10 kitchen trends that really cook!
From waves of colour to touchless tech, some chic ways to make your space sizzle
I don't know about you, but I've been spending just a little too much time in my kitchen and it's thoroughly getting on my nerves. The things that used to be vague annoyances — the cupboard that won't close properly, the pot that has no real home, the lighting that was never quite right — have become major irritants. Sound familiar? I bet it does.
Which is all to say that the time has never been better to consider a kitchen makeover, big or small. Whether you just want to change the colour of your dish towels or gut the place to the studs and start afresh, it's worth taking a look at these top trends for 2021, and incorporating the ones that make you feel most at home.
1.
Natural notes
Back in the 1980s the cabinetry, like the wine, was over-oaked, and it's taken us a long time to get over the hangover. But now we're craving the healing power of nature and the comfort of earthy colours and textures. Wooden cabinets are back in style, though sleeker and either much lighter (pale ash) or darker (walnut) than before. Also look for woven rattan or bamboo pendant light fixtures, floating wooden shelves, copper accents and plenty of potted plants.
2.
Oceanic hues
A whole wave of green and blue is washing over our kitchens this year. Painted green cabinets especially are enjoying a moment, but if you're not willing to commit floor to ceiling, you can choose accents such as Breville's countertop appliances in deep Damson Blue or the sumptuous greeny-blue of Le Creuset's Teal cookware.
3.
Going for gold Stainless steel hardware is classic and functional, but it's also just a bit boring. Enter elegant black matte, warm copper and — above all — brightly luxe gold finishes to brighten your kitchen in everything from cabinet pulls to faucets to, well, the kitchen sink.
4.
Handling it
Then again, some of the trendiest hardware is no hardware at all. The chicest kitchens are sleek and seamless, with touchless faucets, cupboards without handles, voice-activated smart devices and fridges that blend seamlessly into the cabinetry.
5. Making it marble
Marble has been having a moment — more than a moment — for quite some time now, and that is continuing in 2021. Expect to see more dramatic veining as we crave bolder statements, and also expect to see more affordable, sustainable products like the Calacatta Quartz Collection from Wilsonart, a low-maintenance engineered quartz that mimics the look of the rare, precious marble from Carrara, Italy.
6. Going big ...
For those who have the space, the kitchen is sprawling beyond its traditional boundaries with walk-in pantries, wine cellars, utility rooms and secondary prep kitchens where the messy work is done out of sight. And now that we're spending so much time at home, open-concept spaces have been replaced with zones for different activities; for instance, double islands that separate cooking and other activities.
7. Staying small
For those in smaller homes, space is everything and smart storage is essential, especially with all the extra food and gadgets we've picked up while hunkering down. That could mean rolling carts or wheeled islands, free-standing larders and hybrid islands that do double or triple duty with areas for kitchen prep, dining and working (and multiple outlets for charging everyone's devices).
8. Countertop chic
Small appliances are developing big presence, with impressive functionality matched by on-trend styling. There's a gadget to satisfy every craving: smart toasters, barista-worth coffee makers, speedy kettles, powerful blenders and countertop ovens that can do just about everything a full-size range can. Look for them in of-themoment colours like the Damson Blue Luxe range from Breville.
9. Artful kitchens
Today's home kitchen isn't just a showcase for your excellent banana bread. It's also a showcase for art. Trendy open shelves and glass-fronted cabinets offer display space for paintings and precious objets as well as beautiful dishes and glassware, while dramatically tiled backsplashes and hood vents are works of art all on their own. Then again, sometimes the most beautiful piece in your kitchen is the thing you cook with, so why not give pride of place to your gorgeous new Dutch oven or Bundt pans?
10. Personalized spaces
The biggest trend of all may be no trend at all, and that is to make our kitchens our own instead of, say, recreating a terracotta-tiled Tuscan villa or following the mid-century modern crowd. Paint a wall your favourite colour. Keep your best-loved appliances on the counter. Decorate with art you adore. Go for a sleek modern look or a charmingly vintage one or choose something quirkily, uniquely your own. And then get cooking, your way.