The European kitchen design is characterized by a unique and seamless blend of the old world and the contemporary.
According to its origins, this kitchen design was birthed by not only the need for efficiency but also personalization, by allowing different cultures to express themselves differently via a unique kitchen design.
So, how do you translate that to a London townhouse?
London townhouses also carry a lot of history. From their low days in the Victorian era to their resurgence in the recent past, townhouses also carry as much personalization as European kitchen designs do.
That means that, with a European kitchen design for your London townhouse, you can be as expressive as possible, while still staying true to your old world or contemporary townhouse design.
How? That’s what you’ll learn in this piece. But first, it’s important to understand that your choice of European kitchen design will be strongly tied to the townhouse’s architecture and kitchen size.
European kitchen designs don’t just vary by taste, but by cultures as well. That’s why there are variants such as the English country and Tuscan, among others, with each having its possible designs too.
Above all, make sure that once you decide to follow a certain design, you stay true to the architecture and design elements associated with it.
That’s enough education. Read on and give these a try.
1. Try a Monochromatic or Black Kitchen
Minimalism has been a hot trend in kitchen design since 2019. Instead of flashy colors and blinding graphics, most homeowners and interior designers are going for two-tone or monochromatic schemes, with matte being the most preferred color.
So why not try this for your London townhouse kitchen too?
A mixture of black, charcoal and white shades works magic in bringing out a contemporary feel to a European kitchen design. This design further complements the modern design of the townhouse, connecting the kitchen and other spaces in an elegant way.
You can work with black and charcoal, for instance, with hex-shaped charcoal tiles for the backsplash. The matte black would work perfectly with the cabinets, with the charcoal being used for the countertops and the Kitchen Island.
2. Painted Kitchen Mixed with Authentic Materials
More and more people are falling in love with the painted kitchen. This design approach breathes a modern take on a traditional look and finish.
So, how do you mix a painted kitchen with authentic materials?
Midnight color, for instance, is commonly used on the kitchen cabinets. The rest of the colors are neutralized by charcoal, slate gray, light gray, and taupe, for instance. The effect of this seamless blend in colors is great emphasis on the architectural detail and furniture of the design.
The painted kitchen is usually coupled with authentic raw materials such as concrete, wood, and marble. Wood or concrete may be used for the kitchen island, with marble crowning the countertops.
This creates a kitchen environment that is classic yet contemporary, thanks to the modern finishing.
3. Mix Old and New Design Details
When experimenting with European kitchen designs, you’re not restricted to one design pattern. The great thing about European kitchens is that old and contemporary do mix seamlessly.
How?
Well, for instance, you can mix wood with marble, stainless steel, or glass. The kitchen appliances can be made from stainless steel, with the cabinetry featuring glass doors. Finally, you can seal this design with a wooden library ladder for reaching the upper cabinets.
You can even combine two-door styles in one cabinet. For instance, you can have full overlay drawer heads, coupled with inset doors. The drawer heads can have a unique profile shape. This can be a slight concave arc. The cabinet doors underneath can alternatively have inset heads.
This mix and match can create breathtaking and unique results.
4. Wood and Metal Kitchen Island
Kitchen islands are predominantly made out of stone. However, with this European kitchen design, you can experiment with wood, rivets, and metal.
The idea is to have the kitchen island crafted out of wood. The entire island can be painted black, sculpted down, and set to stand on decorative legs, which have been sculpted out of its dark wooden frame.
At the front, you can have an extra set of cabinets, fitted with metal doors. The cabinets can have a sculpted bottom, shiny silver decorative handles, and decorative rivets as well.
You can choose an even more unique design that has the center cabinets bowed out. A final metallic silver finish would crown the kitchen island cabinet doors, making it the visual focal point in the kitchen.
5. Use Large Sliding Doors for the Hideaway Effect
If you’re not a fan of seeing your appliances displayed openly in the kitchen, then using large sliding doors in your London townhouse European kitchen is the best design idea you can get.
With this design, a large sliding door hides the microwave, fridge, and any other appliance you want to be tucked away. The door runs on a hidden track system that controls its opening and closing.
However, don’t be quick to install this feature.
Make sure you first consult with your designer or interior décor team, to ensure that local building codes allow the installation of such equipment in the kitchen.
As far as aesthetics go, you can have the front of the door made out of steel, with a wooden frame surrounding it. Besides, you can paint the frame in a contrasting color to the kitchen’s backsplash, so that the sliding door stands out.
6. Play Around with Kitchen Appliances
Kitchen appliances play a major role in how your final European kitchen design turns out. For instance, if your colors are generally dull, and you want to light up the kitchen with some pops of color, you can do this with kitchen appliances.
For instance, you can get a bright yellow blender, red stove, or shiny silver pans to complement the predominant, dark tone color in the kitchen.
Is there a specific formula for this?
Well, not really. The general rule is, if you’re going for a vintage design, vintage kitchen accessories should be your go-to option. On the flip side, if you want to experiment with something more contemporary, then the hyper-colorful accessories will suit your design best.
7. Go Panoramic
Among the key design elements of the European kitchen is bringing nature into the kitchen. And as far as London townhouses are concerned, achieving this feat might be a tall order, especially if your kitchen resides on a higher floor.
So, what’s the remedy? Panoramic windows. To bring nature in, you have to let in a lot of its view and natural light. Coupling panoramic, floor-to-ceiling windows, with an all-white monochromatic kitchen is a great way to brighten and light up everything.
You can tone things down a bit by using a cream white floor, with stainless steel kitchen appliances and accessories.
Since this design exudes a luxurious feel as well, you can spend a bit more dime by going for marble countertops and Kitchen Island. You can then contrast this with black seats for the kitchen island, with stainless steel support.
A flower vase right at the edge of the Kitchen Island also helps break the whiteness, while adding a nice detail to the entire layout.
