The 2026 Kitchen, in with the new, out with the gloss..
What are the latest trends in kitchen design? What's on its way out?
In particular, we've found our clients focus on quality craftsmanship and natural materials more than ever. I think in general we're craving character and individuality through our interiors. We're definitely moving more towards introducing texture into kitchens rather than using bold statement colours all over every level of cabinet.
We're currently working with manufacturers on some beautiful stained timbers with a natural grain, combined with buttery neutral cabinets and antique brass hardware. We have also recently designed a 3m waterfall travertine island for a contemporary residence.
Longevity and practicality will always be the fundamentals of good kitchen design, we always aim to run this simultaneously with individual flair to create a kitchen completely bespoke for our clients' needs.
We're waving a sweet goodbye to flat panel glossy bright kitchens, in our humble opinion.(Did we ever welcome them?!)
How else can we introduce personality and charm into our kitchens/give our kitchens an instant glow-up?
Panelling is a really effective and cost-efficient way to instantly add charm and personality to any space. You can work sympathetically to your home's style through the many varying styles of paneling available.
Another would be artwork and lighting, I love bringing in elements to a kitchen that aren't traditionally 'kitcheny'. A collection of artworks with a picture light above? Or a table lamp on the kitchen counter, to add personality and some lovely soft lighting for evenings. There's also such a good offering of rechargeable decorative lighting available now, to avoid having to hard wire anything new in, if that's not an option.
Or spruce up your seating? can any scatter cushions be added to bench seating? Or seat pads reupholstered?
These simple fixes will give your existing kitchen a new lease of life.
And finally, your window treatments, often kitchens can feel overly utilitarian. Even if it's dressing your windows in a sheer draped fabric for privacy, introducing the element of fabric will instantly soften the space and make it feel more inviting.
What clever new designs have you been seeing e.g with storage? How can we make a small kitchen look bigger?
There's no magic wand for this, but there are definitely some key principles to stick to. If you're working with limited space, focus on integrating appliances, bins, and housing surface appliances such as kettles, toasters, and air fryers in larder-style cabinets.
The fewer unnecessary items out, the less confusing the space will feel. Instead, you'll have a space that feels bijou, considered and confident.
Pantries are really having their moment of fame, and we're definitely here for it. Extra fridges / dishwashers for busy households, aesthetic kiln jars of dry ingredients on backlit shelving? Yes please. Adding a feature gallery rail on shelving and with some styling pieces is a really lovely way of making your kitchen feel more decorative.
And how about smart appliances, what’s new and exciting?
We recently took some clients whose kitchen we are designing to a demonstration of the new Bora steam oven. With the same technical advance levels as an electric car, it was pretty impressive.
Controlled either manually or via your smart phone, the oven combines heat with steam to perfectly cook the food. Think boiling the perfect egg, baking a crusty loaf, reheating leftovers and it's even self cleaning.
We keep hearing that the trend for open-plan is slowly going out, here's what we think..
I think there are levels to 'open plan'. We certainly don't want the whole level of a house to be one big soulless room where you can fry an egg and lie on the sofa at the same time, but there's definitely a middle ground.
It's about being clever with the space, as there are multiple ways we can visually divide an area, through zoning furniture, joinery, open archways, etc, without regressing to the old way of blocking off rooms as individual boxes.
It also massively depends on the needs of the person living in the space. A young couple living in an apartment will want very different things from a space than a bustling family of 6. So knowing your clients' dynamic is fundamental!
Comments