Edinburgh kitchen renovation dazzles with unlikely colour pairing
This mid-century terraced home in Edinburgh was in desperate need of an update: a previous clunky layout featuring a long narrow kitchen separate from the living room meant the family of four living here rarely got to spend time together.
Architectural practice AGORA stepped in using their expert knowledge to provide a perfect personalised solution. The result is an impressive home that enhances family life, the heart of which is this colourful, contemporary open-plan kitchen and living space.
Moving the kitchen to the back of the home made the most of the generous width of the building, allowing for a new spacious area to cook, eat, and relax. The new kitchen area includes a freestanding island with a breakfast bar, and relaxed dining set-up overlooking the garden. The space is filled with glorious natural light enhanced by large glass double bifold doors that open up to the family's garden, and an additional kitchen window. Introducing a window seat creates the perfect cosy nook for reading.
The building's steel structure has been left partly exposed, introducing a modern industrial twist, but painting the beams in a lively green ensures the space still feels homely. The visible metal beams define the living area or 'snug', a space tucked away from the bright light ideal for curling up and watching movies, equipped with a fireplace.
This clever open-plan solution creates space to watch television, prepare dinner and relax in the kitchen, making the most of family time together at home.
Bespoke oak kitchen cabinetry built by Archispek brings cohesion to the space, linking to wooden furniture in the living area. Smooth edged wooden cabinets exude timeless minimalist appeal, enhanced by concealed appliances. The instant hot water tap removes the need for a kettle, and a hob with integrated extractor means no clunky ceiling extractor fan. The kitchen remains uncluttered and calm.
The oak cabinets are beautifully paired with the quartz Caesarstone countertop (4043 Primordia). Warm tones and beautiful natural patinas visible in both materials enables the two distinct surfaces to sit harmoniously together. Elsewhere, the bold zig-zag pattern of the smart herringbone floorboards by Ted Todd adds a grounding geometric pattern throughout.
Don't be fooled into thinking the homeowners are afraid of colour. Soft neutral browns and greys are paired bravely with rose pinks and vivid greens, provided by Lick paints, introducing an element of playfulness to the space. Layering different tonalities gives the room added depth, as does the open shelving unit, the perfect backdrop to a carefully curated collection of white ceramic objects, whose forms stand out boldly against the green. The use of green paint also cleverly links the kitchen to the natural world beyond the doors.
By choosing warm, earthy greens and pinks, the living space remains cohesive as the pops of colour sit happily with the more woody and natural hues. This joyful renovation puts family first while showing that a colourful kitchen can still be a calming and utterly classy space.
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