It's often said that the kitchen can be a make-or-break for prospective buyers. Even if the rest of the property is in good nick, a kitchen with a bad paint job, no storage or a lack of light can let the rest of the house down.
Regardless of whether you're looking to dress up your kitchen for a sale or renovate the space for your own enjoyment now and well into the future, there are plenty of options available to you.
Hiring the services of an expert tradesperson can make the process that much smoother, but this will depend on how much work you intend to do. From playing with new paint colours to gutting the entire room and starting from scratch, you can commit to doing a little or a lot.
Natural textures
Clean lines and neutral colours have been trends in the home design world for some time now, but some homeowners are moving away from this in favour of earthier tones and natural materials.
Kitchens that have plenty of texture – whether it's an exposed brick wall or buffed window frames – create a more homely feel, but it's important to get the colour scheme spot-on.
Furthermore, you should aim to balance these rougher textures and natural materials with hints of polished sophistication. Wooden floors and cabinetry and exposed rafters paired with stainless finishes look fantastic if you're going for a modern, yet comfortable look.
Consider a shade like Resene Pohutukawa for the walls. With its rich magenta tones, this is a bold red that will make a kitchen pop. Along with natural wood and the brushed finish of a stainless steel fridge, oven and range hood, the final look is sure to impress.
Alternatively, pare back the colour scheme, particularly if you have a smaller space to work with. Resene Brie is a creamy shade – as the name suggests – and complements natural materials perfectly.
The return of the splashbacks
Splashbacks are making a comeback, and for good reason.
Often a tiled area, this wall space behind a kitchen sink can easily be forgotten and left to blend into the rest of the room's colour scheme.
However, a brightly coloured splashback can inject welcome colour into an otherwise dull area, or a kitchen that lacks personality.
Consider shades of turquoise, violet and royal blue for a geometrical mosaic, or opt for a single colour. While tiles look fresh and glossy, grime can easily catch in the grout if you don't clean it regularly.
In order to make a statement with a splashback, tone down your paint colour scheme. When choosing paint for your walls, pick a light shade that has a hue of your splashback.
For instance, if you pick a maroon splashback, pair it with walls coated with Resene Bambina, which is an ash pink.
Back to black
As fantastic as a drop of colour looks in a kitchen, it's not for every home.
If you want a kitchen that's embraces grey hues and white tiling, this can certainly add a sense of sophistication.
However, don't let the space become dull. If you're recreating your kitchen from scratch by knocking down walls to expand the space, be sure to add extra windows to let as much natural light in as possible.
Glossy black countertops look fantastic, while statement light bulbs add personality. You don't always have to use bold colours to make a statement and can instead achieve a refined look with cool grey shades.
Get inspired ! 
