New Year… New Kitchen?!

With the start of the New Year, we often see clients who are keen to embark on a home renovation or install a new kitchen. Below we have compiled some of the key trends for 2015 which may be worth considering when designing your new kitchen or living space.

• Design finish: Moving away from glossy lacquer finishes as seen in recent years, the trend towards matt and tactile surfaces is strong. Concrete and clay look textures are evident in many of the new release kitchens with the use of Fenix NTM surface treatment prevalent on both bench tops and doors. This exciting new matt surface product is soft to touch, very durable and through the application of heat, can be restored back to its original state. As such, it has designer’s flocking to use this concrete looking product especially in black and dark tones. Cement render and honed marbles are also proving very popular. Caesarstone’s latest offering ‘Calacatta Nuvo’ is another popular benchtop material which is an interpretation of natural Calacatta marble without the hefty price tag.

• Timber: Again a predominant feature in this year’s kitchen designs, the use of both solid timber panels and timber veneers is very popular. Knotted timber veneers which showcase the natural characteristics of the wood grain are another design trend. Timber panelling and bench tops can be paired with white and black tones to add warmth to your kitchen space.

• Large breakfast bars/island benches: Popular in recent years is the standalone breakfast bar that provides seating for guests and works well with open plan kitchen & living areas. Our clients have been using feature materials such as composite stones, marble and Fenix NTM to create a standout kitchen bench that looks fabulous when paired with feature pendant lights.

• Appliances: Customisation of appliance handles and introduction of colour was big at Milan Furniture Fair in 2014. There was a move away from the traditional stainless steel finish to more fun and playful colours and the ability for clients to customise the look of their appliance handles. As seen at Miele, there were new design features with special materials and customised manufacturing, moving away from standardization. This also applies to tap ware & sinks with colours such as matte black, red and even copper and brass becoming fashionable in the kitchen.

• Power and technology: Integrated cabinetry lighting and pop up power plugs are now quite popular as clients look for smarter ways to power their kitchens and appliances. Zip Hydro taps with filtered and sparkling water are also a key trend in our kitchens this year.

• Integrated fridge/freezers: Very popular in Europe, Australian clients are also moving towards integrating their fridges and freezes into the cabinetry which gives a streamlined look to the kitchen.

• Retractable Doors: Cabinetry with doors that slide back into the carcass is big this year allowing for extra practicality and flexibility of use. Open shelving iss also a nice feature allowing home owners space and scope to accessorise their kitchen and dining areas.

• Pull push grip solutions: Kitchens with very few handles allowing for a seamless, streamlined aesthetic. Storage solutions such as large pull out drawers with integrated lighting and automated opening & closing mechanisms make for great functionality in the kitchen.

If you would like to discuss your kitchen renovation ideas, come in and see us today or call our showroom to book an appointment with one of our designers.

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