Modern kitchen colours and equipment

The leading kitchen palettes

Three directions stand out: sage green with light wood, mineral grey with a marbled worktop, and two-tone wood plus matte black for kitchens open to the living room.

White still works, but in a warm version (eggshell, ivory) and never on every surface: pair it with a coloured island or wood fronts.

Distributing colour across the fronts

The most reliable principle: light wall units, dark base units and island. The room looks taller and marks show less at the bottom.

The splashback is the best place for a strong material: veined marble, zellige, stone. It covers little surface and provides the character.

Prefer matte fronts to high-gloss lacquer: under tropical light, gloss throws hard reflections and shows fingerprints.

Modern equipment to plan for

Side-by-side American fridge: allow 90 to 95 cm of width, water and ice dispenser, No Frost technology. It structures the whole run, so plan its recess from the start.

Range cooker: 90 cm, dual gas and electric, well suited to power cuts. Otherwise a separate induction hob and built-in oven.

Multifunction built-in oven, ideally in a tall unit at eye level, with a stacked microwave or steam oven.

Extractor hood: island, decorative wall-mounted or downdraft. Aim for an extraction rate of at least ten times the room volume per hour.

Integrated dishwasher, undermount sink with pull-out spray mixer, and a wine cabinet if the kitchen opens onto the dining room.

Lighting and worktop

Three levels: general ceiling light, LED strips under the wall units for the worktop, and pendants over the island. Without under-cabinet light you work in your own shadow.

For worktops, quartz and ceramic resist lemon and tomato acids far better than natural marble.

Sort electricity and extraction before the cabinets

A side-by-side fridge, an oven and an induction hob need dedicated circuits and sufficient power. Have the installation validated before ordering.

A ducted hood needs an external outlet; where none is possible, choose a recirculating model with charcoal filters.