2017 has certainly been the year for Naked Kitchens gaining awareness within the manufacturing industry, as not only have we been invited to contribute to this years Parliamentary Review for the Manufacturing Industry, but Naked Kitchens were also invited to speak about building and growing a successful business at the HSBC Strategies For Growth event!

So we're kicking off our latest series on this blog post with a post all about using brass in your kitchen in the most sophisticated and beautiful way. With a series of 'mood board' images, you can see how we would incorporate brass into a kitchen design, and what other colours and timbers we would use to really maximise the statement this metal makes and create a beautiful kitchen. This particular combination was created by the creative director at Naked Kitchens, and is actually part of the inspiration behind one of our new showroom kitchens coming soon!

A slightly different blog post from us today, that for once isn't really about our kitchens! You may remember a few months ago, we spoke about how Naked Kitchens were invited to participate in the Parliamentary Review for the Manufacturing Industry. To celebrate the publishing of this, the directors of Naked Kitchens were invited to the Annual Gala at the Houses of Parliament! 

Something that most of our clients try to incorporate into their kitchen design, is an island. Whether it be a contemporary kitchen where the island is the main dining area, or a large country kitchen with a bold island design that is perfect for gathering around and socialising with drinks and friends. An island is often an integral part of a kitchen design and can make your room really stand out from the crowd. We've got a few favourites that we've designed over the years and we'd love to share them with you!

Here at Naked Kitchens we've been thinking about an elegant storage solution that's not only a practical haven but oozes class and sophistication: The Boot Room. 

Autumn is a time of year that involves many changes; the weather, the mood, the lighting all completely differ as soon as it hits the later months of the year and this involves a completely different perspective on the home and how you want it to look and feel. As the days are now shorter and the evenings are getting colder, it often means savouring as much of your time outside as possible. It may be risky to travel long distances as the weather is unpredictable and your day outside may be rained off, but the stubborn summer lover within us will still relish in any warm weather and sunshine for as long as possible. But when it just gets too chilly and dark in the evenings to be outside and you have to throw in the towel, that's when you realise how important a cosy, comfortable environment is; that you can just come home and relax in. There are many things that you can do to make your home as relaxing as possible, and as your kitchen is the hub of your home, it is vital that this room is as inviting as it can possibly be.

Here at Naked Kitchens, we're finally getting used to the fact that summer has ended, and Autumn has well and truly settled in. Gone are the sunny days (what few there were in Britain anyway) and the rain has truly started to pour, bringing with it some very chilly mornings and evenings, and we're just about ready to start that winter hibernation. So in true Autumnal style we've cracked out the jumpers, begrudgingly flicked the heating on a couple of times and thought about our favourite kitchen designs that perfectly transition your home into the new season. With consumers turning to colour more and more and no longer sticking to a comfortable neutral as their kitchen colour of choice, one trend that we have seen stand out in kitchen design is the use of earthy colours and materials. Consumers are embracing colour so much more now, and are looking to inject colour into their homes, but choosing a more natural way to do it, with greens, reds, oranges etc, all colours from the warmer palette that are perfect to create a warm, inviting atmosphere in the cooler Autumn months.

If there is one thing we have realised over the many years that we have been creating bespoke kitchens, it's that nearly everyone wants a 'modern shaker' kitchen. A contradiction in itself, as the shaker is a very traditional kitchen design that has been in history since the 18th century, and is not actually a new, modern kitchen style. However, we understand what customers mean when they say this, as they generally want a timeless kitchen design that isn't old fashioned or super modern but will continue to look elegant in years to come. And that is a design that we love to create, time and time again.

As you may already know, colour has made quite a dramatic comeback to the kitchen. Gone are the days of an all white kitchen, and whilst neutral greys are still popular in the classic country kitchen styles, there is one colour that has definitely caught our eye recently and a lot of our clients too- the beautiful blue. Gone are the days when people can spend an obscene amount on a kitchen, and with houses generally decreasing in size alongside budgets, people are generally investing in smaller kitchens. Those who are looking to invest in a new kitchen are often turning to the calming colour blue, and are choosing Naked Kitchens to create the kitchen for them, as they can get a high end quality kitchen without the high end price tag. Contemporary Compact Kitchens Pale pastel blues can look incredible in a smaller space, bouncing light from windows to create the illusion of much more space and keeping the room light and fresh. By choosing such a bright and unusual kitchen colour, the eyes are instantly drawn to the area, and with minimal accessories throughout, there is no distraction from this incredible space. Design: 2LG Photography: Megan Taylor