Kitchens that flow seamlessly into the living space and ensure that the home is an integrated unit is the way forward. And it how new-age kitchens are being designed. After all, the kitchen is the nerve centre of a home where you whip up delicacies and naturally a connection to the rest of the home makes it all the more fun.
Now Trending
Stainless steel appliances have been ruling charts for a long time but now there is a new trend as consumers are choosing matte black appliances. Two toned cabinets are gaining attention and kitchen concepts are now including smart storage ideas to reduce clutter and create space for kitchen appliances. Khanindra Barman, CEO and co-founder, Würfel Küche avers, “The newest trends are more towards having a single space. That is your kitchen, your living area, your library/study space, all together form that one space in your home. And the kitchen itself is leaning more towards using natural raw materials which are eco-friendly and closer to nature. And the other trend inside the kitchen is to create multiple levels for cooking, working, breakfast stations, and that adds a nice design element to the kitchen. “Rose gold, brass and copper finishes are here to stay as new trends. Apply them on hardware and appliances. For kitchen slabs, Korean is ruling the charts. People are opting for dark colours for slabs. For hardware, copper or steel is turning out to be a consumer’s preference. For colour schemes, clients prefer solid colours with wood finishing, earthy pastel colours and are opting for minimalistic schemes,” says Sagar Datta from Casa Interio.
Material Matters
Raw materials for the new-age kitchens include natural materials like wood or stone and eco-friendly ones. Shades of grey and natural wood are trending. White and grey seem to be the two big cabinet colours but dark jewel tones like black, navy, emerald green and plum are also popular. “Dark kitchen cabinets can enhance kitchen space with its dramatic appearance. Materials in vogue are acrylics in different colours, finishes and textures apart from polyester paint finishes and laquered glass,” explains Amardeep Gulri, founder and principal architect, Deco-Arte, a bespoke interior architecture and design company. Anushka Contractor, interior designer, adds, “Solid wood with pastel shades works for a classic traditional look while whites and greys are for a modern and contemporary acrylic finish or paint finish. The eclectic kitchen plays with colours of pop and does give a little feel of an industrial theme. Dark kitchens portray elegance and luxury. Neutral palette kitchens can be paired with glamourous accents or can be kept just by themselves. Decor accessories like an over-sized pendant lamps lends warmth and an inviting feel. A few decorative accessories on shelves and countertops are the way forward. It is all about blending functionality and style for a space which is bold, yet inviting.”
Tech Talk
Technology is making inroads into the kitchen like never before, giving new-age automatic options that are both convenient and practical. Neha Gandhi, director, Stovekraft says, “We are seeing a lot of IoT enabled technologies coming into the kitchen. Also, we are seeing kitchen layouts increasingly configured for convenience. For example, appliances are being integrated into the layout of the kitchen as opposed to creating an independent platform. “Technology is not just making kitchens more organised, but is helping reduce clutter. Kitchens apps and devices are increasingly being integrated with systems that can automatically synchronize data across multiple platforms. Motion sensor equipped kitchen faucets can sense the presence of hands and work automatically, refrigerators can alert you when your groceries items are running low or a coffee maker can be programmed to have your coffee ready when you wake up. These tech innovations are the rage,’ opines Gulri. So get set for these new-age kitchens - they will make your kitchen smart, and your chores smarter.
