Kitchen trends to try: curves, fluting, dark timber… and banquettes

There’s good reason why the kitchen is so often referred to as the heart of the home – it is a major visual component and gets a lot of use.

There’s much to consider when planning a kitchen and they can be expensive. We like them to look current, but they also need to last a long time so be relatively timeless. It’s a lot of pressure for one space.

Kitchens designed in New Zealand today generally look more sophisticated and diverse. All-white cabinets and a standard galley layout with an island are no longer the go-to styles, with dark rich timbers and a range of layouts coming to the fore.

Reeded glass is having a moment, along with stone or engineered stone benchtops, coloured taps, brass and copper accents, and tiled splashbacks of all styles.

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Says Wellington designer Damian Hannah of German Kitchens: “Vertical lineation is a big design detail currently with the likes of ribbed glass, grooved panels and vertically laid wall tiles. These accentuate the higher ceilings we are finding in our new builds and work well with the separation lines we find in cabinetry.”

Says Auckland designer Natalie Du Bois: “Industrial elements are also featuring a lot – concrete finishes for walls, benchtops and even door fronts. Timbers are being stained in colours as opposed to just neutrals.”

Eating in

Covid has had a big impact on how we relate to our homes. Says Damian: “Covid has been very interesting for the kitchen market as more people are working from home and spending more time in their kitchens.

“During lockdown people had the time to consider their living spaces and how they functioned. This has bought a whole new level of interest and attention back into the kitchen and made the homeowner consider the appliances, working spaces, functionality, seating and break-out spaces. People are entertaining more at home so need larger kitchens, better equipment and more storage. Bulk foods and large chest freezers are being considered again. The post-Covid kitchen is quite different.”

Now that we are spending more time at home, Natalie says we want kitchens that are enjoyable to use, not just for show. “Our homes are even more important than ever now – they are our personal retreats and our safe environments. Our happy places!”

Getting curvy

As with many aspects of interior design, curves are winding their way into our kitchens.

Says New Plymouth designer Annika Rowson: “Curves are still popular and add elegance and softness to a space.”

Benchtops have rounded corners, island benches have curved ends, and details such as handles, bar stools and lights are no longer hard-edged. Curves are comforting and cocooning, and an understandable reaction to the stress of the Covid years.

Another trend, which combines curves and a sense of retro nostalgia, is for banquette seating, as shown in two of the kitchens here. Says Annika: “Built-in spaces like window seats are also popular, offering additional seating and breaking up solid cabinetry.”

Cue the colour – and it’s green

With appliances being tucked behind cabinet doors and the desire to have our kitchens look more like pieces of furniture, cabinetry has taken a leading role in today’s kitchens. So, what they are made of has greater significance.

Says Damian: “Integration of appliances is still the most preferred option, with only the cooktop or oven exposed. We are hiding these away now as well behind large pocket doors so the kitchen looks more like a piece of furniture.”

For cabinetry, he says that timber and timber veneer (which comes with economic, functional and environmental benefits) are very popular again as we create depth and interest in our materials and break up the monotony.

“Green and all forms of it seem to be the on-trend colour at the moment, mixed with light timbers and lighter benchtops,” he says. “Darker hues are really making a statement but this time around they are tastefully done so will transcend decades rather than years.”

Natalie notes that more open shelving and colour are certainly being used to bring personality into kitchens.

Shaping up

While galley-style kitchens with a separate island are still very popular, they do not always suit a particular house or lifestyle, warns Natalie. A U-shaped layout, for example, may function better.

The benefit of a galley kitchen is that they have two entry and exit points, allowing optimum flow when multiple people are working in the space, says Annika.

“A galley with an island also offers bar seating for informal dining, children and guests to sit and talk while you’re working in the kitchen.” When it comes to benchtops, she says that stones such as quartzites, marbles and granites are very popular due to these materials being natural and each slab being unique.

Damian points to the drama that can be achieved with stones which have bolder patterns and can be book-matched to create a mirrored effect.

Engineered stone offers a range of stone-like looks but also colours, textures and other patterns.

The way it works

It’s not just how a kitchen looks but how it functions that matters. New types of appliances emerge each year.

Says Annika: “My must-have item is a Zenith G5 HydroTap with boiling, chilled and sparkling water. They eliminate the need for a kettle, SodaStream and clunky water dispensers on refrigerators and come in a range of finishes.

“Steam ovens are also really popular as well as cool drawers – we often use these in bars/drinks nooks for beverages but they are multipurpose. Tall integrated wine fridges always look elegant and I often use induction down-draft hobs as I like to place the hob on the island when possible.”

Good task lighting is important in a working space like a kitchen. Function and good looks can be combined with the use of linear pendants or groupings of pendants suspended over a kitchen island. Lighting can also be used to add dimension and drama – top-lit shelves perhaps, or LED strips that run along the underside of an island benchtop.

Getting the storage right

Annika prefers a butler’s pantry rather than a scullery with bifolding pocket doors. “We generally design them at 2.4m long to allow for a secondary sink with a hydro tap, DishDrawer, cool drawer and open shelving. These units can be opened up when in use and designed to look aesthetically pleasing while open, but can then be closed off to conceal any mess or appliances when entertaining.”

She also uses space tower pantries that are 600mm wide and fitted with five individual internal drawers for easy access for everyday food items.

Damian agrees that sculleries need to be carefully considered: “I have a minimum square metre rate for an effective scullery. Anything smaller and they only become a walk-in pantry. I always offer my clients two options, one with the scullery and one without to show how much bigger their kitchen can be without a scullery. Then we determine the most functional option and refine as required.”