Of all the design trends you may ever come across, kitchen trends require the most careful consideration. After all, from all the rooms in a home, the kitchen is the one that should last you the longest: it is, alongside bathrooms, usually, a long-term investment – for reasons of sustainability, if nothing else – so a timeless look will outweigh fashion forwardness. But if you’re planning a new kitchen, a look at what the best luxury brands and designers are creating is food for thought, and can provide inspiration for a style or material that you may not have considered. The following are the top design ideas that will be on the kitchen connoisseur’s radar for 2024.
Dark and moody
After the dominance of light and bright kitchens, a moodier look is taking hold. Expect to see ebony-stained cabinetry paired with dark marble or porcelain splashbacks, and black lighting, taps and accessories. It’s the perfect backdrop to warm-toned metal hardware – more on that below – and makes for a sleek, sophisticated look.
The New Open Kitchen
We all love what an open kitchen can do – instantly become the hub of the home, that space where all the action is, be it doing homework with your kids or cooking while entertaining. Yet, removing walls can also remove a sense of cosiness and leave you with a chunk of space that's difficult to style. Instead of walls, install cabinetry that stops short of hitting the ceiling. That way not only do you keep a continuous ceiling line, but also demarcate space. The kitchen-facing side of these functional dividers provides opportunity to create ample storage space and the side that faces the dining or living room is your's to decorate as you desire. We recommend a bold colour or an eye-catching finish so that these dividers stand out – that will create more visual depth.
It's a proven fact that when it comes to design the Scandinavians know what they are doing. And the kitchen is no exception. So let's follow their lead and remove all manner of vertical cabinetry: tall pantries and overhead cabinets be gone. This will create the illusion of taller walls and of course, more space. You can add some sleek shelves – in light wood, marble or even brass – that you will then style with elegant objects; think picture frames, coffee table books, vases and stunning cookware. For all other practical objects, make space elsewhere. Meaning, you better have room for a pantry or a big kitchen island.
Cafe culture
Pinterest has predicted that “cafecore” will be a theme of kitchen renovations this year: searches on the platform for “coffee station decor”, for instance, are up 145%, while the #coffeetok hashtag on TikTok has over 5 billion views. A self-contained coffee nook complete with all the kit needed to make a barista-level flat white has become de rigueur in the modern kitchen; and Parisian bistro styling brings comfort, warmth and a social vibe into the room: think bentwood bar stools, cane cafe chairs and vintage artworks.
Colour accents
On the flip side of the dark and moody trend is the vogue for pops of accent colour. While the idea of bright cabinetry may be too much for those of a minimalist mindset, adding the odd flash of colour – in a green marble worktop or a tiled splashback, or perhaps painted on the insides of the cupboards – will add some character to the room, without going overboard. Lapicida’s new, forest-green Verde Tone porcelain tiles make for a subtly statement splashback, with a vintage look that mimics the undulating effect of handmade glazed ceramic, and bounces light around the room.
Bold Marble in Kitchens
When in doubt, go for a heavily veined marble – and the more unusual the colour of the veins the better it is. You see, gone are the days when these natural striations were considered imperfections. Today, they add instant drama. So think burgundy, purple, pink, green… you get the drift. Our favourite stone, right now? Any variation of the Calacatta Viola marble – its' rich and unpredictable veins create eye-catching patterns. Rosso Levanto marble is another full-bodied stone that creates a bold impact.
Tactile surfaces
The conventional, shiny, high-gloss look of kitchen surfaces is making way for more tactile and textured finishes, such as natural wood and matt stones, bringing a softer aesthetic. “Over the last few years, our appreciation of the outside world has grown considerably. We want to surround ourselves with natural products that connect us to the world outside our window,” says Mor Krisher of surface designers Caesarstone. “We have seen an increased popularity for worktops that feel natural yet have a unique texture and add a beautiful richness to the home.” Interior designers are similarly reporting an increase in the use of materials such as leathered marble for worktops, where the stone has a rougher finish that highlights the pattern of its natural veining.
The return of copper
Another Pinterest prediction for the coming year is “hot metals”, partly thanks to metallics appearing on many an AW23 catwalk. Silver tones might be trending in fashion, but we’re predicting a warmer vibe in interiors – especially in the form of copper, which has become a breakout search term on Google Trends in recent months. It brings natural warmth and soul to a kitchen – especially in the form of patinated worktops, splashbacks and taps – and also feeds into the earthy, peachy tones that are rooting interior design right now.
Material mash-up
Why restrict a design to a limited palette of colours and materials? A careful selection of contrasting surfaces – stone worktops punctuated by sections of wood; copper panelling juxtaposed with brushed-nickel hardware; sleek cabinetry inset with display shelves – helps to make each one shine. It’s also a method of creating different zones, from social hang-out spots to working areas.
Reveal and conceal
Open shelving – a key kitchen trend in recent years – may be a little too high maintenance for some, but on the flip side, a wall of fitted cabinetry can look rather severe. Here’s the happy medium: glazed doors to keep the dust off the wine glasses and china, particularly those with fluted glass panels that give a lighter look while subtly disguising what’s inside. Sliding and folding doors that allow kitchen shelves to be revealed during the day and concealed when guests arrive in the evening are a flexible alternative that offers the best of both worlds.
The Farmhouse Reimagined
This charming six-bedroom home is proof that you can create a contemporary vision for a country home – and nowhere is it more evident that in its chic, cosy kitchen. Key to this updated style is the use of light tones: Dark woods and vibrant colours are a no-no. Instead opt for warm taupes, faded greys and light woods. Add a flourish of warm metals such as brass or copper, and top it all off with a chintzy wallpaper in light, monochrome tones.
This story originally appeared on Architectural Digest Middle East
