Get their look: Colour-block kitchen

Colour-block kitchencredit

This is a great colour-block kitchen in a family home in London. The peacock blue and sunflower yellow work brilliantly together as well as with the wooden flooring and furniture. The colours are perfect for a north-facing room such as this one; they create warmth and lift the mood. To allow as much light into the space as possible, skylights have been installed along two flanks and huge, bi-fold glass doors out to the garden.

The kitchen is bespoke, created using plywood cut to make best use of space. The clean, minimalist colour-block lines are achieved by making surfaces flush; there are no knobs or handles on doors or drawer fronts.

Get their look

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Prices & links correct at time of publication.

Cake tin set
Cake tin set
Fritz Hansen Grand Prix chair by Arne Jacobsen
Fritz Hansen Grand Prix chair by Arne Jacobsen
Stainless steel wall clock
Stainless steel wall clock
Dutchbone cradle pendant lamp
Dutchbone cradle pendant lamp
Crown Trade ‘The Victorian Eclectic Collection’ – Victorian Eclectic 4 paint
Crown Trade ‘The Victorian Eclectic Collection’ – Victorian Eclectic 4 paint
Dulux ‘Proud Peacock’ paint
Dulux ‘Proud Peacock’ paint
Cake tin set
Cake tin set
Fritz Hansen Grand Prix chair by Arne Jacobsen
Fritz Hansen Grand Prix chair by Arne Jacobsen
Stainless steel wall clock
Stainless steel wall clock
Dutchbone cradle pendant lamp
Dutchbone cradle pendant lamp
Crown Trade ‘The Victorian Eclectic Collection’ – Victorian Eclectic 4 paint
Crown Trade ‘The Victorian Eclectic Collection’ – Victorian Eclectic 4 paint
Dulux ‘Proud Peacock’ paint
Dulux ‘Proud Peacock’ paint
Cake tin set
Cake tin set
Fritz Hansen Grand Prix chair by Arne Jacobsen
Fritz Hansen Grand Prix chair by Arne Jacobsen
Stainless steel wall clock
Stainless steel wall clock
Dutchbone cradle pendant lamp
Dutchbone cradle pendant lamp
Crown Trade ‘The Victorian Eclectic Collection’ – Victorian Eclectic 4 paint
Crown Trade ‘The Victorian Eclectic Collection’ – Victorian Eclectic 4 paint
Dulux ‘Proud Peacock’ paint
Dulux ‘Proud Peacock’ paint

Price Points: Magnetic knife racks

Magnetic knife racks

Before we moved, we stuck our kitchen knives on magnetic knife racks. We currently keep them with all the other kitchen utensils in a big, deep drawer in a butcher’s block.

To be honest, I don’t think it’s the safest way to store them; it would be easy to cut your hand or fingers reaching down carelessly into a tangle of implements.

As a pair of former chefs, we have almost two dozen kitchen knives. Different tasks require different tools; slicing a loaf of bread, chopping onions, peeling veg… we both have favourite knives for certain jobs.

We previously had very industrial ones that you’d see in every professional restaurant kitchen. However, I’m liking the look of the wooden ones – which would have a magnetic strip embedded within. For our quantity of knives, we’ll probably need a pair of racks… and you can’t go wrong with two for less than a tenner!

  1. 2 x 38cm Bamboo magnetic knife holders: £8.95, eBay
  2. KUNGSFORS Magnetic knife rack, stainless steel – 56cm: £12.00, IKEA
  3. Oak and walnut magnetic knife rack – 40cm: £45.00, Etsy

shop magnetic knife racks

Some of the links on our blog are affiliate links. We may receive a small commission - at no cost to you - if you click through and make a purchase.
Prices & links correct at time of publication.

Oak and walnut magnetic knife rack – 40cm
Oak and walnut magnetic knife rack – 40cm
£45.00
KUNGSFORS Magnetic knife rack, stainless steel – 56cm
KUNGSFORS Magnetic knife rack, stainless steel – 56cm
£12.00
2 x 38cm Bamboo magnetic knife holders
2 x 38cm Bamboo magnetic knife holders
£8.95
Oak and walnut magnetic knife rack – 40cm
Oak and walnut magnetic knife rack – 40cm
£45.00
KUNGSFORS Magnetic knife rack, stainless steel – 56cm
KUNGSFORS Magnetic knife rack, stainless steel – 56cm
£12.00
2 x 38cm Bamboo magnetic knife holders
2 x 38cm Bamboo magnetic knife holders
£8.95
Oak and walnut magnetic knife rack – 40cm
Oak and walnut magnetic knife rack – 40cm
£45.00
KUNGSFORS Magnetic knife rack, stainless steel – 56cm
KUNGSFORS Magnetic knife rack, stainless steel – 56cm
£12.00
2 x 38cm Bamboo magnetic knife holders
2 x 38cm Bamboo magnetic knife holders
£8.95
Oak and walnut magnetic knife rack – 40cm
Oak and walnut magnetic knife rack – 40cm
£45.00
KUNGSFORS Magnetic knife rack, stainless steel – 56cm
KUNGSFORS Magnetic knife rack, stainless steel – 56cm
£12.00
2 x 38cm Bamboo magnetic knife holders
2 x 38cm Bamboo magnetic knife holders
£8.95
Oak and walnut magnetic knife rack – 40cm
Oak and walnut magnetic knife rack – 40cm
£45.00
KUNGSFORS Magnetic knife rack, stainless steel – 56cm
KUNGSFORS Magnetic knife rack, stainless steel – 56cm
£12.00
2 x 38cm Bamboo magnetic knife holders
2 x 38cm Bamboo magnetic knife holders
£8.95

Create a stylish kitchen on a budget

Create a stylish kitchen on a budget

The kitchen is one of the most important rooms in your home. It’s certainly one of the first areas that a potential buyer will look at if they’re thinking about putting down an offer on your property. It was probably one of the rooms you focused on when you bought the house in the first place. So, what do we want from our kitchen? Well, it should be stylish, contemporary and perhaps even a tad futuristic with fun, exciting design features. So, check out some of the ways to create a stylish kitchen on a budget and without breaking the bank.

White metro wall tiles in a kitchen

Cleaning it up

Is your kitchen looking a little worse for wear? You might think it’s out of date, but it could simply be a little bit tired, and there are clever ways to clean it up without spending any money at all. For instance, your kitchen tiles might be looking a little greasy and grimy. If that’s the case, if you treat them with a powerful cleaning solution, you should find that you soon get the original colour and condition of those tiles back. Kitchen cleaning and getting your hands dirty is a great way to save a little money and make sure you don’t waste a fortune on an unnecessary renovation job. Of course, you can also think about clearing away any clutter in your kitchen.

Small induction hob inset into a white countertop

Energy-saving additions

It’s worth pointing out other additions to your kitchen that, while slightly expensive, will save you money in the long run. Modern heat induction hobs look fantastic with beautiful, vibrant light designs and save you a fortune in energy. They’ll only heart the underneath of the surface of the pan that you’re using. In addition, you can also easily heat things like glass casserole dishes on the hob too. With an upgrade like this for your kitchen, you can ensure it looks impressive and is a brilliant, practical addition to your home.

Although that’s certainly not the only tech that would be a worthy addition to your kitchen. You can also think about investing in a new smart fridge. As well as being a great little energy saver, this will improve the enjoyment you get from your kitchen. You’ll certainly find it useful if you constantly forget what you need to buy to top up your supplies when you’re at the supermarket. The smart fridge can send you a virtual list and ensure you always have enough butter, milk, eggs and veg. Plus, don’t forget to get an aerial services specialist to install a TV connection in your kitchen, that way you can watch your favourite shows while you cook.

Herbs growing in a pot on a kitchen countertop

Add a few accessories

If you want your kitchen to look more stylish and attractive, think about adding a few accessories such as a chalkboard, growing herbs in pots and colourful utensil holder. You can get other little ornaments for your kitchen too that can make it feel more homely and welcoming. The best part is that little accessories like this won’t cost that much money at all and so they could be the perfect option if you’re working to renovate your kitchen on a budget.

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You may approach the bench

Un-restored vintage work bench | H is for Home

In last Monday’s Get their Look post we featured a very nice relaxed kitchen which combined open shelving and contemporary fixtures & fittings with one-off vintage pieces. One such item was a lovely rustic work bench that took a prominent position in the space. As luck had it, we came across this old woodworking bench at auction the following day. With the potential that these items possess still firmly in our mind, we obviously couldn’t resist putting in a bid.

Vintage unrestored work bench showing the side attached vice

We already have a large work bench in our own kitchen, but you can never have too many! We’re confident that this one will look amazing after a bit of TLC. First off, it needs a good wash to remove the grime. Fortunately, there’s no horrible layers of grease, oil or tar – so that should be a very straightforward task with a bit of diluted wood wash. Then, we’ll let it dry thoroughly, make a couple of tiny repairs, then finally wax and polish. We can see that the wood has a lovely colour and grain beneath the dust and grime.

Vintage unrestored work bench showing the tool storage holes

The finished piece will be perfect for the kitchen or garden room. The holes along one edge are ideal for knives, wooden spoons or other kitchen utensils… trowels and dibbers if it ends up with a more horticultural re-purposing. There’s plenty of space underneath for boxes, baskets or sacks too. This one doesn’t have slats sitting atop the cross stretchers. We’ll probably leave as is, but they could easily be added if desired.

Here are some more examples of these old work benches given new leases of life!

Vintage workbench in a carpenter's studiocredit

Vintage wooden work bench upcycled as a sink islandcredit

Vintage wooden work bench upcycled into a kitchen islandcredit

Vintage wooden work bench repurposed into a dining tablecredit