Kitchen Trends 2016
Kitchen Trends 2016
This summer I had the pleasure of attending the World Of Whirlpool tour in Chicago. They are the name behind the big brands of Kitchen Aid and JennAir. And while it was truly inspiring to get a hands on look at the latest and greatest in appliance innovation, I’d like to tie that in to how that relates to kitchen design. We all know that this room is the centre of attention and as such requires to look and act the part.
Open floor plan kitchens are where we always seem to congregate, celebrate and cook from a variety of cuisines. From the way we store our food, to the way we prep and cook our food, and the cleaning up that takes place afterward – we’re always evolving to a more efficient, more stylish method.
Gone are the days of just one granite counter surface throughout, today’s kitchen offers a mix of surface materials, like a hard surface paired with a walnut block chopping zone, a marble baking table, cement, metals, and other popular man-made materials such as quartz. Same goes with cabinetry, two colours seem to be the standard, but I have seen three different cabinets and colours mixed into a kitchen and let me tell you, done right, it wows. Oven appliances are being positioned horizontally instead of stacked vertically. Not only does it look sleek and modern, it is more ergonomic than bending over low or reaching too high. Steamers are a reheated food’s best friend, I actually cooked a perfect egg, baked bread and even cookies in one. It’s ugly cousin the microwave is being kicked to the curb or to a secondary prep area like a butler’s pantry.
We see vegetable crisper drawers, freezer drawers, and beverage centres such as built in coffee machines. Refrigerators and dishwashers have become super quiet, the new Miele dishwasher opens with just a simple knock, no buttons or handles to distract in the most minimal of kitchens. Smart ovens that will cook your food from an app on your phone. Boiling water for tea ready at the tap. In-counter compost collection, the list goes on. Lighting in the kitchen has moved away from three small fixtures to two large scaled pendants or one statement chandelier. Transitional styled kitchens are the most popular, just check in on Houzz for a sea of fresh white kitchens which can either be dressed up or down. On the flip side, black kitchens are making huge waves too.
Whether it be a custom coloured cooktop, scalloped marble backsplash, or swarovski hardware, translating one’s vision and personality through these kinds of unique touches will inevitably make the 2016 kitchen a shining star.
Ana
