenting with materials. Transitional kitchens are just one example of a kitchen design that’s largely reliant on innovative mixing of materials.
Here’s an interesting tidbit – studies have shown that our tactile senses have a dramatic effect on how we interact with people. One of these studies found that people who held warm drinks in their hands when interacting with others perceived others as warmer and friendlier. It’s just another demonstration of how the ‘feel’ of a space can affect how we interact with others in it. Soft or warm textures like wood make us feel cosy and emotionally safe, while rougher textures like stone can make a kitchen feel intimate and grounded.
This means that you can mix and match your materials to make a space that’s truly ‘you’. If you want some of the raw power of an industrial kitchen but blended with the impressive visual aesthetics of a contemporary kitchen, you can! All it takes is a bit of creative thinking and some experimentation with the materials. So you could have the functional, workhorse aesthetic embodied by your appliances and range hood, for example, while your glossy kitchen cabinetry represents the more contemporary element. Textured materials can also serve as the focal point in your kitchen – a traditional kitchen can be transformed into something new and exciting with the addition of a vibrant contemporary backsplash. It’s all up to you!
At Kitchen Design Centre, we’re all about creating kitchens that are truly a reflection of you. If you want to find out how, just pop into one of our designer kitchen showrooms in Manchester, Colne or Blackburn, where our expert staff are always happy to help.
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