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Ice cream shades for a fresh kitchen update.

The pandemic has unlocked Britain's love for colour in the home and looks likely to challenge the perennial popularity of grey, according to new national research by Magnet. And guess what? Pastel kitchens are in.

Almost half of us have introduced colour into our homes over the last two years, the study reveals, and when it comes to designing our spaces we would rather create something that sparks joy (29 per cent,) rather than be guided by current trends (13 per cent.)

Interestingly, more than 80 per cent of Brits believe the colours in our home can have a positive effect on our mood and overall wellbeing, with a third of us believing pastel colours are most likely to evoke feelings of joy and happiness – 75 per cent of us are now considering a pastel colour palette for our kitchens.

'It's no surprise to us that we're all lusting for colour as homeowners steer away from grey, but we are amazed at the consumer response to the connection between colour and wellbeing,'says Lizzie Beesley, Head of Design at Magnet. 'Wellbeing has become a primary focus for design which is why it's such a positive sign that homeowners are actively craving colour in the home for this specific aim.

'When people talk to me about pastels, they often speak of peacefulness and of creating calm in an increasingly chaotic world. They are a surprisingly versatile and transformative colour palette and have a wondrous way of turning drab grey spaces into something truly special.'

Read on for our top 10 favourite pastel kitchens...

This pastel kitchen is very much a tale of two styles. On the one hand, we have the traditional architectural features (spot the fabulous ceiling roses) in a crisp white and a soft and nature-inspired sage green. On the other, we have sleek and handleless modern cabinetry in a candy floss pink. The combination is a total delight.

Pictured: Soho Kitchen in Rose Bowl at Magnet

In this kitchen, it seems that spring has sprung. A wash of pastel green sits with the palest sky blue and buttery yellow accents for an effect that makes a functional room altogether more welcoming and homely.

Pictured: Victorian Floor Tiles in Harrogate at Original Style

Pastels made contemporary in our very own House Beautiful Camberwell Kitchen at Homebase. Those unexpected pops of black contrast wonderfully, making a soft pastel shade more contemporary.

Pictured: House Beautiful Camberwell Kitchen in Cornflower at Homebase

We love this brave use of pink in the Ludlow kitchen at Magnet. Sophisticated stones such as quartz or marble make a great pairing for a more youthful and playful pastel. This combination would work wonderfully with any colour – picture pastel green cabinetry with a jade splashback for instance.

Pictured: Ludlow Kitchen in Lilac Blossom & Seagrass at Magnet

Pastels are so frequently paired with brass or gold, especially in a kitchen, but the yellow undertones in these metals can make your pastels seem more saturated. We're fans of mixing pastels with silvers and greys, which has a more cooling effect.

Pictured: Shaker Kitchen at Olive & Barr

Pastels work beautifully in rooms with plenty of natural light. You can afford to introduce darker accent colours – the black hardware is a great choice here – as well as heavy pattern, like this fabulous runner.

Pictured: Chichester Kitchen at Neptune

Here, delicate variations of lilac avoid becoming sickly sweet. The addition of natural wood and ceramics is important in this scheme, as they offset the delicate pastel shades, offering something a touch more sophisticated.

Pictured: Chalk Paint in Antoinette, Barcelona Orange, and Emperor's Silk at Annie Sloan

Pastel colours are the ultimate in ready-made colour combinations, all sharing pale or white undertones that make them perfectly compatible with one another. You can mix pastel green and lilac as shown here, or blues with pinks, or sunshine yellows. There are really no rules when it comes to pairing your pastels.

Pictured: Shaker Kitchen at Olive & Barr

Adding a texture to your pastels gives them a wonderful plaster effect – used most commonly with pinks, but also super effective with blues as shown here.

Pictured: Blissful Blue at Dulux

Whilst pastels can be a very playful colour scheme to work with, they do equally well in more country-inspired and traditional settings – shaker cabinets make the perfect base for pastels.

Pictured: Dunham Kitchen in Seagrass at Magnet

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