Interior design trends, and particularly kitchen trends, are just as complex and changeable as clothing trends, and many homeowners find it challenging to keep up. The good news is that you don’t have to embark upon a complete refurbishment every season. If you focus on just a few essentials you can completely transform your living space and make it look timeless and inviting. Kitchen trends have been particularly interesting over the last few years, as they have been more focused on timeless designs and practicality, instead of things that will feel dated and redundant in a few months. With that in mind, let’s have a look at the most promising kitchen trends:
Functional cabinets
While there’s no denying that people still enjoy beautiful design, the rise of minimalism has also meant an ever-growing focus on practicality, and interior fittings that allows you to be efficient and speedy. Handleless kitchen units are a perfect example of this style, and, despite looking modern, they are a testament to timeless craftsmanship. The modern design is aesthetically timeless and practical at the same time, allowing you to have plenty of storage space for all your items and appliances. They may be simple, but the handleless design is also quite striking. Plus, and this is a big plus, the slab doors ensure that your kitchen will always be easy to clean.
It’s no surprise that this style has taken off and is enjoying a newfound popularity, as people are increasingly drawn to well-made items that can last a long time and look good, no matter how much time passes. If you prefer the practicality of handles, there are many different styles to choose from, and these can be changed and updated relatively easily and affordably.
Remember, you shouldn’t feel restricted by a particular colour palette. While the typical trend in minimalism is for neutrals such as white, light grey, beige or ecru, you could also go for sage green, indigo, graphite, or deep blue. If neutral seems a bit dull to you, these options will brighten up your space, whilst also keeping it versatile enough to fit right in with other pieces and features.
Easy-to-use kitchen appliances
Heat waves are no joke in the kitchen, and many areas around the world are finding themselves at the mercy of ever-growing temperatures. The kitchen can become particularly uncomfortable during the warmer seasons, since using the oven or stove will only increase interior temperatures. Since you still need to prepare food and eat during the summer, you must look for solutions that will bring the thermometer down a bit. One solution is to invest in appliances that let you cook without turning your kitchen into a greenhouse.
Air fryers, slow cookers and sandwich toasters are all fairly versatile and allow you to cook for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can make everything from quick snacks to hearty stews without making the kitchen itself into an oven. Never underestimate the usefulness of the trusty old microwave in a heatwave. This can whip up a meal of vegetables, rice and quinoa, all while generating practically no external heat. When you cook, try to make enough for the whole week, or at least a few days, so you don’t have to make something new every day, but can just reheat what you prepared earlier.
Adding fans and keeping lighting to a minimum will also help.
Atmospheric lighting
The standard minimal look is focused on warm, light neutrals, but we’re seeing a resurgence in popularity for the darker, moodier and more atmospheric interiors. This is a continuation of the colour-drenching trend, which is itself a continuation of the monochrome look. Painting everything in the same hue is a great way to maximise design, without spending a great lot of money, but with colour drenching, you make absolutely everything the same shade, including the mouldings and trim. The homeowners who decided to embrace this trend realised that the style is at its best when highly saturated, deep colours are used.
Darker shades make rooms feel more intimate and cosy, and the rise of this trend is a clear break from previous fashions, which typically regarded dark interiors as something that can only be achieved in huge rooms, since all others will shrink visually as a result. Nowadays, it seems that people actually prefer smaller rooms and associate them with comfort and relaxation. There is no limit to the paints you can use, with the only important consideration being which shade you find more welcoming; grey, green, deep blue, brown, burgundy red and even all-black can fit right in with your chosen interior design.
Smart tech
Nowadays, serious technology and kit is found in all areas of life, so it shouldn’t be surprising that high tech appliances and developments have arrived in kitchens as well. Induction hobs are one of the biggest kitchen trends over the past few years, and a growing number of people are integrating one into their kitchens. There’s growing evidence that standard stoves can be hazardous for human health, as they emit nitrogen oxides that act as respiratory irritants and can even trigger asthma attacks in susceptible individuals. Compared to electric stoves, ones that work with gas produce roughly twice as much particulate matter.
Robotic kitchen inserts that prepare and cook food for you are not yet common in households, but they are currently in development, and people are putting their names on reservation lists so they can be among the first in the world to get one in their homes. These complex devices can have food ready by the time you arrive home from work or the gym, and you can order the ingredients to your doorstep so that you don’t have to worry about shopping either. Integrating them with nutritional information also means ensuring you’re eating healthier.
The kitchen is one of the home areas that gets the most wear and tear due to the constant temperature changes, as well as the fact that spills and splashes are much more common here. Some stains can become permanent, dropping a pot or pan can cause dents in your flooring, and having children and pets makes the place even messier. Luckily, there’s no shortage of trends to draw inspiration from if your own kitchen is long overdue for a makeover.
Photo by Collov Home Design on Unsplash
