With cool new kitchen brands popping up and lots of innovative design ideas and clever twists on old appliance designs on display in kitchen showrooms across the country, there are plenty of on-trend looks and state-of-the-art appliances to pick from.
From cool colors to clever cabinetry, these latest kitchen trends are all bang on trend – but achievable, too.
Below, we look at the biggest new looks for kitchens:
1. CONCEALED KITCHENS
Maximizing the feeling of spaciousness by uniting cooking, dining, and relaxing into one glorious, light-filled room – here an uninviting and small kitchen was demolished
in favor of a big living room with the kitchen tucked discreetly at one end. The layout is flexible so it transitions from a kitchen to a dining room to
a living area in an effortless way. The cooking space is as invisible as possible, with door panels looking like decorative wall finishings. All doors are hidden, with fingerprint sensors that allow them to open and close in a smooth manner.
2. USING MATERIALS IN SURPRISING WAYS
Brass backsplash idea with white countertop and wooden cabinetry. There’s something free-ing about having a kitchen that doesn’t feel ‘off the shelf. Even if some elements like cabinetry and appliances need to be standardized, think about adding character with practical elements sourced elsewhere. This sink area features a rustic shelf to display pottery and a narrow geometric backsplash made of brass sits behind creating an unusual vignette.
3. BRAVE COLOUR CONTRASTS
Picking two shades on opposite sides of the color wheel, like pink and green, will achieve bold contrasts. The past decade has been all about white, bright kitchens. Homeowners shifted away from natural wood cabinets and dark granite, and instead painted everything white.
4. A FRESH TAKE ON MID-CENTURY
Mid-century kitchen with walnut cabinets and white slab doors. Bright whites contrast with rich timbers and soft curves to lend a modern mid-century flair to contemporary kitchens. Dark walnut cabinetry works to keep the look simple with smart bespoke detailing. Tall white cabinets and light marble splash-backs and countertops draw the eye up creating an illusion of space, keeping the look fresh and of the moment.
5. THE SINK SKIRT REVIVAL
Striped kitchen sink skirt with white marble worktop and backsplash. Once considered outdated and frumpy, the sink skirt is back in fashion creating opportunity for texture and pattern, softening kitchen schemes, and adding a touch of nostalgia. The idea is based on replacing the base cabinet doors underneath the sink with pleated curtains, often suspended on a decorative rod. Here is an opportunity for an element that can be updated often – on-trend gingham, tactile untreated linen, or pale pink stripes amongst bold colors.
6. MARBLE
It’s the time of strongly veined marble, the busier the better for unmissable luxury and next-level style. If there’s one thing that’s storming the style charts and shaking up interiors, it’s the return of marble. Heavily veined marble is making a significant comeback in the design world and has become synonymous with high-end luxury. A popular choice for kitchens and bathrooms, it is also highly sustainable; its durability, classic attributes, and ability to withstand passing trends make it a good investment. Marbles with naturally strong veining add statement value and create a textural contract between other polished surfaces, metals, and woods. Within a kitchen, use marble to create an elegant bath, an eye-catching sink, or a kitchen island.
7. WOOD FINISHES
Out of fashion for a while, wood is now enjoying a bit of a revival. Use subtle-grained ash, paler than oak or walnut, to pick out the warm tones in manmade stone.
8. DARK DRAMA
Often overlooked as purely an ‘accent’ color, black walls, cabinetry, and work surfaces are having something of a moment. Black becomes liveable, luxe, and inviting, with textured woods adding rustic, homely charm.
9. COLOR POPS
Throw the rulebook out of the window in favor of unexpected paint-color pairings. Kitchens are rife with color opportunities, from appliances and flooring, to window treatments and cabinets. Start by deciding how much a permanent commitment you are willing to make. One of the easiest and least expensive options is to paint a wall that can be easily updated should you tire of it. Choosing color is such a personal experience – in fact, no one knows for sure whether we all even see the myriad shades in the same way. The colors we choose automatically are naturally influenced by current fashions. ‘The color in a kitchen – be it on walls or fittings – should last for at least five years, minimum, so try to look beyond immediate trends and choose a color that will keep you feeling good long term.
10. HANDLELESS DESIGN
The latest contemporary designs are all about multi-tasking, free-flowing design with a paired-back look. Technological advances in push-open and closed doors mean that it has become possible to dispense with handles in both wall and base cabinets. If you prefer not to have push-open cupboards, then recessed handles provide the same sleek look and can be lined with contrasting colors and materials to add interest. Handleless kitchen cabinets are one of the biggest trends for 2021 for a more pared-back, streamlined look. It’s all about simplicity and a focus on cabinetry details.
11. PANTRIES
Pantry cupboards have been kitchen staples for centuries and, in the last few years, have established themselves as one of the must-have items in modern homes. Having a pantry makes perfect sense. All the food goods are in one place and not scattered around in numerous wall cupboards, meaning people can be more organized when doing their food shopping. The other great advantage of a larder and its storage capacity is that a kitchen no longer needs to be full of wall cupboards. It frees up entire walls to either be left free or have an attractive piece of artwork in the kitchen which in turn helps it feel less like a kitchen and instead more of a relaxed environment, perfect for open plan living areas.