The kitchen is generally thought of as the hub of any home – it is where we feed ourselves, our families and our friends - so is it fair to say that it is the most important room to consider when designing and building a residential property?
The kitchen is the room most remembered about a house meaning it’s one of the areas that buyers are prepared to invest in. These are the interior spaces where the most value can be added during a sale, so a well-appointed kitchen should be the top priority for residential building designers and architects.
Acclaimed Architect Scott Weston says; “Kitchens and bathrooms are one of the most expensive things in a house”, he continues to explain that he worked with a client on a kitchen costing $250,000.
In older residences, kitchens were small rooms, separate from the rest of the house. It was a contained space used exclusively for cooking that could be closed off to hide the chaos.
Kitchens in the homes of today go beyond a space for preparing and consuming meals; they play the important role of a communal space. “An island bench is often the centre of activity in the kitchen, whether it be where the laptop lives, where kids do homework while meals are prepared, or where friends gather around with a glass of wine for weekend dinner parties.” says award-winning interior designer James Dawson.
Kitchen design reflecting lifestyle changes
The now popular open-plan design reflects this desire for the kitchen to be more than just a place for cooking and eating. The kitchen should not be a dull and muted room. They are rooms filled with vibrancy, aroma and texture which should be reflected in the materials and finishes.
Current materials and finishes trends include; Tiled Splashbacks & Tiled Island Upstands, Tactile Natural Stone, Engineered Quartz Stone, Timber Laminates and Matte Finishes
Talking on interior trends gaining momentum in popularity, KBDi President Royston Wilson explains, “The kitchen will become more about the mixing and matching of elements; a little bit of artisan industrial meets mineral eclectic. People are becoming a lot more adventurous with their selections and aren’t afraid to experiment.”
Whilst aesthetics are key to the design of a kitchen space, functionality takes precedence. Designs are thus evolving beyond how it looks to allow for the ‘busier’ lifestyle demands of today, whilst thinking about how it will be used in the future.
Kitchens are also following the environmentally conscious route, with some specifiers opting for recycled materials, eco-friendly products and incorporating “greener” lifestyles that cut down on our footprint. For example, in the UK garbage disposals have been banned and composting is a must in every home. Modern kitchens are being designed with this in mind.
Kitchen Products and Materials at DesignBUILD
With 18% of the audience attending DesignBUILD requesting to see kitchen solutions, we are looking to further bolster our offering of products and materials in this space. If you are a supplier or manufacturer of fixtures, fittings and finishes suitable for kitchens, contact the team today to discuss opportunities to reach over 7,000 design and construction professionals looking to specify your products.
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