DeVOL Kitchen Design Balances Mediterranean Style

A kitchen designer has outlined how a specific project achieved a Mediterranean-inspired look that prioritizes a lived-in feel over a perfectly polished appearance. The design from deVOL Kitchens uses a blue ceiling, a vintage island, and bold backsplash tiles to create character while maintaining full functionality.

Megan Wright, Showroom Manager and Senior Kitchen Designer at deVOL Kitchens, guided the clients. She recalls the owners were among the first to use the company's new 'Quaker Cream' cabinet color. This warm cream shade provided a neutral base that worked with warm woods and blues elsewhere in the room.

Introduce Color in Unexpected Places

The most striking color choice was painting the ceiling a glossy blue. This decision added architectural interest and structure to the space, preventing large expanses of white surfaces. According to Wright, this approach helped create a more inviting feel within an eclectic styling scheme.

Balance Functional Storage With Eclectic Style

Storage was zoned to balance practicality with the desired informal aesthetic. The design includes a 900mm-wide, full-height pantry cupboard with built-in spice racks on the inside of the doors for efficient organization.

Wright explains that the clients did not want everything hidden. 'The clients didn't feel like everything needed to be shut away behind doors, and I think wall cabinets in this design would make it feel too perfect,' she said. Instead, an oak shelf above the sink and a brass hanging rail for pans and utensils were used. These elements keep items visible and easily reachable for cooking.

Add Character With a Rustic Kitchen Island

A key feature for adding texture and a timeworn feel is a vintage prep table used as the kitchen island. Its worn paint finish sits next to the Shaker-style cabinets, adding depth and a sense of authenticity. The island also incorporates open storage, aligning with the kitchen's practical and hardworking purpose.

Let a Backsplash Double as a Centerpiece

The backsplash serves as a major decorative statement. It consists of white tiles with a delicate blue print in each corner, topped with a border of more maximalist tiles in dark blue, yellow, and red. Wright notes these were the clients' choice, intended to reinforce the eclectic feel and speak to the room's overall color palette.

Leave Appliances On Display

Departing from the trend of fully integrated appliances, a stainless steel fridge-freezer was left unintegrated and on display. Wright states this choice contributed to the unpretentious and simple overall feel. The visible appliance helps break up the cabinetry and adds to the eclectic aesthetic, with the designer noting it made practical sense for this specific design.

The finished kitchen maintains all necessary functions while achieving a Mediterranean-inspired look that avoids being overly themed. Every detail, from the visible pots and pans to the selected tiles, was chosen to foster an inviting space full of personality.