Before and after: Thinking pink takes this kitchen from grim to gorgeous

Everything's coming up rosé thanks to the perfect mix of pastels and industrial colours

Pink wall with gallery wall of art prints in a dining area
(Image credit: Katie Lee)

Pink is having a breakout moment. From the Instagram-darling of Sulking Room Pink to the very meta can't-tell-it's-painted Plaster Pink, it is flexing its versatility and shedding its girlish image.

No rooms are out of bounds for a pop of pastel or a brush of blush. The secret is to find the perfect pairing with other colours that will take it from sweet to sophisticated.

So we love what Steve and Katelin Haworth have done in their extended kitchen, with deft strokes of pink in alcoves, on the island, on the feature wall and in the accessories – all balanced by accents of industrial grey and neutral white. We got the lowdown on how to keep it stylish not saccharine.

The before

Steve and Katelin Haworth’s industrial grey kitchen has been lifted with a pop of blush pink

The old kitchen was cramped, dark and very red!

(Image credit: Steve and Katelin Haworth)

Steve and Katelin moved into the Victorian terraced house in Whitley Bay, Tyne & Wear, with their two young daughters, looking for a forever home which also had a garden.

The old kitchen was already pretty colourful with its shiny red wood units – but the couple found the heavy shade just added to the small, cramped and dark feeling of the galley-style space.

By extending into the side return, they managed to double the size of the small kitchen and open it up to the garden. It also give them a blank canvas to update with some fresh shades.

Steve and Katelin Haworth’s industrial grey kitchen has been lifted with a pop of blush pink

Bi-fold doors from Excel Windows add an outside link but also match with the industrial accents. Dining table frame, RCC Furniture. Pew seat, Ebay.  Cambridge oak parquet LVT flooring, Polyflor

(Image credit: Katie Lee)

The process

Steve and Katelin Haworth’s industrial grey kitchen has been lifted with a pop of blush pink

Katelin picked marble quartz worktops to complement the pink and the grey. Poitier rose pink gloss tiles, CTD tiles. Induction hob, Hotpoint. Tap, Lusso Stone. Pendant lights Loaf. Bar stools, B&M

(Image credit: Katie Lee)

Steve’s architect cousin, Joseph Wilson, drew out some layout ideas, while local firm BTC Construction did the building work during the four-month project. The choice of colours came from Katelin with Steve suggesting finishes that would give an industrial edge.

‘Once the walls were plastered, we painted everything white and put down 9mm plywood ready for the cement screed and luxury vinyl tile flooring,' Steve said. 'I wanted an industrial look, so we kept the steel beams exposed and used a fire retardant metal paint.

‘Katelin had lots of design ideas picked up from TV, magazines and Instagram and she suggested a pink and grey colour scheme. We came across Affordable Kitchens Direct who supplied and fitted a Second Nature Kitchen in just the colours we were looking for.'

The details

Steve and Katelin Haworth’s industrial grey kitchen has been lifted with a pop of blush pink

The Anthracite Grey and Dry Rose of the Second Nature kitchen from Affordable Kitchens Direct are the perfect combination. The stair banisters have been painted in Down Pipe, Farrow & Ball 

(Image credit: Katie Lee)

To save money, Steve, an IT analyst, turned his hand to DIY, making a dining table and shelves from floor joists. He also tackled some tiling 

‘Katelin found some lovely pink tiles for the inglenook,' he added. 'She wanted them laid in a herringbone pattern like the floor, but it would’ve taken me forever. Laying them vertically was much easier. I used grey grout to match the other units.

'After living in the space for a few months, we added some colour with a gallery wall. We might paint the wooden pew seat if we agree on the right shade.'  

With the colour confidence they've shown so far, we don't think they should have any problem!

Alison Jones
Assistant Editor

Alison is Assistant Editor on Real Homes magazine. She previously worked on national newspapers, in later years as a film critic and has also written on property, fashion and lifestyle. Having recently purchased a Victorian property in severe need of some updating, much of her time is spent solving the usual issues renovators encounter.

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