Perhaps you’re looking to update your space to suit the new role of your kitchen. Maybe you’re extending or building something new or perhaps you’ve just simply had enough of looking at the same tired old four walls. If you’re having these thoughts as you sit in your kitchen, perhaps it’s time for a kitchen update!
Taking on board the experiences we’ve had with our recent kitchen builds over the past couple of years, as well as looking at some of our favourite trends seen in magazines and social media, we’ve whittled down our favourite kitchen trends to be on the lookout for in 2022 and beyond. From the latest technology in kitchen appliances and clever storage solutions, to modern statement surfaces and chic living room furnishings. We know what it takes to create your dream kitchen. Without further ado, let’s dig into…
What are the must have kitchen trends for 2022?
Dark surfaces: Green and Blue
The first of our favourite kitchen trends for 2022 can seem a little risky, but taking the daring decision to go for a bold darker shade in your kitchen design can really change the whole dynamic of the room. Whilst white kitchens are still popular, dark kitchens provide the perfect backdrop for stand out pops of eye catching colour, such as metallic hardware accents or juxtaposing splashback finishes.
In particular, we are seeing deep green and navy blue as the stand out colours for the 2022 kitchen. We love the way that a green brings in colours from the natural world, and blue creates a cool, calming setting. These colours are perfect for creating a biophilic interior design and promote a sense of wellness in the kitchen.
Kitchen Tech
Every year kitchen tech becomes more and more innovative and convenient, and this year is no different. First up on the menu is downdraft extractors. These little hideaway extractor fans remove water vapour and cooking odours efficiently, as the particles have no time to permeate the air before they are sucked in off the hob. A regular extractor fan above the cooker hood can be a bit of an eyesore. Opting for a downdraft extractor keeps your kitchen looking sleek and elegant. If you are planning on incorporating a kitchen island with a hob in your kitchen design, a downdraft extractor is the perfect solution for odour control.
Since the office tea break has moved into our homes this year, waiting for the kettle to boil is just too much faff. We have found that hot water taps have become the ultimate luxury convenience item in our kitchens. Just turn the specially fitted tap and boiling hot water runs straight out, with no need to wait for minutes for the water to heat up. Installed directly into your standard kitchen tap, or as a separate tap, the hot water tap is a real space saver. Minimising surface clutter and keeping the clean lines of your modern kitchen.
Statement surfaces
When it comes to kitchen surfaces, such as the many kitchen counters,cabinets, splashbacks or islands, it’s time to stop playing it safe. Splashbacks may be a practical element in your kitchen design, but that doesn’t mean we cannot have fun with them. The kitchen trends for splash backs in 2022 is to turn your splashback into a real statement. Think splashbacks that go all the way up to the walls, bright statement tiles, mix and match different materials such as marble, metal and wood together.
Two-toned, painted kitchens
It’s time to get creative with colours in your kitchen, and take on one of the most fun kitchens trends of 2022: the two tone kitchen. Play around with colour contrasts on your kitchen cabinetry to make your kitchen stand out. Choosing to mix darker shades with lighter shades tends to work the best. Take those dark green shades we’ve already lusted over, for example, and pair it with a bright pink or yellow to really make those shades pop. This will add depth and dimension to your kitchen.
And why stop at just kitchen cabinetry? From the walls to the worktops, explore different colour combinations to break up open plan kitchens. Create zones in the kitchen space, and add fun colour contrasts.
Concealed storage
For those of us who love to cook, kitchen storage is such an important part of designing a kitchen. From canned goods cupboards, to tucked away pots and pans. The key to a sleek modern kitchen is having smart storage that allows you to store all of the goods you need, whilst keeping your kitchen looking spick and span. Some of our favourite clever storage solutions are, pantries in cupboards (think a giant cupboard that opens up wide enough that it almost feels like a small room), hidden drawers and concealed appliances. All of which tuck neatly away when you are not using them.
Living room furnishings
Open plan living has been a feature that has been here to stay for a long time in the modern kitchen. This makes our kitchen spaces far more sociable than they once were. But just because a kitchen space is practical by nature, does not mean that we cannot make it equally as chic and homely as the other zones in the open plan space.
One of the newest ways of creating seamlessly transitional spaces in the open plan zone is the introduction of living room furnishings into the kitchen area. Curate the kitchen area as though you are curating a formal sitting room, with chic styling decor such ascurated open shelving and the ‘kitchen shelfie’ – a take on the aesthetically pleasing shelfie trend – where all our best nicknacks and decor trophies are stylistically placed on display and are always photo-ready. This decor style creates the feel that your kitchen is just as much a social place as the rest of your home, and an extension of your personal style.
Islands & breakfast bars
Step inside any modern kitchen and you will find that the one thing that they usually have in common with each other is that they usually have a kitchen island of some sort installed in the middle. Perfect for that extra little bit of cooking space. It is also useful for entertaining guests whilst you finish plating up, kitchen islands are possibly one of the most popular kitchen features.
Taking this kitchen feature one step further, the kitchen island has since developed into a breakfast bar. With sumptuous dining bar stools or chairs surrounding the island, the kitchen space is transformed into a multifunctional space for entertaining, perfect for dinner parties.
For one of our previous projects, a regency townhouse in Brighton, our client tasked us with creating ‘a kitchen that doesn’t look like a kitchen’. The kitchen dining island was the ideal solution to creating this modern kitchen. Alongside the contemporary appliances and bespoke joinery, the countertops double up as a stylish dining table in a sleek and minimal design.
Statement pendant lights
Lighting is a huge decision when it comes to any room in your house. It can completely change the ambiance of the space. Lighting design in kitchens in no exception. Espcially as the light needs to be adjustable to suit both the chef when cooking, and create the right ambiance for entertaining.
Aside from the practicalities of lighting, the kitchen trends for lighting next year revolves around statement designs. Think glass lampshades in vibrant colours, dramatically oversized or bold and quirky pendant lighting. Hang the lighting over the kitchen island or table to create a focal point in the kitchen, and draw everyone’s attention to this space.
Mixed metallic finishes
Can’t decide which metallic finish you would like to use in your kitchen? The final instalment of our kitchen trends is the mixed metal trend. Mixing metals, such as gold and silver tones, is quite a new trend as designers are no longer limiting themselves to one unified tones. Warmer brass or gold tones can be used to highlight special features in your kitchen, such as beautiful handles for example, by choosing a luxury, on-trend metal. At the same time you might want to keep more recessive handles in cool tones and brushed nickel or bronze, which tend to blur more into the background.
From left: Contrasting black taps with brass and copper kitchen features in Pfeiffer Design kitchen projects
Do you have a kitchen renovation in mind? We combine forward thinking design with the latest technology and stay one step ahead of kitchen trends to create timeless spaces that suit your way of living. Contact us for a consultation to bring your dream kitchen to life.
