interior
Between cooking weeknight dinners, Sunday meal prep, and hosting friends, we tend to spend a lot of time in our kitchens. Keeping our kitchens updated, stylish, and functional is perhaps more important than any other room in the house.
Decades ago, the kitchen was hidden in the back of the house. It was a place where meals were prepared and dirty dishes were washed. Fast forward to 2019 and the kitchen has a much different role. Today, the kitchen is the focal point of the home, the place that brings everyone together at the start of the day or after a long day way. There is a far bigger focus on open concept homes that revolve around the kitchen so everyone can be together. As with any modern design trend, clean and simple styles have become favourites for homeowners with natural light becoming an essential aspect of the overall look and function of the kitchen space.
Whether you’re ready to completely revamp your kitchen or you’re just in need of a little design inspiration for a subtle refresh, there are plenty of ways to update your culinary space. From pops of colour to the most-modern cabinetry, here are the top 10 kitchen trends that we have lovingly compiled for you...
Dark colours: Although white cabinets are a classic look that can be used in almost any kind of kitchen style, we are slowly starting to see them on the way out. All the experts agree on this one: Dark colours are making a big comeback in kitchen decor.
Dark kitchen cabinets portray full-on elegance and a deep rich luxurious atmosphere that the other options just don’t. They cast the kitchen in a subtle dramatic essence. More and more homeowners are getting bolder and opting for a kitchen with dark cabinet colours in 2019. However, you have to be careful that it does not overpower the room, making it feel perpetually dark.
Stylish appliances: Appliance styles, just like the rest of the kitchen, are making big changes too. Long gone are the days of matching silver toned appliances. Plain old stainless steel has its merits, but in a small kitchen, a giant swath of silvery metal can quickly dominate the room. In fact, typical stainless steel appliance sets will begin to make your home appear very dated. Appliance manufacturers such as GE, Samsung, and Whirlpool have wised up to this dilemma, introducing refrigerators, stoves, and microwaves in sophisticated shades of black and slate and in a variety of colours and finishes which will definitely liven up your space.
Colourful accents: With stainless steel on the way out, colour is making a big comeback. More and more people are now craving a splash of brightness in their kitchen. From ultra vivid pops of colour to fresh takes on retro pastels, colour in the kitchen is the latest way to cheer up your cooking space. To stay ahead of the trend, go with pops of unique colours and get creative with mismatching.
Some of the most expensive and stylish stoves out right now are featured in ruby reds and bright blues. While we understand this might not match with every homeowner’s personal tastes, we encourage you to take back this retro trend and make it your own.
Statement backsplashes: As we’re seeing fewer kitchens with traditional upper cabinets, statement backsplashes are on the rise. One of the best ways to highlight a beautiful backsplash? Add some subtle shelving for a touch of contrast and functionality. By incorporating open shelving into your kitchen backsplash, you can play with subtle decor elements (think of rotating mix of framed photos, beautiful wood cutting boards and greenery). Many designers are using large slabs of materials like marble or quartz to kitchen backsplashes for a smoother and more clean-lined look.
Minimal hardware: Though materials are taking a turn for the more traditional in 2019, hardware is virtually disappearing. Seamless cabinets are on the rise, along with subtle edge pulls that let the cabinet doors and countertop shine. This is not the year of the over-the-top brass hardware, so spend a little more on that marble countertop and save on cabinet hardware.
Pretty pantries: Gone are the days of having a dark little pantry to house dry goods hidden away from prying eyes. Today’s kitchens boast roomy pantries with shelving aplenty for your cereals and collectibles. Proud of your organisational skills and want to show off? Finish the pantry space with a screened porch door painted in an eye-catching colour like bright green.
Take on two tones: One of the easiest ways to create major visual impact in your kitchen is to go for a two-tone cabinet design. There are endless combinations: go for a neutral hue on the upper cabinet and a contrast colour on bottom cabinets - or play with a unique or monochromatic colour palette for a bolder look.
Decorative touches: The kitchen is the most utilitarian room in the house, which is why you obsess over the appliances, the backsplash, the sink...But it’s also the heart of the home. Subtle touches such as slipcovers, decorative hardware, and prized collections serve up a little softness.
For a cleaner look, save the top shelf for precious collectibles, and leave the lower ones to everyday items.
Mirrors in the kitchen: Yes, mirrors. This is kind of a sneaky one but has recently come up on our radar. It does potentially require more cleaning (water and oil splatters) but it gives a clean look. Mirrors always make a space feel bigger and brighter so why can’t that include the kitchen??
Mixing metals: We love breaking rules, and mixing metals is one of those big classic design no-no’s. But 2019 is finally the year of saying yes-yes to all the metal combos. It’s time to get funky, people. You can mix metals if you do it intentionally and evenly throughout the space. So don’t mix a polished nickel faucet with a brass pot filler; the faucet family should match (same in a bathroom). But then change it up with the knobs and handles. It’s fun and easy.