How fresh minty-green woke up a tired kitchen

A small, cramped kitchen went from drab to fab with the injection of light and a soft, fresh shade of minty green. The room had not been touched in years and the new owner took stock of the situation, knocking down an adjoining wall of an old lean-to to create a much more  sociable L-shaped space.

French windows which open into the garden have played a huge part in transforming the room, while sleek and modern kitchen units from Howdens give it a much-need style boost. The glossy finish of the door fronts reflect light coming through those French windows in abundance, and cream Metro-style tiles from Johnsons Tiles smarten up the walls.

A retro-style wallpaper - Classic Stem by Orla Kiely at Wallpaperdirect -
was the starting point for the fresh minty-green scheme, with many kitchen accessories, such as the trolley - Radkog by Ikea - picked out in shades to match.

To maintain a light and airy feel, avoid bulky dining furniture and go for transparent chairs and a modern-classic table in white to create a snug place for breakfast (both table and chairs from Ikea). The flooring is a sleek and practical laminate (Largo) from Quick-Step and you'll find the funky Espresso clock at Newgate Clocks.

The wallpaper successfully links the dining/relaxing end of the kitchen with the cooking end and a soft green paint shade for the walls - Woodland Pearl 4 by Dulux - perfectly complements the colour of the wallpaper and brings real sophistication to the scheme.

For pops of colour and a relaxed feel, display a gallery of framed vintage advertisements. The graphic designs work the retro look perfectly and have been framed in Ribba frames from Ikea.