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Gone are the days of just have simple LED downlights in your kitchen. Lighting now plays an important role to elevate your design aesthetic.   Think of items such as bold statement pendants over the kitchen island combined with recessed under cabinet lighting and then add in lighting to accent an open shelving element. Together this creates a layered lighting effect that combines task lighting, accent lighting and ambient lighting. Resulting in a carefully created kitchen space that is practical and enticing.

Muted palettes of yellow, green, red and even pale blue will make your kitchen feel warm and inviting. Think of colours like rust, deep olive, plum, moss green, taupe and muted yellow. These combinations merge warmth and sophistication. Evocative of the colours in nature they have a more timeless appeal. Timber look is also becoming the dominant choice in base cabinetry as opposed to white in other parts of the world so we can expect this trend to follow suit in New Zealand.

Organic is the word “du jour” when thinking of stone and splashbacks. Options with marble veining or that mimic the natural patterns of exotic stone add interest and drama to your kitchen. They are also durable and functional. Stone is an increasingly popular option for a feature splashback as it creates a beautiful, streamlined surface. An alternative option is using large format tiles so that you can reduce the amount of grout lines needed.

Rising in popularity due to their versatility, providing extra storage and food preparation areas separate from the main kitchen. A pantry is dedicated storage area for food, dishes, linens, and supplies. Whereas a butler’s pantry offers more than just storage and acts as an extra food preparation space. They can be styled as an extension of the kitchen design, or you can create a visual contrast for a more dynamic design. When planning a walk in or butlers pantry consider carefully how you will use the space to ensure that it matches your needs.

Beverage centres are becoming a popular addition to kitchen spaces. This can include items such as hot, cold & sparkling water dispensers, in built coffee and tea makers, under-counter refrigeration and frozen goods storage for smoothies. Often a benchtop coffee machine is a good alternative if you don’t have space for an inbuilt unit. These spaces are typically positioned away from the main prep area of the kitchen and close by the breakfast/dining table.

Often contemporary rangehoods are hidden in cabinetry or in benchtop so that they are virtually invisible. But this trend is highlighting rangehood as a primary focal point. It provides and opportunity to bring more texture and shape to your kitchen. By going oversized your rangehood can be the statement item in the room and add drama to your space. The simplest way to do this is to you timber and moldings to create a distinctive housing for the unit (as shown in this image).

Natural materials bring in softness and texture to a kitchen. Introducing wood elements can quickly bring warmth to a kitchen where there are often many hard lineal surfaces. As outlined above option for materials that mimic patterns found in nature such as stone veining are a popular option. Soft furnishing elements such as leather, wool, jute, hemp and rattan bring in a different tactile feeling to the space. Keep high gloss finishes to a minimum and consider integrating plants into the overall design.

Functionality is key in kitchen design and we (together with the rest of the world) are seeing increased demand for better storage solutions such as more drawers and smart pull outs. We have seen requested ranging from pull out pantries, spices and oils, rubbish and recycling centres. Along with benchtop appliance cabinets. Charging stations for phones are also a popular addition in the kitchen. With open plan the dominant style of kitchen design the role this space is also for socialising as well as cooking so there is a desire for items to be hidden from view when not in use.

Integrated appliances disappear behind cabinetry for a clean lined look this trend seems as if it is here to stay. There is growing demand for smart appliances with WiFi connectivity & app control. With technology advancements such as fridges that can display what is inside without opening the door, slower cookers that you can control remotely, coffee makers that are controlled by voice and ovens that can adjust time and temperature based on the recipe. These items are all about making our daily lives better. The final touted overseas is ultra-quiet appliances.

Sustainability within the field of construction can be a tricky to navigate but here’s a few things that you can consider. Energy efficient appliances and water efficient fixtures, LED light fittings. Opting for an induction cooktop as opposed to gas. Thoughtful selection of window furnishings and doing your due diligence about which products and materials are the most eco-friendly. For timber elements ensure these are either reclaimed or sourced from sustainable forests. For flooring consider bamboo or cork (see image). Cork is an incredibly resilient and warm product that can be coloured to match your aesthetic. For paints, stains and glue look for low VOC options.