'I didn't want it to be too Barbie' – this Farrow & Ball kitchen colour scheme shows why aubergine is the new pink

A kitchen is for more than just a season; it's an investment to last you years, if not decades, and as a result, your colour choice must be well considered. However, sometimes, the change in season inspires a certain colour trend that we just can't say no to.

Model and writer, Charli Howard's kitchen is evidence of just that. Rich aubergine hues are set to be one of the biggest kitchen colour trends this autumn/winter, a natural progression from the pink and red shades we've seen dominate in recent years. It has the same feminine touch but feels grown-up and timeless, which is exactly what you want out of a kitchen colour scheme that has to go the distance.

In an exclusive for Ideal Home, Charli Howard takes us on a tour of her colour-packed kitchen designed with Farrow & Ball paint, which is exactly where we're taking our inspiration from for the most stylish kitchen colour.

Choosing a bold kitchen colour is a difficult task, particularly in a small space like Charli's. However, a small kitchen shouldn't put you off from opting for dark kitchen ideas. It will help to create a dramatic mood and cosy feel, which is well suited to a homely cottage kitchen like Charli's.

Using Farrow & Ball paint, Charli's goal was to create a colourful interior that still felt mature and sophisticated. 'I wanted it to be really feminine and cosy, but I didn't want it to look Barbie. I didn't want it to be too girly, and I feel like this space got that quite right,' she explains.

With Farrow & Ball Paean Black on the kitchen cabinets and Sulking Room Pink on the walls, the grown-up pink shade brings out the aubergine hues of the darker cupboards.

Sulking Room Pink is one of Farrow & Ball's most popular shades and the beauty of it is that under different light, it can go from more of a muted pink to a dusky brown shade.

'Sulking Room Pink is the moodiest of our pinks with a lovely earthiness to it, so it never reads saccharine or bright. In poorly lit rooms it will appear much darker with a brown note to it. Don’t be nervous about this, it will create a rich and cosy ambience. For something a little more dramatic, pair with a dark shade for a contemporary twist,' explains Patrick O’Donnell, Farrow & Ball's brand ambassador.

Separated by the statement marble worktop, which picks up on the aubergine tones, it creates a distinctly feminine palette that looks grown-up. 'The marble is called Viola and it really picks up on the Farrow & Ball purplely colour of Paean Black,' Charlie explains. Cullifords Calacatta Viola Marble won our best kitchen worktop award for 2025, so you can be sure it's an on-trend choice that oozes luxury.

Farrow & Ball paint shades are almost always a guaranteed ticket to a stylish kitchen scheme, but these two colours in particular inspire a fresh take on trending tones heading into 2026.

'Aubergine-toned shades are growing in popularity and I think this is partly due to a switch in attitude which changed purples from dated to moody and unique,' explains Michael Rolland, Managing Director at The Paint Shed.

'These more aubergine, wine tones can really bring a new kind of three-dimensionality that neutrals sometimes miss. They are also ideal for those nooks and spaces where the feeling of warmth is really important. I think we’ll continue to see a move towards this shade as homeowners accept the move into a drizzly autumn.'

Particularly in a small kitchen like Charli's, leaning into this cosy atmosphere makes a cooking space feel like a truly inviting nook to spend evenings in. Even when the weather brightens up, the doors on the opposing side of the L-shaped kitchen will bring ample light into the space.

While more red-based burgundy shades were popular last year, we're turning to purple hues this year.

'Farrow and Ball’s Paean Black is a red-based black that, especially under natural light, has a leathery aubergine tinge,' Michael adds.

Sulking Room Pink is a shade that isn't going anywhere. A guaranteed stylish and safe blush pink paint that elevates any kitchen scheme.

'Pairing it with a lighter, dusky shade that shares similar undertones, such as Sulking Room Pink, helps create a kind of ombre scale where dark bleeds into light. It plays into the idea of double drenching — combining two colours across a room in different tones,' Michael concludes.

Shop the look

We're claiming it now - aubergine is going to be a huge trend this season. Will you be trying it out?

You can see more of this stunning home in the October Issue of Ideal Home, on sale now.