The kitchen is the soul of the home, and it has surpassed its role as a place where meals are just cooked and prepared. Nowadays, we also eat in the kitchen and entertain family and close friends. In fact, it has become the room where everyone “hangs out”. Kitchens have also become an important feature in real estate, adding substantial value to a home. As such, a lot of thought should be put into designing and decorating kitchens.
Therefore, whether your kitchen is in need of a renovation, or you are always on the lookout for beautiful ideas to inspire your home interiors, take note of these ideas I’ve put together of my favourite kitchen ideas and trends that use statement stone, accent colours and glorious wood. Inspiration starts here…
Statement Stone
The typical natural stone in kitchens has been granite – more and more however, the trend has been to use quartz, quartzite, onyx or marble. It’s no secret that statement marble is a big trend this year, and the busier the better. I love marble’s creative uses, its elegance and its timeliness, like in this beautiful kitchen where the spotlight is given to the dramatic Calacatta Vagli marble, with lots of subtly different shades and hints of burgundy, contrasted beautifully against black stained oak cabinetry.
Double Islands
A double island kitchen design has become the last work in luxury, an expansive addition for when space is no object. It offers lots of work surface space without the imposing nature of having one very long island, and it allows you to segregate and create clear zones for your kitchen functions.
Typically, one island serves a more functional role – great for food prep – and may include a second sink or dishwasher, streamlining the cooking process. The second island is then dedicated to entertaining or eating. It often has an area for bar stools, allowing guests to relax as you prepare some appetizers. So, whether the double island kitchen is used for work, rest or play, it is easy to see why this dreamy duo is more popular than ever.
Fluted Patterns
A style that was born in antiquity is being revitalized and redesigned once again. The fluted pattern is historically found on structural columns of Greek and Roman architecture, like the Pantheon in Athens. Today, designers are extracting the design and applying fluted wood to wall panels, fireplace surrounds, cabinetry and furniture. On cabinetry, fluted patterns can be used to provide three dimensional interest – just enough to bounce the light and add character while staying within the simplicity of modern design.
Authentic & Raw
With the current tendency of embracing what’s natural, organic, authentic and beautifully ‘imperfect’, the love for a raw aesthetic and natural materials has seen an immense growth in the need to avoid artificiality. With options of cladding for walls, floors or countertops for the kitchen, the natural colour and appearance are put on show, along with its characteristic rough, uneven texture full of unexpected shapes.
Check out this beautiful kitchen where the central element is the almost five-meter-long cooking block, a monolith of gray volcanic rock with a gross weight of 22,000 kg. Only the countertop has been burnished, the other surfaces show the original breakage of the stone.
Black Addiction
In the last couple of years, the trend has been completely white kitchens, and while the idea is beautiful and the results are astonishing, this year we see a 360-degree switch from light to dark when it comes to kitchens. Often overlooked as purely an ‘accent’ color, black walls, cabinetry and work surfaces are having something of a moment. Black becomes liveable, luxe and inviting, with textured woods adding a homely charm. Whether opting for sleek or matte surfaces, unitary colors or patterns, textured or smooth – almost anything goes as long as you keep it dark.
Mixed materials
Contrast is king when it comes to mixing materials; the trick is to make sure that every material used encourages the others to really sing. Marble and canaletto wood, married with stainless steel, lacquered and glass prove a winning formula in this luxurious and vibrant Fendi kitchen designed by Marco Costanzi. Marble, wood and metallics complement each other well with different shades of wood and metal often bringing warmth and contrast to a cold marble surface.
Mixed materials to perfection in this Ginger kitchen from Fendi.
I HOPE THESE IDEAS LEFT YOU FEELING INSPIRED, AND YOU FOUND SOME BEAUTIFUL IDEAS FOR YOUR DREAM KITCHEN!
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