colour and texture Archives - Simply Trini Cooking

Less is More; The joy of Simplicity

October 12, 2013 by Felix Leave a Comment

A simple lifestyle is echoed in a minimalist design style. This style is not fussy but can be quite pleasing to the eye when the right natural textures and colours are combined.

I find this style encouraging for those who are de-cluttering or like order. It is also ideal for the cook who likes simple and down to earth food. Since this style is very natural and focuses on functional elements. It is also considered therapeutic.

A room that has clean lines; calming colours and textures on the walls, cabinets, and furniture; a simple window that brings the outdoor in can be very calming to babies, children (especially those who suffer from ADD), and “shut-ins”. The minimalist style of decorating is perfect for those who look forward to winding down at home after a hard days work.

Therefore, this style is not for the collector. The person who would buy, every week without failing, a new wall piece for the kitchen wall. The elements in this style are focused, uniformed in appearance and the aim is simple, but elegant. This means that there are few well placed ornaments; a few basic geometric shapes; and textures and colours are clean. All the cooking utensils are stored in the cupboards. The style imitates nature and is therefore perfect for the outdoor kitchen as well.

Some people think that this style, with its detail use of natural materials such solid timber, can be a bit expensive to pull off. It is like a contradiction, but with a good design plan a minimalist style can be possible. It is also possible when you consider first these .

Some designers suggest that open cabinets can be used. However, uniformity is important. For instance a space is used for a collection of cookbooks, a uniform paper cover can be used on the books. Displays are singular as well. That means if you must group items they must similar and place in an area where balance is maintained.

Creating More Than What Meets The Eye

November 27, 2011 by Felix Leave a Comment

Texture and pattern will help your create depth in your decorating, and so it can play with your senses. All surfaces or material have some texture or feel, but you should note it is a lot more than a surface or material being rough or smooth. Textures can make a room seem smaller, cozier, cold, and even impersonal. These feelings occur when the pattern in the texture is repeated.

Small spaces such as these can benefit from sleek textures. Depth can be created in small spaces with heavily textured furniture and accessories against a sleek background. As a result, the room emanates warmth and comfort.

Texture and Pattern

Texture also affects pattern. Texture can make a pattern on a surface seem less coarse. It affects colour as well; it can make a colour seem more intense. Thus texture can be your decorative tool to draw attention to an architectural area and help create a focal point. The picture below is a good example of the use of colour and texture to help draw the eye towards the focal point. The effect is obvious by the contrast of colour and texture.

Textures are about contrasting ideas, and sometimes textures do give surprising extremes. For this reason, these extremes could cause a room to have less unity among the various decorating elements. As a result, a room could seem a bit smaller than it actually is, or even larger than it actually is. These effects should be kept in mind when you are choosing textures so you can gain control over what you wish to exaggerate.

It is a good idea to reduce contrast of textures when a room is small. Above, is a small kitchen. Contrast is kept to a minimum. The black is restricted to certain areas and the white is used on the wall, cabinets, and countertops.

Contrary to a small room, the wood and metal in this room offers a high contrast of texture, but its smooth appears lessens the contrast.

Another thing you should know is that textures reflect light. Some textures absorb light better than others, and some reflect light better than others. Some styles rely on the use of light to create the desired mood. For instance, the contemporary style makes full use of light; it is preferable that materials and surfaces reflect light, rather than absorb light.

The Right Combination of Texture and Pattern

To conclude, remember texture is what helps you create style, and makes a bold or a subtle statement. It makes use of pattern, colour and light. The right combination can be daunting at times, so select with care. If you don’t trust your instincts you can always seek out the ideas of professionals and their suggested collections of various items for certain styles and moods. Another thing you can do is to create a swatch board where you can compare the samples of fabrics, wood finishes, and other surface materials.

An example of a swatch board.

Installing a Glass Tile Backsplash

July 13, 2011 by Felix Leave a Comment

Glass mosaic squares add a trendy splash, while white subway tiles keep the design clean and contemporary. Combining glass with affordable ceramic allows for a budget-friendly update with an upscale feel. Here are some very good pointers on installing a glass tile backsplash.

The Backsplash

July 13, 2011 by Felix Leave a Comment

The backsplash is one way you can express your creativity and craftsmanship skills in your kitchen.

A backsplash is an easy way to bring decorative accents to a light or neutral wall. This narrow band of wall tiles, between the countertop and upper cabinets are also an inexpensive way to bring life and character to a kitchen. You can choose any type of tile for your backsplash since it would not be constantly exposed to water.

Tile backsplash looks best when it runs all the way from the countertops to the upper cabinets. Most people prefer the backsplash in cobalt blue, orange, or terra cotta. Pre-assembled glass mosaic is also common.

However, the backsplash should be compatible with the decor of the kitchen and give the kitchen a visual appeal. In the picture above, the interlocking of the three mild colours of the tiled backsplash enhance the glass door cabinets and is compatible with the stainless steel countertops.

The choice of colours for a backsplash would depend on the amount of light in the kitchen. Glossy tiles will reflect light and increase glare, so if a kitchen has a lot of sunlight it would do best with a satin or matte finish tile. In a kitchen where there is not much natural light, light coloured and even glossy tiles can be used to reflect the light and brighten the kitchen.

Colourful marble tile is a favorite as well.

The focal point of a kitchen also dictates how you will begin the tiling for the backsplash. If you are tiling your own backsplash, remember to begin work outwards from the focal point. The tiles at the focal point are generally bold with some unique pattern, tile placement, colour, or picture to help make the area stand out.

Visual interest can be created at a focal point with even simple tiles.
The horizontal and vertical grout lines and border creates diamond shapes at this focal point.

Hand painted tiles can also enhance focal points.

Listello or border designs can act as accent strips in your backsplash design.

So go ahead and bring out your creative juices, but before you install your backsplash, remember to first plan your design. Test your idea out. One way to do this is to place the tiles with double-sided tape in an area to see if you would like the pattern and its effect.

The Stainless Steel Look

July 13, 2011 by Felix Leave a Comment

Today, we have a heightened awareness of germs. The easiest surface to keep clean are smooth. For countertops, solid surface countertops and stainless steel countertops fit this bill. However,the smoothest textures is stainless steel. Stainless steel is also low maintenance material.

A Professional and Timeless Look

Stainless steel throughout the kitchen has a professional and timeless look, however, a kitchen done in stainless steel can look cold and clinical. This is certainly not the most aesthetically pleasing solution. However, the stainless steel look is expensive, it has the tendency of retaining smudges and scratches easily, and stainless steel sinks made of thinner gauge material can make quite a racket with clanking dishes.

Needless to say, if you really like this professional look, you will be pleased to know there are a wide variety of pro-style stainless steel range, cooktops, vents, and refrigerators. Also, today’s models are being built with a thicker steel gauge. For this reason, stainless steel appliances are heavier than the standard residential ranges. Some stainless steel models also have additional safety features. You should note that stainless steel from different manufacturers don’t match. It is best to buy your stainless steel appliances from one source or check out the appliance before buying.

The Stainless Steel Look with Textures and Colours

Stainless steel, when paired well with other textures and colours can enhance the look of your kitchen. It can complement the colour of wood-stained or painted cabinet. It can also go well with a rougher stone and concrete texture. As a satin finish, stainless steel can be too shiny, so when matched with other textures and colours offers a great transition.

In this kitchen, the door knobs and handles match the stainless steel appliances, the refrigerator and range. If you are unable to find stainless steel knobs or handles for doors, an excellent substitute is brushed chrome or satin-finish nickel. You will also find lighting fixtures, curtain rods, and faucets made from nickle with a satin-finish. Another, is earthy bronze which has a classic appeal and can add warmth to a room with stainless steel appliances.

Stainless steel can definitely enhance the look of your kitchen too many degrees. The best thing about it is that the material is long lasting. Most manufacturers emphasize their stainless steel products are easy to keep clean, resist heat and ordinary household chemicals, and are fire and water proof.

All pictures courtesy www.photobucket.com