We have a classic shaker kitchen with painted solid wood cabinets with an inset panel. It’s a very popular kitchen style in the UK as it’s timeless and easy to dress up or down to create a classic or modern look. It’s a great choice if you want a stylish, good quality kitchen.
The previous owners of our house had the kitchen made-to-measure with lovely white quartz worktops and grey cabinets. I liked it but at the same time it felt a bit uninspring and bland.
So to bring the kitchen to life and to add a bit of fun, I decided to have the beautifully designed Rabarber (Swedish for Rhubarb) wallpaper on two walls. It’s a gorgeous, botanical wallpaper featuring flowers, leaves and rhubarbs. It’s Swedish design by Boråstapeter. I absolutely love it because I’m partial to bold colours and vibrant, floral wallpaper.
The wallpaper is washable so it makes a perfect and refreshingly unusual splashback. I wouldn’t have a wallpaper as a splashback anywhere near the tap but it works well under our wall cabinets. This is because the area doesn’t get many spills or splashes.
The Rabarber wallpaper totally transformed our kitchen. It’s now an inspriring and welcoming space. I find it incredible how a little bit of floral wallpaper can change the look and feel of a room. See AFTER and BEFORE pictures above and below.
I also introduced a few extra pops of colour from Scandinavian design brands to bring more cheer to the room. The Iittala glass bowls on the wall shelf repeat the colours of the floral wallpaper (by a total chance to be honest!). The Pappelina rug comes in a bold, fuchsia pink and breaks up the monotony of the floorboards.
And that’s how our traditional English kitchen became a colourful, botanical haven with Scandinavian touches!
