Colour your kitchen brighter
Express yourself with your decorating choices, but bear in mind the overall impact on the home. By SM Reporter
‘LIFE is about using the whole box of crayons,” says Franke SA’S national sales manager Clinton Soutter.
“We choose to live life in colour, believing that it can influence our moods and thoughts. The colours you pick for your kitchen can express the different aspects of your creativity, personality and style. Colour can also change the perceived size and shape of the room, so it’s important to use a carefully selected colour palette to create just the right look.”
Soutter was expanding on this year’s theme, An Expression of Colour, for this year’s Franke Kitchen Studio Project, endorsed by the Kitchen Specialists’ Association (KSA) at Decorex, scheduled for March 21 at the Durban Exhibition Centre.
He said this fitted in well with the Decorex #rhythmoflife theme as they felt colour reflected the “heartbeat of life and expression”.
Stephanie Forbes, national manager of KSA, praised this year’s theme choice, saying: “It is one way for people to express themselves in the space, but the choices of colour can also make or break a good kitchen design.
“Colour is intrinsically linked to mood and the sense of space, so choosing the wrong colour can make the space feel claustrophobic while the right colour can reflect light and open it up.”
She said colour selection should express the chooser while not creating an outdated kitchen.
“If chosen incorrectly, the colour may be the reason you can’t sell your home when you decide to move on. Remember that colour is expressed not only on the walls or doors of the kitchen, but through accessories and appliances as well.”
Forbes said South Africa was still reflecting the 2016-2017 European trends, so visitors could expect to see a lot of clean lines with minimal fuss.
“Materials such as matt and gloss, timber and steel are still popular, with reference to the industrial concrete look and imitation marble seen in tops. Surface materials still vary in thickness, while handless doors and drawers remain.
“Space-saving hardware remains popular as spaces get smaller and we require better ergonomics in the kitchen.”
Soutter said this year’s theme reflected the trend of enhanced colour inclusion in kitchens.
There would also be more two-tone units – without upper cabinetry – fitted with brass and mixed metals. Smart Kitchens were also starting to dominate, using integrated and hidden appliances, as well as personalised tile-feature walls and concealed lighting.
“At the Decorex Joburg show last year, we launched our new range of sintered stone and quartz worktops. This will now be launched at Decorex Durban and Cape Town, along with our new solid surface worktops,” he said.
“We are also very excited to launch our new stainlesssteel range of hotel and residential bathroom accessories – available in two stylish designs – as well as our modern sink mixers.”
Check out these kitchen trends, fittings and appliances and find the best option to suit your colourful #rhythmoflife at Decorex Durban, Cape Town and Joburg – sponsored by #kansaiplascon