There’s an elegant insouciance that we admire in this kitchen in the Netherlands by Dutch textile designer Hellen van Berke, especially in the nonchalant way the colors come together.
After graduating with a degree in graphic design from the Design Academy in Eindhoven, Hellen van Berkel began her career in the fashion industry designing scarves; eventually, she launched her own label Studio Hellen van Berkel specializing in the creative use of textiles. Her offbeat color concepts are in high demand, and it’s easy to see why. For a similar look, we source some of the key colors and materials of her kitchen (spotted on Bloesem).
Photography by Marjon Hoogervorst.
Above: Van Berkel uses an array of atypical greens to set the tone in her kitchen.
Above: Red accents complement the atypical greens.
Above: Cross-Colors porcelain tile collection comes in Primavera and Oceana.
Above: The backsplash is comprised of 1-by-1-inch mint green mosaic tile; $20.03 per square foot.
Above: Industrial Facility's Knife Rack is made of a simple block of hard-wearing bamboo and sits flush on a wall; £45.
Above: Paddle-handled cutting boards like these Man boards from Canvas add character to any kitchen; $70.
Above: The Lewis Pendant with porcelain socket from Schoolhouse Electric is available with two red cord choices; chevron (as shown) or red; $125.
Above: Red accent colors in a kitchen can be worked in with tea towels. Red Chef's Tea Towels (above L) are $12.84 each, and Morroccan-Inspired Patterned Tea Towel (above R); £9 for two.
Above: Van Berkel's kitchen counters are made of a black hard-wearing composite material; for something similar, consider Nocturne from Corian.
Above: A majestic Elk Antler Mount rides high on van Berkel's kitchen wall.
Above: Colorful still-lifes like the ones van Berkel hangs on her kitchen walls can be found on Etsy.
A little bit of colored tile can go along way; seeking more inspiration? See 510 images of Colored Tiles in our Gallery of rooms and spaces.
N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on November 6, 2012.