“Happiness is a small house with a big kitchen”
– Alfred Hitchcock
The kitchen is arguably the most popular meeting point in modern homes, especially in families in which everyone is on their own time schedule (except at lunch and dinner time, of course!). Today’s kitchens are definitely a far cry from when they were a secret domain for just one chef. Open floor plans, large kitchen spaces, and bar stools have opened them up to every single family member and kitchens have become the place to bond, speak from the heart, and make meals together. If you are thinking of renovating your own to bring it up to current speed, consider incorporating at least one of the current trends into your design plan.
Double Islands
Nothing is more functional or more appealing than a kitchen island. However, if your island is graced with gorgeous stools and mainly used as a dining spot, you may miss another sizable space in which to chop, dice, and whip your meals to perfection. In an open floor plan, two islands usually fit gracefully. To make the most of this design scheme, avoid matching tables and instead go for different hues or marble types. If you are into overhanging lamps, choose one set for the dining island and another for the preparation island. For instance, if your first set of lamps is gold-hued, opt for silver or rose gold for the second set. Don’t be afraid to use completely different materials—for instance, marble for the first island and wood for the second.
Outdoor Kitchens
If you live in a sunny zone, nothing quite beats an outdoor kitchen—especially if you have children. A covered spot by the garden is ideal for cooks who enjoy grilling and preparing meals with their kids. Moreover, many Chefs would say that nothing is quite as inspiring or calming as cooking while gazing out at greenery. For an outdoor kitchen, pick rustic, rugged, and natural materials like bricks, wood, stone, and steel. Bring a bit of greenery to your workspace, in the form of hanging plants, green walls, and pots filled with herbs. If you will be preparing meals in your outdoor kitchen with kids, consider designing a specific spot for them to cook with childproof flooring. They should also ideally have their own storage space, where they can keep child-safe cooking equipment like child-safe knives, small rolling pins, and their aprons and mitts.
Biophilic Kitchens
The biophilic design trend—which seeks to unite interiors and the Great Outdoors—is hitting the design industry in a big way, with trending homes and offices bringing the magic of nature into their living spaces in an unprecedented way. It’s all about choosing natural materials, knocking down walls to let natural light flood into spaces like the kitchen, and choosing the colors of nature (especially green) to lend a sense of calm and relaxation to common spaces. For your kitchen, ideal materials from the natural world include vividly veined green marble, hardwood or stone flooring, and natural stone and wood countertops.
Kitchens are arguably the most sociable parts of a home. Because so many people gather in kitchens and enjoy meals together, prioritizing design is an excellent way to foster unity. Two-island, outdoor, and biophilic kitchens are just a few that are capturing the attention of design lovers across the globe.
