In Bristol Life magazine's latest issue, published on Friday 12 November 2021, kitchen specialists from across Bristol and Bath offer the readers their advice and guidance about the latest kitchen trends.
Charlotte Wright, a Bath-based design consultant, is quoted in the feature, discussing kitchen essentials, popular styles and little tweaks that can refresh a space.
WHAT TRENDS – IN STYLE, COLOUR, GADGETS – ARE HOT RIGHT NOW?
Two-Tone Kitchens – Contrasting Surface Finishes
Many Hobson's Choice clients choose to create a bulthaup b3 kitchen space that features two contrasting furniture finishes. A combination of wood, walnut, cherry, olive, or stained oak, with a complementary colour, white, gravel, clay or flint, gives the kitchen a relaxed, warm, timeless style.
The choice of worktop, splashback and flooring can bring even more visual interest to the room. The intricate patterns of marble, quartz or granite, tile textures and layout, or the tone and grain of wooden flooring. By carefully considering the many options available with a professional designer, your new bulthaup kitchen can transcend yearly trends and still look amazing in 20 years' time.
Calm Colour Palette
As the 'hub of the home', the kitchen is a busy and sociable space, often being utilised for multiple purposes – cooking, dining, work and relaxing. A calming, neutral colour palette provides a backdrop that is ready for any activity, whether it is dining with the family or an afternoon working from home.
Accessories such as furniture, soft furnishings, lighting, plants, and decorative items can be used to style the kitchen. These can be changed to refresh the space, bringing in new colours and textures or showcasing the latest interior trends.
Integrated Appliances
The desire to hide away or minimise the appearance of appliances, fridge, freezer, dishwasher, induction cooktop, an extractor is unlikely to ever change. Advances in technology make it even easier to conceal appliances, shrinking their size and changing how they operate. Even the door handles can be removed, opening simply with a knock or a push.
Homeowners like the integrated appearance because it looks clean and tidy, preventing gaps down the sides of freestanding appliances where dirt can accumulate and be hard to clean. It allows colours, patterns, and textures to flow unimpeded across cabinets, and lines can wrap around the kitchen, unbroken.
WHAT ARE THE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS FOR ANY KITCHEN?
Professional guidance
The most essential element of any kitchen is a carefully considered design that works for the homeowner. It isn't every day that you decide to change one of the most fundamental rooms in your property. A chat with an experienced kitchen designer can save you time and money. It can also highlight project challenges and generate new or improved ideas, helping you make informed decisions and reduce stress.
WHAT'S THE SIMPLEST TWEAK WE CAN MAKE TO BRING AN EXISTING KITCHEN UP TO DATE?
Accessorise
Changing the kitchen accessories, furniture, soft furnishings, lighting, plants, and wall colours are the simplest tweaks that can bring an existing kitchen up to date. For example, the introduction of decorative wallpaper can dramatically affect the appearance of the kitchen space, bringing character, interest and eye-catching detail.