From incredible integrated islands and statement splashbacks to a fusion of cultures and green material choices, what does 2021 have in store for the contemporary kitchen? Team Neolith reveals all.
The coming year will be an exciting one for interior design and no doubt the trend to ‘improve’ over ‘move’ will continue to gather momentum.
The kitchen is now one of the most used spaces in the home, assuming the role of office, crèche, school, social area and dining space, in addition to its traditional culinary role. As priorities change, so the room evolves, and many are reappraising layouts, furniture, fixtures and fittings.
Many will be looking at creative ways to update and upgrade this room, whether it’s replacing tired and tatty countertops, adding a statement splashback or gutting the whole thing and starting from scratch.
It’s something we at Neolith have been closely monitoring over the last year, allowing us to offer our take on 2021’s coolest colours, latest looks and stylish schemes to lift your kitchen to the next level.
East Meets West
The ‘Scandi’ look has been popular for many years, however 2020 saw this all shaken up, adding a new, cultural twist to the style. Enter ‘Japandi’: a symphony of different tones and textures, a fusion of aesthetic principles combines natural tones and textural differences to deliver balance and harmony. Emphasising tranquillity and spirituality, it perfectly contrasts the busy life of the kitchen setting.
A Japandi look can be achieved whatever size or layout, however careful curation of materials is key, particularly surfaces. Less is more. For example, juxtaposing honey-coloured timber (La Bohème) with rough-hewn volcanic rock (Basalt Black) creates an attractive backdrop in which to build out the look with understated furniture and minimalist art.
Island Life
Kitchen islands have risen to the top of the homeowner wish list. Large, central islands create a wonderful, convivial feel within this setting and emphasise the room’s multi-functionality, helping to highlight it’s not only a space for preparing meals.
The growing interest in large-span, and generously-proportioned islands is complemented with an increasing desire for an opulent appearance. We’ve noticed an uptick in demand for luxurious looks, ranging from cool and crisp Carrara marble (Calacatta, Estatuario) to bolder patterns (Calacatta Luxe, Pulpis), even exotic Granite (Mar Del Plata). It’s a rare case where going big means going home.
Integrate The Positive
The move towards expansive kitchen islands is also complemented by an increasing preference for having them fully integrated with cabinetry and appliances. With space in the modern home at a premium, making the features within work as hard as possible is essential, especially for those with large families.
Incorporating draws, bins, dishwashers and even hobs, such as PITT COOKING, into the island is a good idea and free up space around the perimeters. These can be cleverly hidden through using one colour for the cladding, creating a captivating monolithic effect. Light greys (Zaha Stone) and monochromatic pattern (Nero Marquina) are currently very popular.
Making A Statement
A statement splashback in a loud, colourful, yet stylish pattern is the perfect way to create a simple artistic statement within the kitchen space. It’s becoming much a sought-after feature in 2021. From a floor to ceiling arc, to one which literally cascades down the cabinetry, across countertops and to the floor, the only limit is the imagination.
Whilst striking, highly detailed surfaces remain popular (Amazonico; Krater), we’re starting to see homeowners becoming more experimental, using non-traditional effects such as terrazzo (Retrostone) and concrete (Phedra; Beton).
Maintaining Standards
People are becoming far more conscious about the performance and composition of the materials they choose for their kitchens, particularly surfaces.
Where once visual appeal dominate decisions, we’re now witnessing more people consider the performance qualities of what they choose for a kitchen fit-out. They’re looking for long-term value and materials which can handle every chop, bash, slash and roll. They also want to know their investment is a sustainable one. We expect demand for these responsibly manufactured products to increase over the year.
