KITCHENS Inside information

KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL

1. GET SMART

“Appliances with homeconnect technology are a game-changer for kitchens”

Hydroponic walls, mismatched cabinets, splashbacks created from art, free-standing cabinets, homeconnect apps – want the lowdown on the latest kitchen trends?

Even in pre-Covid times, the average kitchen did more than its fair share of heavy-lifting. Part cooking space, part informal hangout, not for nothing did it earn its rather hackneyed reputation as ‘the heart of the home’. It’s entirely unsurprising that people typically splash out more on a new kitchen than, say, a new bathroom or bedroom.

Enter Covid stage left, and for many people the kitchen was obliged to add home o ce to its busy . en if you ha e a discrete working space, and don t ha e to worry about being flicked with puréed banana by a toddler during a Zoom call, we bet you’re spending a lot more time in your kitchen than you used to; after all, it’s had to stand in for the water cooler and your favourite café.

Tempted to up your kitchen game? Need some fresh ideas? We asked a bunch of local experts to pick out one style or trend that they’re currently keen on, and to tell us how they’re incorporating it in their own kitchen designs.

1. GET SMART Wren Kitchens “The inclusion of appliances with home-connect technology is a recent game-changer for kitchens, and will continue to advance even more as we recognise the need for it to enhance our daily lives in the kitchen,” says Wren development and design director Darren Watts.

“Dishwashers, ovens and hobs etc can now all be connected and controlled via a smart home app. This makes the kitchen safer and more e cient at the tap of a button, allowing you to not only turn your appliances on and off, but to select programmes, put them on eco-mode or adjust the timers. This puts the controls of all of your appliances in one place, so the smarter the appliances, the easier your life will be.

“We are going to see an increase in app-based controls for kitchen appliances such as lights, fridges, ovens, dishwashers and more, as well as advances in voice-activation technology, which will allow smarter and more e cient pairings of appliances and smart speakers. It may sound like futuristic tech, but it’s all available now, which is very exciting for both the kitchen industry and kitchen-users.”

2. MIXING STYLES Fifteen Twelve “The best kitchen idea I have seen recently is the mix of door front styles in the same space,” says Laura Reynolds. “With many people going for the replacement door option, or the affordable budget carcasses and bespoke doors, it really gives an opportunity to be creative. People were hot for two-tone kitchens for a long time, and I think now it’s going to be more about the mix of textures and design. It s a ery bold and uni ue look, offering people functionality and style.”

2. MIX STYLES

3. CLEVER STORAGE

3. CLEVER STORAGE The Kitchen Partners “Storage remains as important as ever,” says Vicky Elmore, “from keeping clutter away in cabinets to hiding small worktop appliances. Slide-away door units cleverly disguise large appliances; when the unit is opened, the door can be slid in at the side of the carcass. Appliances can be concealed when not in use, creating a simple, straightforward look. Midway units placed on top of worktops are also becoming increasingly popular, with bi-fold fronts or sliding doors providing easy access to the storage space behind; combined with a pull-out shelf, they can provide easy access to heavier appliances.”

4. FREESTANDING KITCHENS

“People were hot for two-tone kitchens for a while; now I think it’s going to be more about the mix of textures and design”

4. FREESTANDING KITCHENS Ben Argent Kitchens “We have noticed a recent trend towards freestanding kitchens within the high-end contemporary kitchen world,” says Ben Argent. “We recently launched our own versatile, freestanding kitchen system, inspired by a passion for elegant furniture design within the modern home.

“Our aim was to create a highly customisable kitchen concept that works across a wide array of spaces, undefined by the parameters of the room. We wanted to move away from the notion that kitchen units need to be fitted between walls, instead designing indi idual, freestanding furniture with more identity and personality.

e ele ated e erything off the floor on a beautifully designed leg structure, with subtle curves and long spans that make it easy to clean underneath. This changes the whole kitchen environment to one that feels more spacious and dynamic; you can see the floor under the units and the walls on either side.

“It’s reminiscent of the humble roots of the traditional kitchen, yet with a contemporary vision. It’s a timelessly elegant collection, designed to last, which won’t fade with passing trends. Everything has been considered to facilitate the ease and precision of installation. The furniture components, worktops and appliances can be seamlessly fitted with minimal disruption, and with more e ciency and speed than your typical kitchen installation.

5. MIXED-USE SPACES Schmidt “Many of us are having to deal with increasingly mixed-use spaces for more extended periods of time,” says Simon Douglas. “When it comes to living and working in such environments, an organised space makes life more e cient and pleasant, which places increasing pressure on our kitchen spaces to deliver.

“Some of the best ideas we have created when designing customised spaces help to keep rooms orderly and functional while remaining stylish. We use the latest furniture solutions to create a seamless, uncluttered finish, no matter how busy the space may become. or e ample, new working- from-home routines mean that hidden coffee bars can streamline a morning schedule but keep everything in one place, then can quickly be shut behind cupboard doors to help split the time and create a sense of work-living separation.

“Mixed-use also means utilising smaller visual clues that can help us create micro-zones within any kitchen-living spaces. For example, a small reading area, or space to display artwork or personal items that are not functional to the kitchen, but bring us joy and help our mind to switch between work and relaxation. The same is true for a burst of colour or decorative lighting, as these also help create a sense of space organised for a specific task, again to help us mentally switch between tasks while being in one location.”

6. THE ECO KITCHEN Eighty2 “During this strange and often isolating year, many people have rediscovered their kitchens and gardens, making a connection with the natural world and the joys of home-grown and home-made food,” says Sophia Haden. “At Eighty2, we have been particularly interested in sustainability, and believe that this renewed energy in nature-focused living has driven people to consider their impact when looking at designing their homes. Our cabinetry will be made locally in Bristol, with FSC- approved timbers, reused waste to heat our workshops, solar power to power our machinery and any waste will be used for chipping/ compacting and heating local homes.

“There are also a few exciting new products entering the market, such as a new, more environmentally friendly worktop from leading worktop brand Cosentino. We are also interested in hydroponics, a way of growing food throughout the year within a built-in system in your kitchen. These use light, water and suspended nutrients to grow a wide variety of fruit, egetables and e en edible flowers all year round, without the need of an outdoor space. You will be able to see an example of atufia hydroponics in our new ristol showroom in the not too distant future.”

6. ECO

7. PAINTERLY 8. COLOUR THERAPY

8. COLOUR THERAPY Idesign Interiors Red Dog Glass Design’s founder and director is Sally Coulden, a professional artist who uses her paintings as the inspiration and basis for beautiful glass splashback designs. alking into the kitchen, your eyes are magnetically drawn to the splashback, says ally. ow ou are not only standing in front of a uni ue piece of art, but the design is genius; it s based on original paintings, which are digitised and then reworked into a new painting for e ery space, and made up of multiple toughened glass panels which ha e been specifically, seamlessly designed to work in any li ing space. ach glass panel is totally bespoke, to reflect the fact that e ery kitchen space is different. ou can t get much more special than that

“I absolutely love colour, and I’m fascinated by how certain colours can influence how we think and feel,” says Louise Mitchell. “During these times I think that we need all the help we can get. I recently had the pleasure of working on a pro ect where I had the opportunity to go a bit mad with colour and texture, utilising orange tones and combining an ama ing woodgrain finish for a retro s style kitchen. ot for e eryone, but I defy anyone not to

7. PAINTERLY SPLASHBACKS Red Dog Glass Design feel happy in this room.

YOU HAVE BEEN READING

Ben Argent Kitchens benargentkitchens.co.uk Eighty2 Instagram @eighty2interior

Red Dog Glass Design reddogglassdesign.com

The Kitchen Partners thekitchenpartners.co.uk

Fifteen Twelve fifteentwelve.co.uk Idesign Interiors idesigninteriors.co.uk

Schmidt home-design.schmidt

Wren Kitchens wrenkitchens.com

Fifteen Twelve | @fi fteentwelveinterior | 0117 379 0152