Kitchen Design enters a new era – 4 trends into today’s kitchens

Kitchen design has never been more important than it is right now, with the look and feel of a home’s kitchen often dictating the mood of a family’s overall lifestyle.

Interactive, green, open plan and kitchen offices – these are just some of the buzz-words doing the rounds on the kitchen design scene at the moment. The team from Decorex Cape Town have rounded up five of the key kitchen trends to look out for in 2015 – look out for more kitchen inspiration at the expo later this month, at the Franke ‘Make It Wonderful’ Kitchen Design Project.

1. The kitchen as living room:

One of the biggest trends in kitchen design over recent years has been the shift from pure utilitarian workspace to social living room. Today’s kitchens are highly specialised, multi-purpose areas, no longer designed to be hidden away at the back of the house, but, rather, becoming the central space in which to interact, relax and of course, cook and eat. Reality shows like MasterChef have also pushed amateur cooking strongly into the space of entertainment, turning our kitchens into stages upon which to exhibit our latest gadgets, appliances and food fetishes.

2. Small is beautiful:

“With living space at a premium nowadays, compact kitchens are an increasing reality, presenting the challenge of creating functional yet beautiful small work places fitted with hardworking multifunctional tools,” says Clinton Soutter, National Sales Manager for Franke SA. “The key here is to not to allow space restrictions to limit the possibilities of design and, instead, to create kitchens in which performance and aesthetics are in perfect harmony,” adds Souter, who explains that the kitchens on show at Decorex Cape Town will showcase the best internal accessories to increase efficiency in a small kitchen.

3. Go with the flow: 

Add to smart design, versatile ergonomics, continues Soutter: “Another major trend is the current focus on efficiency, where every area within in the kitchen – and every product in it – is maximised to the full. Good ergonomics is about creating a seamless flow from one workspace to the next, and, indeed, a seamless flow between the kitchen itself and the rest of the house.”

4. Green light: 

Greening is another of the big themes coming through in 2015: “Think recycled materials and earth-friendly products, and plenty of natural light, with the aim of literally bringing the garden into the kitchen,” hints Soutter. “Authenticity is the abiding theme here,” he explains, adding that the intended look is comfortable and inviting on the one hand, and deeply personal on the other.” That said, Soutter is quick to point out that a return to nature by no means signals a disregard for the conveniences of modern-day living. “Technology plays a key role in our lives and its entry into our kitchens continues unabated,” he maintains.

Decorex Cape Town details:

When: 24 – 27 April 2015, 10am-7pm daily (6pm on Monday)
Where: Cape Town International Convention Centre
Tickets: R80 for adults; R70 for trade, pensioners & scholars; R15 for kids under 12. Click here to book your tickets through Computicket.

For more information e-mail decorexsa@ThebeReed.co.za or visit: www.decorex.co.za
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