Kitchen Brights: Pick Your Hue!

For years I've been left frustrated when shopping for small kitchen appliances. You know the ones I mean: those appliances that resemble a lump of steel or have a cheap white finish. So you can imagine Mr. Bazaar's delight when he happened upon the Kenwood kMix range of kitchen electricals, a collection of colour block brights for your kitchen that could easily have been commissioned by Mr. B himself! (Also check out their Barcelona food mixer - talk about love at first sight!) The moment I saw the range I knew it contained ideal pieces to use as accent pieces to a pared back or simple colour palette. Take the first kitchen as an example, where tomato red accents have been used across the electricals and utensils to add interest and warmth to the otherwise clinical and industrial space. By sticking to one accent colour the resulting scheme feels consistent and visually balanced. Yet don't be fooled by these clever brights because they earn their keep beyond a standard white kitchen, as seen in the second kitchen unit where pink and orange accent pieces create a sophisticated yet playful palette. For my Bright.Bazaar kitchen I'm opting for the yellow colourway but which colour would you pick to brighten your kitchen, friends?
// Kitchen photography by Tim Young for Ideal Home | Shelving via Ideal Home | Animation by Will Taylor for Bright.Bazaar 

{Colour Cocktail: Pink and Orange}

This week two of the world's pop colour heavy weights join forces to make a cocktail so strong it could blow the roof of the house off. Ok, not really, but these are two very bright and very determined colours. Pairing them up should spell disaster, but done right these two vibrant personalities don't clash. In fact, they get on pretty damn well. And anything that featured in Domino is our friend, right? Thought so! Thanks for another fun week, friends. Have a fantabulous weekend and I can't wait to see you back here on Monday. x

Images (from top, left to right): 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

{Rice: Fall Collection 2010}

I'm a huge fan of the fall season; the orange hues of the leaves, roaring fires and the more adventurous clothing fashions compared to the more predictable trends of spring/summer. It's not only in fashion collections where I feel fall designs are more interesting than s/s, it's for interior brands as well. Rice is no exception as this feast of warm brights and maximalist ideas demonstrates. My top three favourites have to be the inviting textiles, poppy melamine pieces and the multi coloured cooking pans. What would you choose from their new collection to brighten up your place?

Images: Rice

{Colour Cocktail: Grey and Yellow}

I've felt quite inspired by masculine-meeting-feminine spaces this week; from the sophisticated and colourful designs of Nate Berkus, to the fun my style challenge ran by Ally. So, I decided to make this week's colour cocktail on a combo that worked perfectly in such spaces. I love both of these shades - on their own or as a combo, but the latter really helps to bring each partner alive. Don't you think the grey makes the yellow pop and the yellow makes the grey look deep, thoughtful and comforting? This is the kinda colour cocktail you'd expect to see in a high-end Manhattan hotel with a room over looking the park and the glistening lights and yellow cabs below acting as an extension of the scheme. I'm going to dream of this over the weekend...whatever you do, I hope you have a great time and see you next week. x

Images (top, left to right): 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

{Yellow}

I know, I know I'm kinda infatuated (understatement of 2010?) with this cheery, poptastic hue, but I just can't get enough. So, more yellow yumminess it is! Every day I feel inspired by it's welcoming and strangely comforting nature and after many of you fell in love with these yellow doors, I thought you wouldn't mind a bit more sunshine. Plus, as it's only Tuesday we can all do with a bit of bright decor goodness, right? Let's dive on in: I have to find out where these yellow pom pom curtains (4) are from (anyone know?) and the piece of art (6) behind that eclectic, vintage-inspired vignette would be a hallway dream for me.

Images: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

{Red}

Red is a funny one for me. I grew up loving it (a whole wall in my bedroom was dedicated to it) but in recent years it has fallen out of favour with my interior tastes. I'm not too sure why, but what I do know is that it pops up quite regularly in decor schemes and for some is a must have colour in their homes. If introduced as a surprise pop then I do find myself liking red, but I'm still finding it hard to rekindle the fondness I held for it as a child. Still, I wouldn't say no to the sophisticated yet laid back living room (1) and the two dining rooms (2, 6) are certainly schemes that call out to me. Do you like decorating with red?

Images: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

{Colour Inspiration: Pink #2}

All the lovely, sparkling chandeliers from this morning have gotten me in the mood for another hit of pink. And why not, hey? It makes a change from the usual white shades we see painted on exposed brick walls (1) and as for that hallway (9), well, if I walked through the door to that I'd be super happy. Notice how pink and white are paired together almost through out these images. Interesting to see how subtle introductions of green (1, 8), through the headboard and cake stand respectively, help to lift the two schemes. All of these rooms are yummy, which is your favourite?

Images: 1. AT; 2, 5, 6. Homeshoppingspy; 3, 8, 9. BelleMaison; 4. Caitlin; 7. Decorista

{Colour Inspiration: Purple}

Purple is an interior decorator's ticket to adding drama to a scheme. As these images demonstrate, this is not often a colour of sublety. That said, it can look fantastic and is at its best when used in dining rooms and, somewhat surprisingly, kitchens. My top tip for using purple would be to either be brave and hit your room with a punch of the jewel-like colour (1, 11) or just use as a surprise accent (4, 7). My favourite purple schemes are the kitchens (2, 6) - I think it's the unexpected nature of purple being used in them. Have you, or would you, decorate with purple?

Images: 1. Domino; 2, 10, 11. Coloureffect; 3. Casasugar; 4, 12. Living Etc; 5. TheLennoxx; 6. Cocomale; 7. zainteriora; 8. Julianinterior; 9. Manobluedesign