Over the past 4 articles we have explored what design trends have dominated the kitchen world in the past year. We’ve looked at The Comfort Factor, Technology, The Finishing Touches and The Best Deal; so what have we learned?
In The Comfort Factor we discussed how colour is being incorporated into the kitchen using appliances and a range of customisation options. Not only does this give the consumer freedom to express their personality in their kitchen space, but this in no way deducts from the level of quality offered by brands. We covered Rangemaster in our previous article, but we should also explore extensive colour ranges in other kitchen furniture.
An example of a coloured Formica laminate worktop
Formica are a group who specialise in heat-resistant, wipe-clean laminates and is a product that’s been around for over 100 years. Since then they have developed top-of-range solid worktops that have been integrated with fingerprint-resistance, various textures and even writable surfaces. The broad range of available products ensures they accommodate the needs of all and with a high quality finish. This is a clear example of how brands adapt to the market and listen to the consumer to get it right.
When looking at Technology it’s easy to become amazed and impressed with various gadgets and novelty devices, but it’s the innovative products that assisted your day-to-day kitchen duties that wowed us. Products such as the Ninka Qanto kept experts talking during this year’s KBB and as it boasted an end to awkward corner spaces, you could see why. Brands implement technology to create an more user-friendly appliance though some could argue that it’s an excuse to show off. As summarise in the article, ‘an increasingly-demanding consumer base will see the uses of this technology pushed as manufacturers will be challenged in both efficiency and functionality‘.
A use of technology that is crucial to kitchen design is the use of Virtual Reality or VR. This provides an opportunity for both designer and customer to view a design as a finished product and not just on paper or a screen. Our design software, Winner Design offers this tool to aid us and you through the design process and make changes simply without much commitment.
Using a VR headset to explore a new kitchen
The view through VR
What’s a kitchen without The Finishing Touch? That’s exactly what we looked at next through this series. Unlike the Comfort Factor, this analysis was more focused on combining styles and contrasting materials. A perfect example is the use of copper in handles and other subtle areas to convey a contrast that looks appealing. Similarly to the Comfort Factor, personalisation is a key component to the finishing touch, but the commitment is not as large. You won’t have to consider it until the necessities of your kitchen is installed, meaning you can see the options more clearly.
A personalised option that can come after installation is the colour of your appliance. Bosch realise that a bright colour for your appliance is a bold statement, and not always a statement that will stick with you. People change, tastes with them. So they introduced a Fridge/Freezer with an exchangeable front. One day you could have green, the next you may have blue – it’s your choice!
Choice of colours for the Serie | 4 Vario Style fridge freezer with exchangeable colour front
This simple modification in a kitchen can make a huge difference and potentially change the tone of the room. All without a design process that can take a while!
Finally in our Design Trends series, we looked at The Best Deal and how brands are offering promotions and deals that are competitive and beneficial to all parties. Touching on Häfele‘s guarantees and Neff‘s cashback offer, it was easy to see how a consumer can benefit from the industry during their kitchen planning stages. An important thing to note is that going through a company like Absolute Kitchens doesn’t mean you lose these deals, but in some cases IMPROVE them.
A kitchen by Pronorm
With our German kitchen range supplier Pronorm, you will actually receive a longer warranty than if you purchased their products directly. This, added with design expertise, long time support and competitive pricing means that your arduous task of planning, designing and purchasing can be simplified and improved.
So the industry is changing all the time, and it seems brands are very good at adapting to consumer demand and new styles. But what if your kitchen is planned, paid for and delivered…don’t you need appliances? The next series of blog will focus on Product Trends and will keep you up to date on all the new developments. We hope you have enjoyed this look back at Design Trends.
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Patrick @ Absolute Kitchens