- 4 min read

Kitchen design trends - 2022

11/ Plants to bring the outside in

Known to naturally filter the air and improve your mood, houseplants and flowers are set to continue their popularity into 2022 and make their way into the kitchen, says Richard Petrie, home expert at Thomas Sanderson. Bright blooms are a great way to brighten up any space and give your bathroom an amazing scent whilst green houseplants will complement neutrals in the bathroom.

12/ Natural Wood tones

Our home experts agree that natural wood is still a material of choice, especially when it comes to achieving that organic vibe, which is popular with Scandi influences.

"The kitchen is the perfect space for integrating nature inspired materials like woods and cotton into your home. Wood is a versatile material and great for adding a rustic and traditional feel to any space and can be complimented with nature-inspired accessories like crisp linen towels to bring in that fresh, clean feeling", says Richard Petrie, Home Expert of Thomas Sanderson.

“Clean, simple and stylish Scandi-vibe cabinetry aesthetics are increasingly popular among clients" agrees Jaye Tidbury, Designer at The Myers Touch.

Howard Miller, co-founder of Luxury bespoke kitchen designers H. Miller Bros notices the increasing client interest in design styles simply banded together into ‘contemporary’ or ‘mid century’ or ‘70’s architecture’.

"What we’re noticing is quite subtle; our clients are interested in some of the more expressive styles that came about during the 20th century, especially the rich but paired back Scandinavian modernist designers and the fun and optimistic reactions to those designs at the same time over in America – they are less and less interested in the very severe modernism of the international style and contemporary designs spawned from it."

13/ New flooring choices - cork

An interior design favourite in the 1970s, cork is now having a resurgence and is moving away from the classic stereotypes of pinboards and old-fashioned ‘orange’ tiles.

As people want to connect more with the outside world, through interior trends like ‘biophilia’ and ‘Scandi’, sustainability is now one of the main driving forces in the industry – with brands like Recork championing a greener way of life through great design.

An extremely clever and versatile material, Recork has reinvented the humble cork flooring to meet the demands of everyday life. Fusing nature with 21st century technology, Recork is a functional, yet stylish, flooring choice which doesn’t compromise the planet.

With the aim to make more environmentally conscious design decisions, cork is looking to be the material of the future due to its inherently natural, renewable raw properties.

Recork’s first collection Una has six shades to choose from including softer, natural tones as well as washes of white and grey. Combine cork with other natural materials such as bamboo and wood or pair it with an industrial aesthetic to help soften the room. Images below by RECORK.

14. Mesh Front Cabinets

Forget chicken wire, decorative mesh grilles (more on Armac Martin) are including a lot in the higher end kitchen designs and for good reason. With a choice in both design and the colour/finish, they are a fun way to have a truly bespoke look in your kitchen.

15. Checkerboard Floors

When the creative director of Kitchen Maker deVOL shared the images of her brand new kitchen (of course manufactured by deVOL) our jaws dropped to the floor. Quintessentially English and looking like it had always been there, the kitchen featured a beautiful checkerboard floor. For similar marble tiles try Mandarin Stone's Di Scacchi Tumbled Marble.

16. Standout Taps

"Another design trend that’s increasing in popularity are stand-out taps", says Tom Drake (Tap Warehouse). "Many more people are opting for statement tap finishes such as gold, brushed brass and even matt white. Every year we see a bigger variety of vibrant tap finishes being released which are perfect for anyone who wants to create a kitchen that stands out".

We predict that white and brass kitchen taps will become slightly more mainstream this year, but black taps are still an easy way to move away from standard chrome finishes.

Tom Drake, Tap Warehouse

If you want your tap to be stand out, what better way than adding a 3 in 1 or 4 in 1 tap that delivers filtered water (even chilled) as well as boiling hot water. Check out QETTLE's Signature Modern range and the Perrin & Rowe Armstrong 3 in 1 instant hot water tap (our favourite finish: English bronze).

Conclusion

“If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that our homes are more important than ever. In the face of adversity, many of us have appreciated that our kitchen space can bring joy, pride, togetherness and a sense of security, and there’s a palpable sense of optimism, hope, recovery and reinvention in our client-base” says Howard Miller.

Whether you choose to follow trends or your heart, remember that this is a space that brings together the family and will help you entertain friends too. Have fun in your design, make sure it addresses your needs and remember that even though a renovation journey can be long (and at times tiring) it will be so worth it in the end!