Delft pattern and copper in the kitchen
Blue-and-white pattern, dark cabinets and copper that gains a patina. A kitchen should not look the same in twenty years – it should look better. That is why I almost always start a kitchen project with the materials, not the layout. Here are my thoughts on the materials I keep coming back to, and how they work together.
The Delft pattern carries the whole room
The blue-and-white Delft pattern has its roots in the hand-painted tiles from Delft in the Netherlands, which have been part of European kitchens for centuries. The motifs – flowers, birds, landscapes and small figures – are not a trend, and that is exactly why they never go out of fashion.
The pattern does not have to come as tiles. In the Old Town kitchen the walls are covered almost all the way up in a blue-and-white wallpaper with a Delft pattern. In an old building that is a lighter route: no tiling and no grout lines, and the whole wall reads as one continuous pattern. That makes a small kitchen feel like a whole room rather than a row of cupboards, and the rest of the interior can be calmer.
My advice: give the pattern one or more whole walls rather than a narrow strip behind the worktop. It is when it is allowed to spread out that it starts to work as the room’s own architecture.
Copper and brass that are allowed to age
Copper and brass darken over the years, and that is the point. A shiny tap turns matte around the handle where hands touch it, copper pans take on a deep, warm tone. These are the traces of a kitchen in use, and they make the room personal.
I like to let copper pans hang out on a rail along the wall. They are beautiful, they are always within reach, and they add warmth against cool surfaces such as stone and stainless steel. On Grevgatan they hang over a large range, and at Segersta over the wooden kitchen island.
If you do not want the metal to change, choose lacquered brass. But ask yourself why first. Most of what we love in old houses is exactly what has been allowed to age.
Dark cabinets and marble
Against the blue-and-white pattern and the warm metal, dark cabinets work beautifully. They calm the pattern, they hide fingerprints better than white, and they make the brass glow. Choose a painted, panelled door with a classic profile – it suits a period apartment as well as a newer house.
For the worktop I like marble or another natural stone. Marble gets stains and scratches, and it should. A Carrara worktop after ten years of dinners tells more than one that looks new. If you want a tougher surface, choose a dark, hard-wearing stone, as in the country kitchen in the archipelago.
Care: wallpaper in the kitchen and materials that age
Wallpaper works well in a kitchen, but it has to be chosen for the room. Pick a washable or scrubbable quality, and protect the wall right next to the hob, where it splashes and gets hot – a panel of glass, stone or stainless steel behind the cooktop lets the wallpaper run all the way round the rest of the room. Wipe splashes straight away with a lightly damp cloth, and keep a roll from the same batch so a damaged drop can be replaced.
Copper and brass can be polished to a shine if you like, but I usually prefer to leave them be. A soft cloth and a little washing-up liquid are enough for everyday use. Copper pans used for cooking need a tin lining in good condition; have a skilled craftsman re-tin them when needed and they will last for generations.
Marble and limestone should be sealed when they are laid and then at regular intervals. Wipe up lemon, wine and vinegar straight away, and use a chopping board. Small marks and scratches will come anyway, and that is part of the charm. A worktop that has been lived with looks better than one that has been over-protected.
Dark painted cabinets can be touched up. Keep a tin of the colour from the start, so a scuff can be repaired without it showing.
How to combine the materials
A kitchen with many materials can easily become cluttered. My rule of thumb is to choose one thing that takes centre stage – a pattern on the wall, a coloured cabinet or a large range – and let the rest support it. In the Old Town it is the Delft pattern on the walls. On Grevgatan it is the brass.
Keep the metals to two: copper and brass work well together, but do not add chrome and black steel as well. Repeat each material at least twice in the room so it looks considered, and include the ceiling in the whole – a pressed-tin ceiling or painted panelling lifts an entire kitchen.
Finally: buy less and buy well. A tap, a range and a worktop of good quality last thirty years. That is also the most sustainable choice.