Top 5 kitchen design trends for 2017
1. Black is back
On TV shows, websites and in magazines, we’re seeing a rise in all-black kitchen designs, and it’s definitely on-trend for 2017. If an entirely black kitchen seems a little too daring for you, maybe look at having black accent cabinetry, a black island or black fittings. Black appliances such as ovens, cooktops, microwaves, rangehoods, and refrigerators are the perfect way to complement the ‘so black’ trend, and there will also be a rise in the availability of black sinks and tapware to complete the look.
2. Dark woods
The craze of the black kitchen has had a flow on effect and now we’re seeing a rise in popularity of darker timbers being used in the latest kitchen designs. The previously popular lighter blonde woods such as beech and oak are being replaced with rich walnuts and black Japanese stains. If you’re thinking of adding some trending dark timber to an existing kitchen, you might try adding a timber breakfast bar that sits on your current island benchtop, replacing selected doors with dark natural timber veneer or laminate timber grain fronts, or by adding some dark timber accent shelves. If you can’t commit to the dark timber trend, try some dark timber accessories such as chopping boards, salad bowls or salt and pepper grinders. (link to be added to display images when professional photography is taken).
3. Decorative tiles in kitchen design
Decorative tiles are a cost effective and practical way to add personality to your kitchen. In 2017, tiles will be increasingly unique, decorative and textural. If you’re thinking tiles are only suitable for splashbacks and flooring you’d be wrong. Decorative tiles can pack a real punch when installed in the back of open shelves or directly to the backs of cabinets with glass doors and glass shelves. Some tiles that are predicted to be big in 2017 include rough-hewn terracotta tiles (to add warmth), Artisan tiles with richer and darker tones (especially dark green), and cork tile flooring (a blast from the past that adds warmth and texture, and is also softer underfoot).
4. Materials- Porcelain and Concrete
With so many new products out on the market we are more spoilt for choice than ever. Porcelain or ‘Ultra Compact’ surfaces have been on the market for many years now but their popularity is only growing in Australia and is predicted to be a huge kitchen trend in 2017. They can be used as kitchen benchtops, flooring, wall cladding or as a splashback. These porcelain products come in large slabs and are highly stain resistant, heat resistant, and create an ultra-sophisticated kitchen with personality. The other big material trend for 2017 will be concrete and concrete-look products. If you don’t have the budget for real concrete benchtops there are plenty of alternatives out on the market. Engineered stone brands such as Caesarstone and Essastone have ranges that replicate the look and feel of real concrete, but prove to be much more durable as a kitchen work surface. But why not have a concrete look cabinetry? Our new industrial display has Laminex Concrete Formwood laminate fronts that add texture, personality and interest to any kitchen.
5. Kitchen islands – the new dining table
The family dining room with the centred solitary table could be a thing of the past in 2017. The dining table will become one with the kitchen island creating on-trend island designs that are both unique but also very practical. This kitchen trend will allow the process of food preparation and consummation to become two closely linked activities, with the kitchen remaining the social hub of the home. A cantilevered table that juts off the island is the perfect way to achieve this latest kitchen design trend.
While we love to see new kitchen trends here at Kitchens by Kathie, we always encourage our clients to choose design styles and materials that suit their own personal space and lifestyle as opposed to being slaves to trends. Your home’s interior style should be as individual as you are, and should reflect your own unique personality. One of Australia’s top Interior Designers Darren Palmer put it perfectly when speaking at Pottery Barn in Sydney recently:
” Of course, trends are always fleeting so take these with a pinch of salt. Individuality is always a real trend. The best success comes when you take the parts [of trends] that are appropriate to you, and reproduce it in a way that is unique to you – reinterpretation is key.”
We couldn’t have said it better ourselves!