Kitchen decor ideas: The natural touch

Mix cream with earthy greens, browns and yellows for a calm, relaxing kitchen.

Shaker kitchens work beautifully with natural colours: cream panelled units, wooden worktops and a terracotta floor. The walls, in shades of cream, increase the sense of space, and the tiled splashback brings in beautifully toning shades of moss, lichen, cream and butter. A central island houses a deep sink with a swan-knecked tap and plenty of worksurface. The worktop for the other half of the kitchen is granite-look laminate which provides an interesting contrast. A freestanding butcher's block against the far wall is wonderfully practical, with a hanging rail of utensils, a shelf for spices, rack for knives, plus preparation space, which you can wheel to where you want it. There has been no attempt to hide away the kitchen appliances - some white, some stainless steel - yet nothing looks out of place in this relaxed and welcoming kitchen.