Magnet Kitchens - Winchester Dove Grey

[Paid Partnership with Magnet Kitchens]

I’m super happy and actually really rather proud, to announce that I’ll be working with Magnet Kitchens over the coming year as one of their team of ambassadors, alongside Stacey Sheppard, Luke Arthur Wells and Joanne Hardcastle.

A few weeks ago I spent a day on set with Magnet chatting about new launches, my style and how I like to style a kitchen, and 2021 trends, and I’ll be sharing a bit of all of that over the coming months.

Like everyone, my interior style has evolved over time, and I feel like I’ve landed in my happy place, where I know exactly what I like and what I don’t like, and what suits me and my home.

I also know that while I love a trend, that for big purchases and commitments, whether that’s a sofa, a chest of drawers, or larger investments like flooring, bathrooms and kitchens, that classic timeless choices really are the smart move. 

But that doesn’t mean you can’t indulge in a bit of fun with trends too, just keep them to the things that can be easily changed should you get bored of them, or even better, go for ‘trends’ that are classic and timeless anyway!

Magnet has a brilliant range of timeless kitchens, I particularly love their shaker styles, and today I’m excited to introduce the new Winchester Dove Grey.

One of Magnet’s newest kitchen designs, and one of my favourites, the Winchester is now available in this lovely warm soft pale grey, that ticks all my boxes.

It’s a fabulous elegant base that works beautifully with either traditional or contemporary styles, which means you won’t tire of it any time soon - it’s a real classic.

Dove Grey pairs beautifully with the Winchester as the lovely neutral hue somehow manages to feel fresh and modern yet ageless at the same time, and is stunning with bright or warm whites, darker greys and my favourite caramel and toffee colours too.

Dove Grey joins the existing Winchester colours, of cream, grey, sage and midnight.

Now, let’s talk styling…

My style is all about timeless elegance and laid-back liveable luxury. I like my home to feel welcoming, calm and warm. Curated and layered but not overly contrived or cluttered.

I approach kitchen styling like I would any other room: it should of course be practical for its intended purpose, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be beautifully styled and aesthetically pleasing too.

Kitchens are no longer just for cooking, they’re social spaces to come together with family and friends. There’s a reason they’re always referred to as the heart of the home - kitchens are for living in.

To complement Dove Grey, I had the back wall painted in Farrow and Ball’s London Stone, a warm mid brown, another timeless colour that sits really nicely next to Dove Grey.

I like to layer and combine lots of natural materials, textures and organic shapes, which help to soften the hard lines and surfaces.

Think different types of wood for chopping boards, bowls and utensils, natural marble and wicker accessories, and linen tea towels. Don’t be afraid to mix metals, it’s okay to have chrome, brass and bronze in the same space - metals are neutrals too.

To keep it modern and interesting keep an eye out for contemporary sculptural pieces to juxtapose with the organic materials and shapes. This could be a decorative object or a lamp.

And speaking of lamps, they’re my favourite trick to add to a kitchen worktop, peninsula or island, as an unexpected detail to help to further blur the line of a kitchen versus a living space. They also bring another level of lighting into the room which is so important for added atmosphere, especially after the cooking is done and it’s time to socialise and switch from task lighting to mood lighting!

Mix high-end with high street, and old with new. I always include at a least one vintage piece in every room to bring something completely unique, whether it’s vintage art a vintage pot to hold utensils or even a vintage dough bowl that can be used for fruit, or a decorative piece in its own right.

Clockwise from top left: Black Metal Lamp - H&M, Gold Cafetiere - Prep at Trouva, Scalloped Basket - Amazon, Chopping Boards - Design Vintage, Vintage Painting - The Vintage Art Gallery, Wooden Vessel - Design Vintage, Hand Wash - Arket, Footed Tray - H&M, Black Ceramic Canisters - Prep at Trouva, Candle - Diptyque, Vintage Dough Bowl - Etsy

Fruit and even vegetables can also be used to make beautiful edible displays which are cheaper than flowers! A bowl of lemons, limes, clementines or pomegranates brings in a touch of natural colour, or a bowl of artichokes for the amazing shape and texture.

Greenery is the final all important touch. It could be a huge vase of foliage, a fern in a footed bowl or even herbs in pots. Again, cheaper than flowers, but super effective. This will finish the room off and really bring it to life.

If you want to look into a Magnet kitchen, they have recently introduced virtual design appointments, making it super easy to find the perfect kitchen. They can even send samples of cupboard doors so that you can see the colours and feel the finish before choosing, which is so important. You don’t need to visit a store until you’re ready to decide on the final details. How brilliant is that!

Visit the Magnet website to explore all thier kitchens and book your virtual design appointment.