Everyone loves the idea of a new kitchen. Not everyone loves the process of choosing one! West Cork People takes a look round the world of kitchens to see what’s cooking in design trends. If you’re planning on making a change, this just might be for you. The possibilities are endless when it comes to designing a kitchen, but these pointers might just start you in the right direction.
There are many reasons to change your kitchen. It’s old and you’re sick of it. The appliances are on their last legs. It just doesn’t match your needs. It’s too small. Or you might be building that new house and the kitchen is being designed from scratch.
Whatever the dilemma, have no fear! Here’s the latest from the world of kitchen design.
This coming year, people are looking for colours that remind them of the world outside. Browns, greys and beiges – not too much grey – and fittings that have warm tones like copper, champagne, gold and even blacks and charcoals. Whichever you choose, matte finishing is preferable to shiny or glossy surfaces. A lot of natural warmth can be found in more than the colours of your walls.
Handles and knobs are toning it down. Slimmer, unobtrusive, less flashy – some trends are hiding them altogether. Whatever you choose, the choice of handles or knobs can make a huge difference to a finished kitchen. You could go even further and look for cabinets that have no handles or hidden handles. This gives a unified look to the kitchen though for some it can be a little minimalistic.
Even though natural colours and tones are in, there is also a growing trend for black cabinets. It’s bold and probably only advised in larger spaces where light is plentiful, but it is a thing out there! This is a brave choice and a serious statement about your design intentions.
With all this minimalism, what will make your kitchen shine? Enter the natural world again. Marble, quartz or wooden worktops will emerge nobly to steal the show. For floor tilings, think matte finishes again with discrete motifs and designs but if you lack a little light, maybe use tiles with a shiny finish to add a little lustre around the floor.
If you’re not sure about any of these bold trends, there are always the timeless choices that will never get old. When in doubt, add marble. It screams quality, naturalness, and timelessness. You can use it on worktops, splash backs or flooring. In a thousand years, we’ll still be using marble.
For flooring, the chevron pattern works brilliantly with solid or engineered wood flooring. It takes a bit more to install but it’s elegant and timeless. It can often be the perfect offset to a minimalist kitchen.
And then there is the Shaker kitchen. Everyone knows what a Shaker kitchen looks like but where does it come from?
The Shakers, officially The United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearance, was a religious sect founded in England in 1783. They were initially part of the Quakers but broke away in the mid-18th century. The Shakers name comes from ‘Shaking Quakers’, which is what they were called because of their restless worship style.
To the Shakers, to create something with intention was a form of meditative prayer. Consequently, crafters kept to the principle that beauty rests in utility and avoided unnecessary adornment that they believed was too self-indulgent. They did though like to dance, which is why maybe that everyone at parties ends up in the kitchen.
To discuss your options call into West Cork Building Supplies and ask for Billy Hallahan, who has a wealth of knowledge and experience. Trained as a cabinetmaker in London, Billy has worked with some of the biggest names in fashion, design, music and art. His work has gone into the homes of Kate Moss, Stella McCarthy and Noel Gallagher. He worked around Primrose Hill in London, where due to it’s proximity to Camden Market, is home to all the movers and modern shakers in fashionable London.
He also worked on the cabinets that made up the world famous art installation ‘Pharmacy’ by Damien Hirst. This was a room-sized installation representing a pharmacy and was initially shown at the Cohen Gallery, New York, in 1992. It’s now in The Tate in London.
You don’t need to be a superstar for Billy to help you out. He knows kitchens for all budgets and the art of making the most out of the design process.
“From measuring the kitchen, having everything made up, to being ready for installation – you can do it in three weeks.” Billy says. From his experience, the most important part is to figure out what kind of kitchen is best for you.
