It isn’t luck that makes Irish kitchens so lovely
In the month of St. Patrick’s Day it seems only appropriate to give a tip of the hat to the kitchens of the land with the emerald shores. Though it can be difficult to find any information about cosy Irish kitchen style, because it’s often overshadowed its English neighbour, the commonalities end with rustic wooden beams and natural stone hearths. Irish kitchen style stands out in its use of colour. Perhaps in opposition to the country’s grey weather, the cosy Irish kitchen features bright and light colours on its cabinetry and furniture. The end result is an airy and sometimes slightly quirky look. But how do you achieve this look if you don’t necessarily have the luck of the Irish on your side?
The cosy Irish kitchen features bright and light colours on its cabinetry and furniture. (c) nakedkitchens.com
Hand painting!
- A hand painted kitchen may sound a bit scary, but worry not! Mixing style with thrift, hand painted cabinetry and furniture is a hallmark of Irish kitchen style. As opposed to a sparkling new cabinet, or one that has been refinished with paint applied by spray, hand painted kitchen cabinetry and furniture has a warmth and comfort factor characteristic of the cosy Irish cottage kitchen.
- Though you can certainly hand paint new cabinetry to create a bespoke look for a newly decorated question, hand painting really is the perfect way to revive a kitchen that is looking a little down at the heels. This is particularly useful if you want to update your kitchen but do not have the funds to do so. Compared to an entire kitchen cabinetry refit, which can set you back thousands (or tens of thousands), a hand painted kitchen can be done by a professional for much lower prices. Hand painted kitchen cabinets are also a nice way to play around with colours and tones. For example, a mainly white kitchen can be made colourful with hand painted kitchen cabinets, in different colours and shades.
Virtually any wooden cabinet or furniture can be hand painted successfully. (c) nakedkitchens.com
3. Hand painted kitchen cabinets are also a nice way to play around with colours and tones. For example, a mainly white kitchen can be made colourful with hand painted kitchen cabinets, in different colours and shades.
4. So, what can you paint? Virtually any wooden cabinet or furniture can be hand painted successfully: oak, pine, maple, lacquered, or varnished. Furthermore, a professional can hand paint MDF and laminate too. So, if you are working from new with the blank canvas of the furniture from the big box décor store, you can define the style of each piece yourself.
Hand paint your kitchen in the Irish style. (c) nakedkitchens.com
If you’ve determined that you want to hand paint your kitchen in the Irish style, but are not sure what colour to work with, Irish interior designer Roisin Lafferty advises her clients to use colours that speak to them. In an interview with Image she says, “Be brave with your home. It should be a reflection of you; when people enter they should recognise it as yours.”
So, when it comes down to it, the beauty of the hand painted kitchen is that it isn’t really “Irish” at all. It’s all you! Here are more kitchen cabinetry inspirations.