Here Are 4 Principles for Good Kitchen Design — and the New Color from Le Creuset that Illustrates Them
Can something as workaday as your cookware spark joy? We think it can. You may already be familiar with Le Creuset’s iconic pots and pans and their beautiful, brilliant colors. But they just added another color to the spectrum: Meet Nectar, a joyful, honeyed shade of yellow that will put a smile on your face every time you walk into your kitchen.
The kitchen is a very practical space, but it doesn’t have to be boring. To prove it, we put together kitchens in two different styles that show the impact this sunny yellow can have on your space — while also appealing to those who like a more minimal look. Pull the slider on the image below to see our kitchen transition from a monochrome look to a high-contrast — yet still unified — design.
On the left, our monochrome scheme uses Le Creuset’s pieces in Meringue and White for a simple but striking look. The reason this tightly curated palette has so much warmth is because it has variation: the Meringue has a very nice gradient from white to cream that brings depth to these neutrals. Meanwhile, the right image adds the high contrast of Nectar and Indigo for a look that adds color while keeping a unified feel. And regardless of which style you prefer, here a few kitchen design principles to live by.
Want to know what these pieces are? Here are some of the new Nectar pieces we used in the photo above:
Don’t be afraid to embrace texture.
Texture is one of the best — but most overlooked — ways to add warmth, beauty, and depth to a space. If your kitchen feels a little bit cold, try adding some wood accents, like a cutting board or a wall-mounted knife block like the one seen above (also a great space saver). Le Creuset is known for its cookware, but it also makes the wood-topped storage canisters seen here in a range of their signature colors. (And those colors are ever-growing! Look out for new spins on texture coming from Le Creuset this spring.)
If you like color, why not go with more than one?
Who says a room has to have just one color? Try keeping most of your space neutral, and then adding a main color, with sprinkles of an accent color to play up contrast. Here, pots and mugs and casserole dishes in bright Nectar pair really beautifully with accents in Indigo, a rich, deep blue. (Another color to acquaint yourself with: Le Creuset recently introduced Artichaut, a striking deep green. See it in action here.)
Build your collection slowly with pieces you love.
In real life (as opposed to in photo shoots or design shows) spaces don’t usually come together all at once. Sure, it would be great to have the money to outfit an entire room in one go, but that’s not most people’s reality. Try building up slowly with pieces you really love. Le Creuset pieces aren’t cheap, but their famed quality — many come with lifetime warranties — means that you’ll have them for a long, long time. And if you only buy pieces that you really love, chances are good that your aesthetic will come together naturally; you’ll start to see a clear direction without the need to stress about everything matching.
When in doubt, add plants.
If your kitchen has enough light, adding plants can be a real game-changer. Plants bring texture, color, and style to any space. They can also be really practical: Growing herbs right in your kitchen will make your food fresher and make your space smell delicious.