European Kitchen Trends On Their Way To Oz
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Traditionally, trends for home decor follow the same route as clothing and accessories - from Europe to the rest of the world. There’s no denying the influence that Italian and French designers have over the creative industry and there’s no ignoring the technological innovations pioneered by the German industry in a whole host of areas, including lighting and interior architecture. When it comes to creating a highly-operative and space-efficient kitchen, look no further than to the elegant cooking spaces of the tightly-packed-in-no-room-to-spare Northern continent!
So which trends in European kitchen design could be heading Down Under?
Integration
The debate around the merits of open versus closed kitchens has been long raging - but within Europe, and indeed North America, the victor is clear. Kitchens are quickly becoming the social centre of the home, no longer segmented away from the central living space but integrated into the dining or lounge room to create a more open, yet nevertheless cosy, cooking area. Naturally, kitchen appliances also follow this trend, with refrigerators, ovens and dishwashers slipping seamlessly into the landscape of benchtops. This design envisages the kitchen as a neat and functional unit, where islands provide storage, seating and workspace, but maintains a simple elegance and warmth as the centrepiece of the home.
Frosted Glass Cabinets
Frosted glass cabinets give you the perfect balance between function and form - clear enough for to see what's behind the door but giving the kitchen a crisp, organised look. As a deliberate style choice, frosted glass is remarkably versatile, working well in a range of modern and traditional kitchens and with a variety of materials such as wood and painted particle board. They also appear cleaner than standard glass and reflect the light more effectively.
LED Lighting
Always the forerunners in environmental living, European kitchen designs are increasingly featuring LED lighting. Energy-efficient and atmospheric, LEDs provide an exceptional operational life and can be manipulated into practically any shape to emit a range of colours and intensities. They can also run on fairly low-voltage power so it’s easy to understand their popularity as essentially omnipotent features of a modern kitchen.
Indoor Greenery
Is it any wonder that the trend for indoor gardens originated on a continent infamous for its miserable weather and grey skies? Down Under we might be blessed with a bit more sunlight, but that doesn’t mean you can’t brighten up your kitchen space with some greenery. Whether an organic herb garden or some windowsill pot plants, indulging in a little domestic flora is not only practical but an excellent way to provide a fresh, homely touch to a modern kitchen.
Curved Lines
Gone are the days of straight lines and corners. The trend is towards modular kitchen countertops. Curved centre islands and semi-circles are also popular, because they don't just look great, they are less likely to catch you on the hips when you're moving around the kitchen. Breaking the monotony of the straight-edge kitchen is a way to add character and warmth to a space without cluttering it with unnecessary tit-bits.
Statement Colours
Eons away from the white-washed clinical kitchens of yesteryear, we’ve arrived at a happy compromise between minimalism and creativity. The European penchant is for dark, dramatic colours coupled with highly polished surfaces - usually of silvery dark grey slate or deep mahogany or walnut - to create a look which escapes monochrome but emphasises sleek, block colours. These striking elements are then combined with more common items like stainless steel taps and cupboard handles or brilliant white splashbacks, and then finally topped off with statement accessories to add some colour.
Thin Countertops
One of the most polarising trends to come out of German engineering in the past few years has exploded throughout Europe and made its way across the pond - the 1 cm benchtop. Like smartphones which grow wispier every year, this really is the extreme of kitchen cabinetry and emerged out of a desire to utilise mined material, including granite, slate, quartz and limestone, in a more efficient and sustainable way. Sleek and modern or tacky and too thin? You be the judge.
Do you think these trends will make it to Australia? Which trends are you noticing these days?
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