Admittedly, I play it safe when it comes to color schemes. I have so far kept things pretty neutral paint-wise and prefer to use my decoration to add color and character and create my favored rustic style. For years I have followed the tried and tested formula that a soft scheme of whites, creams, and beiges will work best for my aesthetic, and darker shades are for making a statement, suited to bolder more maximalist spaces.
But Joanna Gaines's recent peek into her butler's pantry has convinced me I have been playing it too safe in fact. Swathed in a soft blue-black shade, Joanna's back kitchen is a lesson in how a darker paint can in fact be the perfect soft setting for a rustic look.
Joanna's recently been sharing a lot of her seasonal baking, all of which looks beautiful and all of which takes place in her equally beautiful back kitchen. There's so much inspiration to take from this small, but hard-working room, but my main takeaway is how liveable the deep soft black walls and cabinets are.
On paper, totally color drenching a room in a dark color sounds dramatic, but in reality, in Joanna's home, it looks soft and welcoming and is unexpectedly the perfect backdrop to the rustic country style.
What's the trick then? How can you decorate with dark colors while still keeping that welcoming, country kitchen feel? Of course, the paint shade you choose is key. You want to go for something soft and smudgy, no 'true' colors that are going to look harsh, but instead ones that have a warmer undertone.
Look for black paints that have a slight blue or brown undertone. Joanna doesn't reveal the exact shade she uses in this space, but ones the come to mind are Farrow & Ball's iconic Railings, or Magnolia's Blackboard.
There's a lot of texture in the space too with the marble countertops and stone tiles. Plus you have plenty of wooden accents to balance the drama of the drenched walls and cabinets – the island, the shelving, even the smaller details like the wooden-lidded storage jars and chopping boards.
There's added warmth from the brass accents too, which you can see in the wall sconces, the hardware, and picture frames. And there's all the vintage decor going on which again just really helps tone down the drama, giving a cozy, cocooning feel with zero of the overwhelm you might expect.
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The seating area of Joanna's kitchen has a lovely symmetry to it, which makes it feel more purposeful in the practical space. Wall sconces sit above the chairs, flanking either side of the window, and these options from Joanna's own brand Magnolia have a similar vintage to feel to them for a great price.
Magnolia offers lots of Joanna-approved vintage style art, and the petit size of this design would be perfect for adding some character to a kitchen by propping it up on your counter. The frame adds that all-important warmth we talked of earlier too.
Layering up wooden chopping boards in different sizes, shapes and texures is a simple way to add an instant country feel to a kitchen. It's practical kitchenware that can double as decor. These ones comes in round or rectangular design.
These jars feature on the shelves of Joanna's kitchen, again a practical piece that doubles as decor. Create a display with a few different sizes and shapes, and get your cookware out on the shelves too – dutch ovens, mixing bowls, measuring jugs.
Not only is this rolling pin very aesthetically appealing, marble actually makes for a great rolling pin material – it's cool, smooth, hygienic, and hardwearing. It would make for a great hostess gift too.
These tea towels are a steal in the Pottery Barn sale. These have a vintage, French look and are sure to add a rustic look to a kitchen.
This is a winning formula if you love Joanna's iconic rustic style and want to embrace the darker color trends that are everywhere right now. It's about getting that right paint as your base (so order plenty of swatches) and then balancing out the drama with softer textures and warm colors and materials.
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