You simply fill a cup with your ingredients, screw on the blades, invert the cup and push it down on the base. I’d say these are the more love-it or hate-it statement colours.Įverything is very straightforward and it’s immediately obvious how it all goes together. But for the more adventurous it also comes in pastel pink, pastel blue and pastel green. The base comes in a range of colours including cream, black and white, just like the matching Smeg toaster set. And when I pulled it out of the recyclable packaging, I was immediately struck by the bold red colour that I’d been sent for the review. Unboxing, setting up and first impressionsĪs is typical for a personal cup blender, this Smeg blender arrived in a neat little box. In that time she tried out a variety of smoothies and shakes, using as many different ingredients as she could think of to put it through its paces.

Helen reviewed the Smeg Personal Blender in her home, she was sent the product on loan for a week. She lives in a small village in Buckinghamshire in the UK, where she reviews all sorts of home and garden appliances for Ideal Home using her wealth of experience. Elegant and timeless in their simplicity, creamier color schemes have become a stalwart in the world of interiors, and are the perfect color addition to modest spaces.After completing a Home Economics degree, Helen went on to work for the Good Housekeeping Institute and has been reviewing home appliances ever since. Instead opt for a softer, warmer white and cream that grounds and lifts at the same time.'Ĭream kitchen ideas, along with the trend for ' quiet luxury' are having something of a moment this year. 'Pure white can often be too cold and sterile, while trying to warm it up means possibly straying into the magnolia territory. 'The search for the ideal neutral is not as easy as it would initially appear,' says interior designer, Becca Galbraith. Here, interior designer Becca Galbraith of Becca Interiors uses this color palette to perfection.

‘There are many ways to “warm up” the design, one of which is to consider introducing warmer tones,’ says Richard Atkins, design director, DesignSpace London. White kitchens continue to be hugely favored, despite notions that they can be too clinical for a home environment. White is, of course, one of the most versatile shades in all of design, but interior designers and trend forecasters are instinctively leaning towards calmer versions from the same color palette, such as ivory, linen, sand, and stone. Not only does it inject a space with brightness and joy, but it will also bring out and highlight any accent colors in the room.’

This subtle tone works perfectly in a kitchen that is rather dark, or which suffers from a lack of natural light. Here, Jennifer Welch of Jennifer Welch Interior Design used a combination of pastel pink to calm rather than energize in this modern kitchen. For the upcoming season, such nostalgia has captured the imaginations of kitchen designers who are using this color more liberally than ever before. Inherently romantic and feminine, sugary pinks also conjure up scenes of bountiful rose gardens. Within interiors, pastel tones gained popularity during the 18th-century Rococo era, used in combination with elaborate stuccowork. Decorating with pink, especially subtle, pastel variations, is back for 2024, and we have the recent Barbie phenomenon to thank for its welcome return. First Lady Mamie Eisenhower was pivotal in popularizing the color, which is often referred to as 'Mamie Pink'. Pastel kitchens were once the color du jour in the 1950s. Ditch a harsh primary color palette in favor of pastels Use the darker shade below eyeline, and a lighter shade that’s closer to the wall color above it will help break up expanses of cabinetry and feel calmer and less blocky than a high-contrast scheme.' 4. 'Remember that dark colors take up more space visually. Most paint charts are arranged in families of colors, making it easy to find two shades that work together or contrast.'

Nicola Harding, director, of Nicola Harding & Co extols the virtues of using calming kitchen color combinations: ‘A two-tone kitchen scheme allows extra definition and interest without overcomplicating. It’s a great option for those who struggle with combining colors but don’t want a flat look. Tone-on-tone color involves using different saturations of one color to achieve contrast and movement. (Image credit: Nicola Harding & Co / Paul Massey)Ĭontrasting kitchen color schemes were once the height of fashion trends in the early noughties, but 2024 is seeing a shift towards gentle, tonal kitchen color combinations instead.Ī pleasing pairing of cabinetry shades will deliver depth and interest without being jarring.

Pastel blender market