The Latest Trends in Kitchen Design That You Will Grow to Love
Kitchen Design Ideas – Autumn, 2021
…Without images. Only imagination 🙂
Once small, confined space at the back of the house, the kitchen has become an integral part of modern, open-plan apartments, creating one single space with the living area. The transformation of the kitchen from a place for cooking and storage to a place of dining and gathering means that, in addition to functionality and usability, it now also has to serve the aesthetic purpose.
This season, the designers have discarded the cold minimalism of large tile backsplashes and polished, glossy surfaces in favour of natural elements and durable, solid hardware, complemented by tempered glass.
Redefining the kitchen
The modern kitchen is, above all, eclectic – a place where contrasts meet in seemingly impossible harmony. The latest trends promote wood and metal combined, blending the natural with the industrial. Natural wood in its pure state is heavily employed, and so are metal hardware and tapware, be it copper, gold, brass, or stainless steel.
Countertops are designed with both looks and durability in mind, ranging from bare metal and cement to solid stone, quartz, granite, and marble. Wooden countertops include a variety of options to achieve different effects. You could have the rich, warm feel of oak, or opt for the washed-out look of pale ash and the rustic charm of reclaimed hardwood.
Celebrating nature
Without any doubt, cool hues such as greens and blues are all the rage right now. Of all them, it is sage green, and especially navy blue, that seems to reign supreme: dark blue cabinets in matte finish give off a modern, refined vibe. To avoid being too cold or too classical, particularly in case of long unbroken surfaces, they are topped with natural wood countertops in warm shades, such as cappuccino, terracotta, and ginger.
No less effective are carbon grey cabinets paired with robust, unpolished birchwood tops, and accentuated by gold or rose gold taps and hardware. Dark wine kitchen islands with details in satin steel, liquid metal, or even streaked marble, are going to look beautiful as well
A look into the future
Most modern kitchen appliances follow the futuristic trend, coming packed with intelligent functions and a smooth sleek metal or hard plastic finish that further enhances the kitchen visually. The natural element is once again present in low-energy, environment-friendly devices such as Electrolux front load washers with Smartboost, which seamlessly integrate into the kitchen while significantly lowering energy and water bills.
In addition to the practical use, ovens and microwave ovens, toasters, and espresso machines also complement the visual pattern, whether in monochromatic shades from white to dim grey, ebony, and charcoal, or in vibrant colours that easily break the monotony of large wood surfaces.
Glossy backsplashes are replaced with modernistic, hydraulic tiles, or tiles and wallpapers with geometric patterns. Solid-coloured tiles in contrasting colours also work well in providing more depth and adding simplicity in smaller spaces and kitchens that mix a lot of different styles.
The details that give character
Lightning is very important in providing good ambience: cool white fluorescent lights have been banished in favour of pendant lights and wall sconce lamps that give it a more intimate, more natural feel. Strategically placing them above shelves and countertops results in creating small oases of light, putting focus on details, and beautifully illuminating the textures of the used materials in all their diversity.
Since minimalist design is passé, this also meant the end of the kitchen that lacks human touch. The contemporary kitchen is all about opening to the rest of the space, which demands replacing the bulky upper cabinets with open shelves. An open storage design allows for a lot of personalisation, since virtually anything can be put on display, from cookbooks, to coffee tins and tea kettles.
Details such as glass jars with grains, beans, or pasta, miniature jars with spices, herbs, and seeds, vintage drink or apothecary bottles, even hand-crafted chopping boards can serve as a nice addition or contrast to the overall style of the kitchen.
It’s all about the contrast
No matter the colour palette and the materials used, the basic premises of the modern kitchen layout are openness of space, and boldness of design. Contrasting elements are combined in order to ensure a unique look is achieved every time. The reinvented kitchen celebrates the union of vintage and modern, classic and futuristic, coarse and smooth, robust and elegant, turning it into the focal point of one’s home.
