Why you should never get an all-white kitchen

When it comes to interior design, timeless white will never go out of fashion.

And decking out a kitchen in the colour can make even the smallest cooking space seem large and inviting.

But experts have warned that all-white kitchens are surprisingly tricky to pull off - and not simply because they're tougher to keep clean, reports the Daily Mail.

Interior gurus point out that white-on-white kitchens also require a lot of maintenance - not to mention the fact it can make what should be the heart of your home appear cold and uninviting.

White is timeless and is a great neutral choice for landlords and renovators who want to make sure the property appeals to the broadest spectrum of renters and buyers.

As living spaces are often painted in neutral tones, white is a good choice for an open-plan kitchen that you want to blend into the open lounge area.

But experts including interior designer Rebecca Dupere say there are reasons why you might want to avoid going all-white with your cooking space.

"White kitchens, in my opinion, look far too utilitarian and clinical," Rebecca told FEMAIL.

"And, on the practical side white shows the dirt and stains far too easily. If the kitchen is the hub of your house a lot of time will have to be invested in keeping it clean.

"Should you be lucky enough to have a light kitchen it is worth bearing in mind that white units will discolour in sunlight. Also, any surface scratches and marks show up more on white."

The other challenge is that a large kitchen can easily look too clinical and unfriendly if you go all-white.

Steve Tough, commercial sales director at Masterclass Kitchens, told FEMAIL: "From a practical perspective, white shows up dirt and blemishes, making a white kitchen a high-maintenance choice," warns Steve.

"Aesthetically too, there are disadvantages, particularly if your kitchen is large, with lots of natural light already, as an all-white kitchen may leave the space feeling cold and welcoming."

Another disadvantage of an all-white kitchen is that there are hundreds of shades of 'off-white' and hues of other colours that might seem bright white in the catalogue - and then don't match your white appliances and furniture.

Simon Boocook, managing director of CRL Stone, told FEMAIL: "One of the disadvantages of choosing a white kitchen is that, depending on the materials chosen, it may not actually be truly white.

"There are actually varying shades of white, particularly when it comes to quartz which is increasingly being chosen for work surfaces.

"As a material that is made up of several components, including stone aggregates and resin, one white quartz surface may be a different, or whiter, white than another, dependent on how and where it is manufactured."

Another consideration to weigh up is that you may need to spend a lot of extra money to make sure your white finish is durable and doesn't get covered in lots of scratches after just a few weeks.

How you can pull off the white kitchen trend

There are some ways you can pull off this trend, however.

• Combine white furniture with warmer tones such as timber and shades of grey to create a welcoming atmosphere in the kitchen

• Contrast white with woodgrains somewhere in your kitchen for a Scandinavian feel

Source: Masterclass Kitchens