Make your kitchen cosy

TODAY’S kitchens are warm, welcoming and cosseting environments. They are social spaces at the heart of family life, where meals are shared, homework is completed and creative ideas are hatched, so it is important to curate a cosy kitchen that is loved by all.

Whether you are looking to make the most of a small kitchen or make a large kitchen feel more intimate, these cosy room ideas for kitchens and expert tips are guaranteed to inspire.

Add a fireplace

Nothing beats a roaring fire for hunkering down on colder days. While you may not want one in a kitchen, designed purely for cooking, a fireplace can provide much-needed snugness in an open-plan kitchen space. Imagine drinking hot chocolate on the island or hosting a dinner party with the lights low and flickering flames in the background.

Mix it up

Bold kitchen colour mixes and material mash-ups can triumph in a bid for cosiness. Getting the right balance can be harder than it looks, but it helps to build it up, adding and taking away over time. Do not feel pressured to do it all in one go. Start by choosing the calming backdrop to your composition; there needs to be a counterbalance to the layers of richness. For example, work a heavy pattern wallpaper with block colour on kitchen cabinets, then establish the elements you are certain about, such as a special rug you plan to use in the scheme and use the colours in this to build outwards.

Source antiques

A round table provides a convivial gathering point and does not take up too much space. Surround it with 19th-century reupholstered antique chairs to make it soft and cosy.

A clear lantern above adds a more contemporary touch. The kitchen cabinets should be painted in a bespoke soft apricot gloss, which warms up the corner and partners beautifully with the table’s rich finish.

Create a quiet corner

There is nothing quite like a squishy armchair tucked next to the range cooker for toe-toasting comfort on a cold winter’s day. Positioned next to the bay window should be a fuss-free Shaker kitchen. An old leather armchair is just the ticket. The ideal armchair will be a little battered, so nobody needs to worry about tea spills or changing out of gardening wear.

Make it one of a kind

Introducing design details that are typically found in laid-back living rooms is a fail-safe way to increase the cosiness of your kitchen. Modern kitchens should be more than just functional spaces; we aim to create a relaxed atmosphere by incorporating antiques, bespoke or unusual finds, along with a standout piece of art. This helps to counterbalance the uniformity of built-in joinery and adds a layered, well-established feel to a kitchen.

Work the windows

A simple window seat can be all it takes to make your kitchen a cosier, more inviting space. As well as providing a place for you and your guests to perch, it can also make an ingenious storage solution by incorporating cupboards, drawers or a hinged lid. A cushion or upholstered top adds a level of comfort and allows you to incorporate a splash of colour. We generally think of a kitchen as being a place of cooking and standing on our feet, but often, they are social hubs of households; window seats provide a place to talk, relax and fully utilise the room.

Curate a display

Adorning walls and shelves with favourite artwork is a classic way of dialing down the functional side of your kitchen and turn up the comfort levels. Propping can appear more relaxed than hanging and makes it easier to switch in joyful new finds or change up the frames.

Shut out the world

When a kitchen starts feeling a bit too crisp and austere, curtains can soften the edges and create a cosier vibe. The kitchen typically does not call for as much privacy as a bedroom or living room, so let the natural light flow and go for something unlined or maybe even sheer. There is really no limit to what kind of fabric works best in a kitchen, although we often recommend clients dare to go for something vibrant since drapery is quite easy to swap out over time.

Encase in colour

Tones from the warm side of the colour wheel can have transformative powers on the cosy front. Using different tones of a warm colour can envelop the space, creating a cosiness that almost acts like a hug. Use wooden accents on a kitchen island, open shelving or flooring to create an extra warmth. Lock down the right combination by putting samples together and assessing them in different lights at different times of the day. — Wires