When you consider just how much gets done in the average family kitchen and how frequently it is visited by all members of a household, it stands to reason that people are looking for ways to be more expressive in the design of this important domestic hub.
Trends have shifted away from single-colour spaces with minimal finishes and now we’re seeing people get bolder, eliminating rigid lines, and making way for playful, interesting, organic curves and unexpected detailing and captivating textures.
Mix it Up
Play with a range of surfaces, colours, patterns and textures to create an interesting visual space. In the image below, Caesarstone uses a variety of deep dark hues to make it seem like the countertops are floating.
Textured cupboard doors lead the eye up, further enhancing the high ceilings. The gorgeous pattern on the benchtop and splashback is organic and natural, hinting at rippled water on a soothing lake.
Picture: Caesarstone – Arabetto
Curve Appeal
Wherever possible, incorporate curves.
Be on the lookout for curved range hoods, benchtops with rounded edges, and feature lighting that flaunts elegant rounded forms.
Sink or Swim
Stainless-steel sinks be gone. Enter bold, statement styles that not only look the part, they’re also incredibly practical.
Sinks are now even available in striking black and other swoon-worthy colours and finishes such as copper. Who would have thought a sink could be such a work of art?
Picture: Town & Country Designs
Clever Colour
A splash of bold and bright colour brings all attention centre stage.
Experts say there is a trend towards Mediterranean hues inspired by places we wish we could holiday in.
Blues and greens are definitely making a splash in kitchens.
Be Bold
The kitchen is a place where inspiration can often dry up. There wouldn’t be a kitchen in the country where the words “what’s for dinner?” have not been uttered and let’s face it, sometimes the answers are not that free flowing.
So amp up the inspiration by using bold, bright design elements.
Colour and pattern really can affect mood, so if you are a person who dreads the evening ordeal of preparing food, maybe including something vibrant will help you lift your game.
Picture: Trager Kitchens + Interiors
Upskill
With home offices and work from home becoming part of everyday life, more people are looking for the perfect place to pull up a perch and get cracking.
The kitchen can be a perfect place to do that, given that it is the hub of the home.
Busy people can have easy access to everything needed to run the home and work at the same time so it makes sense.
But to make it really practical, it is important to put some planning in. Laptops and food and water are not generally friends, so if you can create a purpose-built station, do it.
Storage
If you’re busy, you will appreciate not only the chance to work in an organised kitchen, but more importantly, the chance to keep it that way.
It’s one thing to put matching labels on the storage containers in the pantry and fridge but if the space is not set up properly in the first place, keeping order will prove difficult.
Talk to an interior designer about planning effective and appropriate storage, because if you try to build a kitchen that has a place for everything, it will be a lot easier to maintain order.
Picture: Hettich
Details
As more homes become automated, it makes sense to designate the kitchen as the control centre.
Things like charging drawers for electronic devices are best located in the kitchen because it really is the hub of the home.
Likewise, visual details make an impact on how we feel in a space. Put some effort into choosing the perfect hardware for cupboard doors, light controls, taps and lighting and you’re well on the way to creating the kitchen of your dreams.
