Wealden Times | WT188 | October 2017 | Kitchen & Bathroom supplement inside

WT Kitchen & Bathroom Supplement
Top Tables: Invest in the right table. Or make
your own. Old wooden beams have been crafted
together to make a rustic-style table in Parisian
restaurant Derrière, accessorised with contrasting
chairs, like these rather elegant, fabric-covered
dining chairs with glamorous brass studs.
worktops, consider laminates. These
surfaces have come such a long way
from their Fifties heyday, coming
now in a huge range of colourways,
and instantly add retro flair.
With so many hours being spent in
the kitchen, floors need to be hardwearing
and easy to clean as well
as attractive. Linoleum has recently
made a comeback as it’s natural,
easy to install and comes in a huge
range of designs. Unused rolls of
vintage linoleum from the Twenties
to the Fifties can often be found at
salvage companies or in specialist
stores, but there are now modern
versions that come in vintage prints.
Cork was extremely popular in the
Twenties and gives a wonderful
warmth underfoot. Of course
wooden flooring, in any condition,
is a firm favourite, straddling both
vintage and modern styles.
Tiles are great for adding a little
twist of modern or vintage to walls.
Zing up a plain wall with a pocket
of busily patterned tiles or create
a solid colour block of tiles in a
retro colour, such as apple green or
mustard. Glazed tiles reflect light,
adding vivacity to your kitchen. Use
them in unexpected places, such as
on cupboard doors and worktops.
Bring in colour by displaying
vintage cookware, serve ware and
Country Kitchen: In the home of artist Claire Basler, flowers are in abundance. Above
the old vintage butler’s sink, blooms line up in re-employed grocery bottles. In brown
enamel containers, she’s stacked her vintage silverware, found at market places, while a
lemon yellow teapot resides on the hob. Claire shows off twists of must-have modernity,
like the coffee machine and an industrial-style light to assist with food preparation.
tools (think coffee grinders, retro
blenders, old flour sifters, etc.) in your
favourite period colours. Like the
Sixties? Then go graphic black and
white with your tiles and accessorise
with harvest gold, burnt orange and
olive green vases and teapots. If you
prefer a Fifties look, think pastels: soft
pink Smeg fridge, candy green tile
splashbacks and baby blue crockery.
Keep your eye out too for vintage
cookware, like large enamel teapots,
big copper pans and those details,
like old nutcrackers, French herb
cutters and marble chopping boards.
Serve your food modern vintage
style with antique silver cutlery, old
photographic placemats, reclaimed
linen napkins and vintage tumblers.
Put your water in old milk bottles
or ceramic milk jugs and eat, drink
and be very, very merry!
11 wealdentimes.co.uk