When planning home renovations, we look towards industry trends to help us make up-to-date style choices that will last without getting caught by fads that will soon become dated. So what’s new? Today’s kitchen design is all about texture and touch.
Q. How are kitchen design trends changing?
A. We source the latest technologies, materials and finishes from across Europe and the UK to bring you the very best choice of innovative, unusual and exciting products in the kitchen design industry. Products such as soft-touch vinyls and super strong ceramics in rough, rustic effects and distressed textures.
Q. Is ceramic a new material in kitchen design?
A. In terms of furniture and work surfaces, yes. Although it has been around for centuries, the latest manufacturing processes now create a ceramic surface that is not only incredibly robust and durable but infinitely versatile too. These new ceramics are scratch resistant and far less prone to thermal shock or chemical damage. Plus the way in which they are made allows us to create new finishes and effects such as the distressed rust which is effortlessly cool.
Q. What other materials should we expect to see?
Our showroom is bursting with exciting new samples, and it’s not just ceramics that are changing the face of kitchen design. The new range of soft touch vinyls are incredibly tactile and hard wearing with a satin finish that doesn’t fingermark, so they stay looking gorgeous for longer!
Fans of high-gloss units will love the Piano Gloss finishes of our über reflective lacquered doors and drawers. Both matt and gloss finish glass doors are available in a delicious variety of colours and tones, which when used on handleless units create an overall look that is minimal and sleek.
If you’re lucky to have a kitchen that is flooded with natural light, you could indulge in a warmer look using materials inspired by nature. A slate veneer will draw on the season’s powdery grey palette and natural hues, or there’s a fabulously authentic rough sawn wood finish that would enrich your home with reddish browns and rustic charm. We also love the new range of concrete doors and drawers which are strikingly urban. All create texture and interest and are incredibly tactile and practical too. There really is something new and exciting for everyone.
Q. What about the actual cooking, anything new?
A. Steam tech may have been around for a while, but steam cooking is fast becoming a mainstay for home cooks too. We’d say it’s certainly here to stay.
And much like in other parts of our lives, connectivity is emerging in kitchen tech. For example, the ‘My AEG’ app enables you to adjust cooking temperatures, switch functions and see inside your AEG ProCombi Plus Smart Oven via your mobile device. It will even send you alerts when it’s time to get actively involved in the cooking process.
We’re also big fans of the BORA cooktop extractor hob which provides an impressive 100% clean rate – completely revolutionising kitchen extraction as we know it. With a built in extractor on the hob plate, cooking odours are drawn away directly from the pan before they reach the airspace around the chef. Effective extraction is critical in combined living spaces which continue to be ever popular; nobody wants soft furnishings or living spaces to be contaminated by what’s going on in the kitchen. Plus it’s noiseless too, no louder than a steak sizzling. Quite amazing.
Q. And for the future, what might come next?
Who knows, worktops that we can cook on perhaps? If induction hobs are made of glass, then the principle may well apply. At the rate that technology advances, we’d say that anything is possible!
We’d love to discuss your kitchen design dreams with you
Call us on 01608 690870 or email [email protected] to discuss how we can create the perfect kitchen for your home.