The
Colourist
A project with Interior Designer, Tess MacGeachy from Amber Yard.
What was the inspiration for this project?
The client really loved colour and therefore I wanted to incorporate it into the project but not allow it to be too overpowering so we decided to use lots of neutrals to balance it out. I very much love pattern and print and the balance of antique and new so we sourced a lot of items to make the project be one of its own. We received inspiration from the location and so lots of scottish attributes are dotted around – antique golf clubs, tartan, thistle motifs. We wanted the house to be fun and a place to entertain and it definitely is just that.
The project feels timeless, with shaker doors & a Belfast sink. Was it important that the kitchen design stood the test of time?
Definitely. I describe the style of my work is timeless eclectic. I love the mix of traditional pieces with contemporary twists. With kitchens I generally will work with shaker style and the Belfast sink for example and this fitted with the property very well, but we decided to add pops of colour to make it slightly more fun and just a little different.
Strong colour choices really bring this project to life, what made you choose these colours & how do you go about balancing a strong palette?
I love colour and I think it is such a simple way to upgrade your home. A green kitchen worked perfectly with the green of the outdoors, and the tone of the colour being ‘muddy’ as I describe it, made it felt very sophisticated in the space. The pinks and oranges were brought in on top to add contrast, and I think lots of colours can work very well together when combined in the right tones and shades. The balance of colours is very important too, they all need to work in balance and not overpower each other.
We see lots of light countertops these days, how did you decide on contrasting counters?
Because it was such a large kitchen with lots of worktop space, we didn’t want it to be too samey samey, and therefore adding the black countertop to the outer countertops, allowed there to be a difference and make the space more interesting, else it would have been a lot of white countertop! Spaces need to be exciting and a room should have lots of focal points and things that catch your eye! no corner left forgotten. It is true white countertops are in, but with the green, the black worked really well.
The extractor fan is a thing of beauty in this kitchen, how did you make sure that functional elements, like this, flowed with the design?
I do think where something like an extractor fan can be seen as just a functional item, you should try and make it look aesthetically lovely to look at too. Its similar to integrated fridges and dishwashers, placing them behind a door just makes the kitchen flow and not allow a functional item stand out for the wrong reasons.
What was the inspiration for this project?
The client really loved colour and therefore I wanted to incorporate it into the project but not allow it to be too overpowering so we decided to use lots of neutrals to balance it out. I very much love pattern and print and the balance of antique and new so we sourced a lot of items to make the project be one of its own. We received inspiration from the location and so lots of scottish attributes are dotted around – antique golf clubs, tartan, thistle motifs. We wanted the house to be fun and a place to entertain and it definitely is just that.
We'd love to hear how the David L Douglas team supported your design, from consultation to completion.
Micheal is fab, really great to work with, I came in with the designs and we were able to create exactly what I envisioned, with added components that raised it to the next level. All the carpentry is really beautifully made and definitely will be going back for future Scottish projects.