Kitchen Special
17
Words: Emer Kelly Pics: Webpress
Historically, kitchens weren’t luxurious and unlike kitchen’s today, they
were not rooms where people wanted to spend time in. They definitely
weren’t rooms meant for hosting guests or entertaining. They were dark and
prone to catching fire; they were filled with noises, messes and smells. They
were extremely busy spaces and could be hot and uncomfortable. For these
reasons, kitchens tended to be situated as far away as possible from the
social or private rooms in a home.
“At the moment one of the most popular trends for a kitchen is the painted
shaker style,’’ said Brendan McLaughlin of Cherrymore Kitchens in Donegal.
The definition of “Shaker” is a unique type of furniture created by members
of a religious sect formed as a branch of the Quaker church in the 18th
Century. The furniture was designed with care, with the belief that making
something well was in itself, “an act of prayer. Shaker Kitchens are built
around the guiding principles of simplicity, utility and honesty. They are made
thoughtfully with functional form and proportion without ornamentation.
“The timber/solid wood kitchens aren’t as popular as they once were but in
saying that I can see them making a comeback in two to three years.
“Another popular trend in kitchens at the moment and it is becoming more
popular are handless presses, they are more slick looking and without the
handle there, it isn’t collecting dust and the surface is easily cleaned which is
what people want,’’ added Mr McLaughlin.
“Vinyl wrap around kitchens are also very popular and appealing especially
to couples with young children as they can just wipe the surface down and
there is a good durability to the surface as well as being trendy!
“They (Vinyl wrap around) don’t chip, are scratch resistant and are also low
maintenance, they also seal out moisture and you don’t have to worry about
press doors swelling or warping. They never need to be repainted or anything
like that either,’’ he revealed.
These kitchen trends and styles are also supported by Jean Montgomery,
the In-House Marketing Manager with the Panelling Centre in Swords.
“Popular kitchens are the painted styles as well as the handless units. A
lot of people have run and continue to run with the classic white or cream
painted kitchen but they want a slight pop of colour in terms of their kitchen
units and appliances.
“We do a range called ‘Paint It’ where the doors are primed and the customers
can either paint them themselves or we can get them professionally sprayed
for them if they so wish to whatever colour they want,’’ added Ms Montgomery.
“Oak kitchens never went out of fashion whereas pine kitchens and beech
kitchens have done.”
So if you are planning of remodelling your kitchen or simply giving it a
lick of paint, these are just some of the trends that are going to be popular
throughout this coming year.
*Soft, muted colours; though white motifs will still dominate, everything
from backsplashes to cabinets will be done in charcoal, greys, pale blue, pale
green, pale yellow and pastel colours will all be used.
*The 1980’s are back! Mirrored backsplashes, brass accessories and highgloss surfaces aren’t dead by a long shot, but these features are sure to be
more elegant and refined in 2016. An elegance not seen in the ’80s will be an
incorporation of a variety of natural materials to remove the plastic look of
that era.
*In 2016, metal will assume a more dominant role in kitchen aesthetics
and trump wood as the range hood of choice. Wood mantle hoods are being
replaced with metal hoods or ones that are a combination of wood and metal.
If you’re planning to follow suit with this year’s fixation on neutral colour
tones, a metal hood can introduce a burst of contrast into your kitchen.
“The kitchen we know today is an indispensable
component to contemporary life.”
Winter 2016 Home & Build
Winter 2016.indd 17
08/01/2016 4:29 p.m.