Has the classic all-white kitchen seen its final curtain call? Not exactly, but evidence suggests more homeowners than ever before are getting more than a little creative in the kitchen.
It’s no secret that the kitchen is the undisputed heart of the home. It’s also the room that has the potential to contribute most generously to a property’s overall value. Nevertheless, you don’t have to wait until the time comes to sell to lavish your kitchen with some much needed TLC.
But what kinds of kitchen design trends are making waves right now? More importantly, which trends are we likely to see more of throughout the second half of 2019?
As usual, several tried and tested trends have joined forces with a handful of newcomers. What’s more, interior design trends are increasingly focusing on smaller spaces – an acknowledgement of the fast-shrinking size of the average home.
Whatever shape and size of property you live in, these are the top kitchen design trends for Autumn 2019 you’ll be hearing (and seeing) plenty of over the coming months:
Standout Sinks
One of the best ways of revamping the look and feel of the entire kitchen at an affordable price is to install a feature sink. This autumn, stand out sinks are very much “in”. Rather than viewing the sink as a functional ‘tool’ for the kitchen, why not upgrade to something more striking? Farmhouse sinks never fail to create focus points in their own right – especially when set against contrasting kitchen worktops and walls.
Storage Walls
Speaking of walls, there’s a fast-growing kitchen cabinet trend that’s as much about function as it is form. Storage walls – aka floor-to-ceiling cabinets – are being installed in more kitchens than ever before, maximising storage space and minimising wasted vertical space around the kitchen. Intelligently designed extended cabinets like these can effectively double the amount of storage space you have in your kitchen.
Butcher Block Worktops
It’s hardly a new trend, but the butcher block countertop remains one of the most popular and stylish additions to almost any type of kitchen. Along with being beautifully presented and immensely practical, a good butcher block is also practically maintenance-free. Not to mention, guaranteed to last longer than almost anything else in the room.
Feature Ceilings
You can keep your ceiling simple and discrete if you like, but the era of the photo-worthy kitchen ceiling is well and truly here. Consider an elaborate pattern or texture if you wish, or simply go with a contrasting colour to set the tone for the entire room. This can be particularly effective if you hang racks, utensils or decorative lighting from the ceiling.
Minimal Hardware
One option for kitchen design is to bring fixtures and cabinets to life with elaborate hardware. However, interior designers are increasingly taking the opposite approach – eye-catching fixtures and cabinets, with minimalist hardware. The more attractive your features and fixtures around the kitchen, the less you have to focus on ornate kitchen handles, taps and so on.
Hints of Colour
If you’d prefer to go with a relatively simple colour scheme, the odd ‘pop’ of colour here and there comes highly recommended. Get creative with colourful paints, or simply bring in a few contrasting pictures, ornaments or even artwork.
A Touch of Timber
One of the benefits of bringing real wood (preferably reclaimed wood) into the kitchen is that each and every piece is 100% unique. Hence, the result is one-of-a-kind and unique to your home. Timber can be used to complement almost any existing interior aesthetic, bringing warmth and a touch of rustic charm to the kitchen.
Patterned Flooring
Like the ceiling, there’s nothing to say you can’t get creative with your kitchen floor. Natural stone tiles or marble panels are always great, but decent quality vinyl flooring can also get the job done at a much more affordable price.
Using the natural grain and texture of wooden floors is also a great way to bring the floor to life.
Black Appliances
Stainless steel appliances and classic white kitchen hardware can still look superb. However, there’s a growing tendency among homeowners and interior designers to bring beautiful black appliances into the kitchen. Microwaves, stoves, refrigerators and so on – all now available in a wide variety of elegant shades of black.
