Floral stylist Willow Crossley shares her kitchen design secrets – and an unconventional wallpaper tip

'The kitchen makes me feel at home, it's where I spend most of my time,' opens Willow Crossley. 

See: Kitchen ideas – decor and decorating ideas for all kitchens

The renowned floral stylist and author of three lifestyle books is well-known for her ability to create floral works of art that showcase the crop of the current season. However, it is not only her floricultural extravaganzas that combine pattern, color, and texture, as Willow shows in her kitchen, which encompasses a strikingly similar design method. 

Here, the stylist shares five ways she injects individuality in her kitchen – including rare fabrics from her travels, crockery designed by her brother, and her unconventional wallpaper tip. 

My favorite kitchen countertop material

'I replaced the wooden worktop with very veined Arabescato marble (above) a couple of years ago. I love it more than anything; it makes me so happy. It's very dramatic and punchy, so not everyone's cup of tea.'

See: Kitchen countertop ideas – worktop inspiration in marble, granite and composite materials

My favorite kitchen color 

'We painted our units and the dresser in Farrow&Ball's Studio Green. The dark green kitchen color is quite impactful and works with the Aga. Our new Taino chairs from Oka are lovely woven things. I'm very drawn to nature. I had the upholstered chairs covered in vintage Suzani fabric I bought in Uzbekistan.'

My favorite wallpaper and unusual design tip

'Sanderson's Swallows wallpaper was in our old home in London, and I wanted it in our Oxfordshire cottage, too. People come in and say: 'I wouldn't put wallpaper in a kitchen,' but it's magical and looks a bit like the sky.'

See: Country wallpaper ideas for kitchens – cover your walls in playful prints

My favorite place in the kitchen

'We inherited the kitchen table and sit around it for eating, homework, and drawing, and it's where I write my books. It's always covered in pretty little trinkets.' 

See: How to create a floral table display with Willow Crossley

My favorite accessories

'I collect antique jugs and have glassware by Nina Campbell and Anthropologie, as well as mugs from Emma Bridgewater and Burleigh. For plates, I go to Daylesford, Ralph Lauren, and my brother, Ned's company, Not Another Bill for its speckled designs.'

My favorite cookbooks

'I go to bed reading cookbooks! I love Donna Hay, Amelia Freer, and Nigel Slater – easy, simple recipes with very beautiful images. 

See: Country kitchen ideas – get the rustic look with our ultimate inspiration gallery

'My absolute favorite is A Love of Eating by Jemima Jones and Lucy Carr-Ellison. I just don't have the headspace or time to cook fancy technical things, so it's right up my street. Healthy and light, but very delicious.'