Now that autumn is well and truly here, it’s time to start thinking about hunkering down and making your kitchen all cosy. This season is all about preparing hearty home cooked food and enjoying staying in with family and friends. Whether it’s an afternoon’s baking with the children, experimenting with new ideas for a weekday dinner or getting ready for friends at the weekend, you want your kitchen to be warm and welcoming. Whatever style and size your space, there are plenty of ways to make it comforting and cocooning - a real heart of the home. Here are our 6 top tips for creating comfort…
1 Choose a warm colour palette
Warm tones and hues instantly make any kitchen feel welcoming, so consider repainting or replacing wooden Shaker-style cabinets with a warm blue shade and teaming with natural wood flooring and a statement Rangemaster range cooker. The Classic Deluxe 90cm in Slate with brass trim perfectly complements a deep, rich blue for furniture with dark wood worksurfaces and flooring to anchor the look.
Herringbone, parquet and basketweave LVT tiles are a great way of achieving this style and are perfect for kitchens, as they are low maintenance and easy to clean. The cooker will enhance a traditional kitchen design with its bevelled doors, arched glass viewing windows, towel rail and chunky control knobs and handles and you can choose from ceramic, dual fuel or induction and if you don’t have access to natural gas, it can also be converted to LPG.
Rangemaster Classic Deluxe 90cm in Slate with brass trim
2 Embrace natural wood
Natural materials are always calming with their organic look and feel and they are sustainable too, especially if you look for FSC certified timber and eco-friendly collections. Wood-fronted cabinets are back in fashion and are set to be a trend that’s here to stay. Dark timbers are perfect for a cosy vibe, especially when the distinctive wood grain shows through. Team with brass or bronze handles for a luxe look and keep the rest of the scheme simple with white quartz or solid surface worksurfaces and splashback, natural stone flooring and a sleek black Rangemaster range cooker.
The Nexus Steam dual fuel 110cm in Black features a dedicated steam cavity for healthy steam-cooked food that retains vitamins, nutrients, minerals, texture and flavour. This versatile cooker can also roast, grill, griddle, boil and simmer and it has a proving drawer for dough.
Rangemaster Nexus Steam dual fuel 110cm in Black
3 Introduce soft lighting
For safety, mood and ambience, it’s a good idea to have layered lighting in the kitchen. Ideally you want brighter task lights over the food prep and cooking areas, worksurfaces, sink and hob as well as near the sink. For ambience and mood, soft lighting is key. Think pendants above the dining table, island or breakfast bar, an extractor hood with lights to focus on the hob or cooker below, wall lights and spotlights underneath wall cabinets or shelving.
You can also have lights inside glass-fronted feature units and sensor lights in drawers that turn on automatically when opened. Dimmer switches are also a good idea, as are energy-efficient LED bulbs with a soft, warm glow. Soft lighting looks stunning when used to cast a subtle glow over exposed brickwork painted white along with natural timber shelving. In this kitchen, Rangemaster’s Professional + 100cm Induction cooker in Stainless Steel makes a striking statement with its sleek metallic finish.
Rangemaster Professional + 100cm Induction in Stainless Steel
4 Add personal touches
What makes a cosy kitchen so comforting is all those personal touches that make it your own. Forget show home chic – this season it’s all about the lived-in and loved look. Don’t be afraid to display your favourite recipe books, ceramics, glassware, chopping boards, gadgets, vases, utensils, jars, candles and cake stands on open shelving, in glass-fronted cabinets, on worksurfaces, window sills and islands.
If you do want some order, think about grouping similar colours or materials together but make sure it’s not over-styled. You could stick to a white and wood theme for instance or add pops of colour with bold brights dotted here and there. Or why not pick up on the colour of your Rangemaster range cooker and tie in this Mineral Green Elise design with co-ordinating accessories for a cohesive feel. The important thing is that family and friends feel at home, so pop the kettle on and relax.
Rangemaster Elise 90cm in Mineral Green
5 Bring the outside in
A great way of making your kitchen feel cosy is to bring the outside in with seasonal flowers, potted plants, a small herb garden or fresh herbs in pots. It’s something that can easily be updated and changed and brings a cosy yet refreshing feel to your kitchen.
With winter and Christmas just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to start planning those festive touches and tablescapes too. Runners, garlands and wreaths are perfect for tabletops, window sills, open shelving, fireplaces, doors, chair backs and stairs. So, think aromatic and evergreen such as Rosemary, Sage, Bay, Eucalyptus, Pittosporum and Sarcococca. There are plenty of online tutorials if you fancy having a go at making them yourself or ask your local florist for ready-made versions.
Professional Deluxe 110cm in Slate
6 Cook up family favourites
Never underestimate the allure of a home cooked meal. Whether you’re planning to update your kitchen or not, there’s nothing quite like having a hearty Carrot and Lentil Soup or Mexican Chicken Stew on the go, or baking mouth-watering Gooey Chocolate Pots, Raspberry Bread and Butter Pudding or Lemon Cupcakes.
Your kitchen will always feel warm and cosy when you’re making food with love, so check out Rangemaster’s many and varied recipes here for your favourites or try something new for a culinary treat.
Classic FX 90 in Stone Blue with brass trim
