Whether you want to create a bold, dark culinary space or a comforting country feel, we have the lowdown on the latest kitchen trends
Black
Moody, dramatic, sexy, bold and striking… black kitchens can be all of these and more.
“Darker colours typically do require a bit more care and maintenance but a textured finish can help disguise fingerprints and other marks,” says Kyla Hunt of Pukekohe’s Carlielle Kitchens. “Whether you opt for glossy or matt black, contrasting the dark cabinetry and benchtops with other materials, such as natural timber, will create a strong architectural feel.”
White
A fresh, white look allows appliances, like this sleek Fisher & Paykel oven, to shine, and provide a blank canvas for you to introduce pops of colour or texture with accessories, flowers or greenery.
The trick to creating a successful white kitchen is to keep it simple, otherwise you risk ruining the visual serenity of the clean palette. Create contrast with darker flooring, as Melbourne-based design company Hecker Guthrie did in this kitchen.
Tiles
Tiles can do more for your kitchen than just about any other design treatment. They create texture, design, colour and, importantly, a focal point.
Strong colours, patterns or large tiles make a bold statement, while smaller tiles and muted colours can enhance timber cabinetry and give a modern, clean feel.
Coloured grout can also add a subtle sense of drama, so choose a contrasting hue to your tiles to draw attention to the pattern and layout design.
Granite
Because every piece is different, granite gives a look that is truly unique. “It’s important to view a slab and pick your piece,” says Auckland-based kitchen designer Hayley Dryland of August & Co.
She chose the granite in this kitchen to get the black and rust colours to match the palette in the rest of the home. “Granite is a very hard-wearing material that can be polished, honed for a matt look, or leathered, which gives a very textured, tactile result.”
Rustic
For a warm and welcoming vibe, it’s hard to go past the country look. The comfort and charm of a farmhouse kitchen means you’re likely to find your family or friends sitting around your dining table. The key is to be organic – natural materials and timeless accessories are a must.
The rustic feel means you don’t have to be minimalist either – countertops can be laden with fruit bowls, canisters, cookbooks, pots, china and other treasures.
Stainless
There’s a reason stainless steel is used in the kitchens of most of the top restaurants around the world – it’s pretty much indestructible.
“It’s incredibly robust and resilient,” says Pat de Pont, the project architect of this award-winning Kiwi kitchen. “It’s quite a timeless material that gains character with age and won’t readily become dated.” Stainless steel also reflects light, helping to create an illusion of a bigger, brighter space.
Images by: Shannon McGrath, Jamie Cobel, Getty Images, Patrick Reynolds
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