Few things improve and add more value to a home more than a brand-new kitchen. The right reno can inspire you to cook delicious meals and bring family and friends together to entertain, as well as improving the look and feel of your entire home. Plus, experts generally agree that renovating your kitchen well will add more value than renovating any other area of your property.
With that said, choosing benchtops, cupboard doors, fittings and appliances can be a challenge. To help provide a little inspiration, we’ve looked at eight fresh new trends to spice up your kitchen reno.
- The Splashback Feature
The average kitchen splashback usually consists of neutral coloured tiles that extend a few feet above the kitchen bench. Modern kitchens are doing things a little differently. Splashbacks often extend all the way to the ceiling, using distinctive colours to create a striking feature wall, and materials vary from tiles to glass and even full-stack stone. For us, a subway tiled splashback looks divine and will hold its allure over time.
- Lively Colours
Australians have a habit of playing it safe when it comes to kitchen renos, but new designs are bucking that trend by using vibrant colours. These work best in splashback tiling, cabinetry or shelving to create a point of interest and spice up your kitchen’s design. Take note that when we use the term “vibrant colours” we aren’t talking about bright orange or hyphy pink. Think subdued but energetic natural tones, like gum-leaf greens or inky ocean blues.
- High tech appliances
You’ve got a smart phone, so why not a smart kitchen? Intelligent kitchen appliances are booming in popularity and they could be perfect for your reno. A couple of ideas to help get you started include:
- Samsung offers a fridge with a camera inside that you can access remotely to check the contents while you’re at the supermarket.
- Delonghi sells a coffee machine that you can control with your phone from your bed when you wake up.
So, you can make life easier whilst also scoring style points!
- Minimalist Counters
Marie Kondo has had a huge influence on interior design trends. In the kitchen, she’s inspired the ‘minimalist benchtop’ – a trend to keep as little as possible on your bench as possible and storing your appliances away behind cupboard doors. This creates a uncluttered, tidy look that makes the kitchen a relaxing, organised space.
- Natural materials
In a world where everything is manufactured and processed, raw, natural materials are a rarity. However, there is a strong shift towards a consciousness around sustainability and the beauty of natural materials, which is why using wood and stone in your kitchen makes for such a refreshing, attractive design feature.
Think wooden cabinetry contrasting against a white benchtop, or a stone splashback behind a rustic kitchen design.
- Mixed metallics
Brass was everywhere in 2018, but this year we’re seeing a larger variety of metals used in the kitchen – and this trend is expected to continue well into 2020 and beyond. Polished nickel taps and handles look fantastic, while minimalist copper draw handles and shelving can add a pop of colour and a refined aesthetic that is very much in at the moment.
Pro tip: If you’re going to use more than one type of metal in your kitchen, make sure the colours and textures complement each other.
- Entertainment layouts
The kitchen is becoming more of a social space, where we entertain guests and chat to family. This has seen the focus of the kitchen turned outward – such as cooktops and kitchen islands facing living areas, and even inbuilt benches to make hanging out in the kitchen easier. Island benches with tall stools are the standard when it comes to increasing the entertaining appeal of your kitchen.
- Open shelving
While trends have leaned towards minimalist, uncluttered benchtops, the same isn’t true for shelving. Open metal frame shelving above kitchen islands and cooking areas offer a great space to display and store your most handsome appliances and cooking utensils. Think brightly coloured retro Kitchen Aid mixers, copper pans and rustic dinnerware. Anything you don’t want on display can conveniently be hidden in cupboards or other closed storage.
Follow these tips and you’ll be well on your way to creating a magazine worthy kitchen where you’ll actually want to spend time!