The kitchen in this Victorian home has a totally unexpected color palette – but it proves these playful hues can be utterly chic

There are colors that we instinctively associate with elegant and sophisticated kitchens and others that feel decidedly more playful. But sometimes, throwing out the metaphoric rule book and decorating with unexpected colors is the best way to create a striking kitchen design.

Nailing your kitchen color ideas really comes down to choosing the right shades and combinations. When you think of a pink and green kitchen, it perhaps conjures images of a more fun and experimental space, but that's not always the case.

This kitchen is a prime example. The pink and green color scheme is actually chic, sophisticated, and almost pared-back in the space. Here, we take a look around and find out how this design came to fruition.

There's no denying the appeal of this completed kitchen. Pale pink cabinetry paired with a striking green island – it's a pairing you might have never considered, but it's unexpectedly stylish. It was by no means a simple journey to this end result.

'The property was built in the 1860s making it Victorian and still with a wealth of period features. It was in reasonable condition and just needed a little bit of freshening up,' says Alexa Hardman, showroom manager and senior kitchen designer at deVOL Kitchens.

'It had beautiful period features including detailed architraves and covings, tall ceilings and a spacious garden. The kitchen was situated on the lower ground floor, in a smaller room with a dated kitchen and conservatory out to the garden.'

While the bones of the space were in good condition, the clients were keen to relocate the kitchen to the ground floor, where they would benefit from taller ceilings and large windows with beautiful shutters.

'They opened up the kitchen and dining spaces by knocking down part of the dividing wall and adding a large opening between the two spaces. They also re-configured and extended the lower ground floor layout to include a utility room, bar area, study, gym, and additional bedroom,' Alexa explains.

With a plan for the newly located kitchen in a much more spacious room, designing could begin. However, the original plans to add two fitted runs of cabinetry and an island with a sink at the center felt too contemporary for the period home, so Alexa had to rethink the kitchen layout.

'We then opted for a U-shaped layout to create a focal point for the sink underneath the tall window. This worked particularly well as the clients have two very young kids, and you could envisage them looking out to the garden with the kids playing in future years.'

The redesign proved successful, with an easy flow around the space and plenty of storage for a functioning family kitchen. And, most importantly, it feels fitting of the Victorian home it lives in.

'The design reflects the period features found in the rest of the property, such as the lovely covings and window shutters. One really lovely detail was that the clients had their covings recast so they could be replicated around the shaker canopy, so it looks like it has always been there and shows the level of detail that they went to,' says Alexa.

As a family of keen bakers, the clients wanted appliances to be a priority in the design. High-quality ovens, an integrated fridge and freezer, and a concealed dishwasher have all been seamlessly designed into the cabinetry.

'This was to allow the kitchen to feel more like furniture and more sympathetic to the period of the house. They also wanted to go for a more free-standing prep table style island for this same reason, to feel more authentic and as a space for food preparation, baking and as a place to perch,' adds Alexa.

The result is truly a masterpiece. While the pink cabinetry flows around the kitchen seamlessly, it doesn't feel too bulky or built-in, thanks to the addition of the more unfitted design of the kitchen island and the choice to forgo any upper cabinets. By keeping the tall cabinetry tucked behind the wall on one side of the room, they've achieved an open, airy atmosphere.

For Alexa, the stand-out feature is the pantry cupboard, which features internal drawers, a marble cold shelf, and sockets for plugging in small appliances. 'On the back of the doors, we have racks with brass rails for oils and spices. It's lovely to have a place for all their food to be stored so you don't overbuy or duplicate things you already have.'

The cozy coffee station is another charming detail that really caters to the needs of the clients, created using hardwood paneling and shelves. 'It's a spot for their beloved coffee maker, which had travelled with them from their previous home. The shelf above includes pegs for mugs to be hung, ready for their morning coffee,' says Alexa.

The decorative pieces in this kitchen can't be ignored – they're key to creating the lived-in feel. Potted herbs on the window sill add an organic element, while elevated cannisters, cutting boards, and tableware offer a more curated finish to the space.

Square zellige tiles, also in a pink hue, create a classic kitchen backsplash that feels right at home in the design. To reintroduce another element that feels cohesive with the Victorian roots, a brass pot hanger sits along the backsplash, used to hang pots, dried herbs, and miniature storage baskets.

There are so many beautiful elements in the kitchen, but they are all key to making the design work. A pink and green kitchen sounds like a bold, maximalist combination, but this scheme proves that with the right shades, it can be a truly classic, sophisticated duo.

Even if you're not usually a fan of colorful kitchens, there's no denying that this expertly designed scheme is a masterclass in making pink kitchen ideas feel chic. Balanced by the green island and the various textures throughout the design, it's certainly made us reconsider this unexpected color combination.