Want your kitchen to be a little different? You don’t have to buy your kitchen exactly as it comes from the manufacturer’s brochure. You can mix and match certain elements and be playful with the design, especially when it comes to colour. The end result will be a unique, interesting space that is individual to you and your tastes.   
If you’re nervous about being too bold with colour, here are a few ideas to spark your imagination and get you thinking outside of the box:

Colourful cabinets
There’s something of a trend in kitchen design for coloured cabinets at the moment. Some people are moving away from plain black, white or wood and are choosing more unusual shades. For example, some of the most popular choices are rich navy blues paired with wood and grey shades elsewhere in the kitchen, along with olive greens and even splashes of bright oranges and purples.
How vibrant you go is up to you. A light, muted pastel or deep, rich colour on the dark end of the colour spectrum can add interest without looking too ‘out there’, but you may simply love bold colour and choose to really go for it with really bright tones.

Statement bar stools
If you have a kitchen island, a great way to inject a pop of colour is to choose brightly coloured bar stools. You can also make a similar colour statement with dining furniture, if you don’t have a breakfast bar.

A touch of colour with lighting
Lighting is one of the best ways to bring colour into the kitchen. One idea is to choose brightly coloured pendants over your island, or other colourful task lighting. You can play with the colour of lighting itself, such as using blue strip lights under counters or white floor lights that make units appear to ‘float’ above the floor. You can also create warmth in the space with orange-toned lights, or use other colours of lighting to adjust the atmosphere.

Don’t be afraid to add decoration
Unless you’re a fan of the sleek, minimalist kitchen, there are absolutely loads of decorative touches you can use to add colour and a sense of playfulness to a kitchen. Examples of this include colourful patterned blinds, mosaic tiles, throws and cushions and even a string of bunting stretching across the kitchen. Pop your favourite pieces of artwork up on the wall, or place a vase of fresh flowers or a colourful bowl of fruit in a prominent position. Even a stylish tea towel can add to the vibrancy of the space.

During all of your experimentations with colour, don’t forget the golden rule. It’s essential to get your kitchen fitted by a professional, such as one of the experts at A&J Kitchens. All your attention to detail in colour and the finishing touches will be wasted if the fitting isn’t right, so make this a top priority when planning a new kitchen.

Worktops can make the biggest difference to the finish of a kitchen space, being one of the most noticeable features of the room. However, you shouldn’t simply choose a worktop for its visual appeal, although this is a prime consideration. You also need to think about practicality, functionality and longevity, as well as affordability and value.
To help you make up your mind, here’s a brief guide to each of the most popular worktops found in UK kitchens, with the pros, cons and qualities of each…

Wood
Wood worktops can add a lovely warmth and natural beauty to a kitchen, but they do come with a few practical issues. They need to be regularly sealed using oil, and spills and water must be wiped up immediately. If you protect the worktop with chopping boards and cork mats for hot pans, you can avoid marking or scratching the surface and it will last a long time, developing an attractive ‘well loved’ look over the years. Wood worktops aren’t always the cheapest, but you can save money with products that have a layer of solid wood over a particleboard centre.

Granite
Granite is a material that will stand the test of time, both in terms of fashion trends and its durability. It’s luxurious, tough and able to withstand high temperatures, as well as being very easy to clean and maintain. However, all of these great qualities come with a price tag, and you will need a team of experienced kitchen fitters to work with this very heavy material and get a really great finish.

Stainless steel
Stainless steel worktops are a great choice for serious chefs, and they fit well with industrial and contemporary design schemes. Steel is a very practical choice, being very hygienic and easy to keep clean, although you will have to work a bit to maintain that streak-free shine. It does not require sealing and is water, heat and stain resistant, so it’s great for use around sinks and hobs. However, it is not the cheapest or most widely available option on the market.

Laminate
This is by far the most affordable option, and while laminate may not offer a high-end finish (unless you choose a really good product which mimics another material effectively), it is a practical choice. It’s easy to fit and clean, but it can mark when exposed to heat and steam.

Glass
Glass is a popular choice for colourful, contemporary kitchens, and it can be a great design feature when properly lit. It’s hygienic thanks to no seals or joints, but cleaning can be a challenge if you want a streak-free finish. Noise can be an issue, as can price – especially if creating a bespoke worktop – but glass scores highly for practicality thanks to its tough qualities and heat/water resistance.

Whichever option you choose, it is absolutely crucial to ensure your new worktop is fitted properly by a specialist such as A&J Kitchens, who can guarantee a perfect finish. 

AJ Kitchens are proud of our standard of work, we are members of many governing bodies that make sure standards are high and maintained. 

We work with only the best suppliers in the industry so you can now be reassured that when you have your kitchen decorated, installed or refurbished, it will be to the highest standard and also with the best quality finishing available.

Visit our supplier sites to see for yourself the standard that they produce, and remember, if its a kitchen fitter in Manchester you are after - make it AJ Kitchens.