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2022 KITCHEN TRENDS
BY MARK BYERS OF OLIVER GREEN KITCHENS
Happy New Year to you . With the new year still young I ’ m feeling adventurous so I thought this first article of the year should cover what I think will be the big trends in kitchen design in 2022 .
Colour I ’ m not really taking a big risk by saying shades of green will be very popular . For those with a more traditional leaning this means darker and stronger shades . If you lean more towards modern styling then more vibrant and earthy greens will feature . Green is a calming colour and after nearly two challenging years it will appeal to many . Another colour that will remain popular will be blue and especially shades that are at the aqua end of the spectrum .
Hiding Small Appliances Small appliances create clutter on work surfaces . I ’ m confident we will see a surge in demand for introducing cabinetry that can house small appliances like kettles , coffee machines , and toasters . When they are not needed they are hidden away . Those who have the space will want to do this .
Country and Farmhouse Like green I see country and farmhouse styling being popular . Country is warm and cosy . Farmhouse is similar . I have seen an increase in the number of enquiries we have been getting for country and farmhouse style kitchens and the number of visits to our website as a result of searches for these styles . I think it ’ s safe to predict that they will be popular in 2022 . It ’ s worth adding that these are timeless style options .
Herringbone It ’ s evident from the kitchens we have sold and fitted in the last 6 months that customers have chosen herringbone flooring more often than planks . I cannot see this trend falling away .
Recycled Surfaces We are noting that many larger surface manufacturers are introducing ranges that include recycled materials . Smaller niche manufacturers will continue to be at the cutting edge of what materials are being recycled for use in surfaces . Glass is now being widely used but other materials like quartz are beginning to feature differing levels of recycled materials . For us it ’ s as important to consider recycled options as it is to use materials that can be recycled . We only specify surfaces in our designs that can be recycled .
Home Office Spaces It ’ s not surprising that with home working being something many people have opted to do or been forced to do during the last 22 months that there is a strong trend for incorporating versatile work friendly spaces within kitchen areas . Where space is not a constraint then a dedicated work zone is popular . But where space is tight there is a need to be more creative and design home working features that can serve other requirements as well .
One other trend associated with increased home working is the desire to lower background noise . The main generators of background noise in a kitchen are appliances and so it ’ s not surprising that more people are including noise output as a criteria when choosing appliances .
Cleaner Air As more people work from home it ’ s understandable that concerns about indoor air quality have risen . Research by Blueair found that seven out of ten people , across all generations , worry about the air they breathe indoors . It ’ s something we talk about when customers are making choices . It seems common sense to consider options that have a positive impact on air quality , both indoor and outdoor .
Sustainable Homes We have been required to separate our waste for quite a number of years now but there is much more we can all do to lower waste and use resources more efficiently and sparingly . Research by Trend-Monitor reveals that we all want to adopt more sustainable habits but if it ’ s too hard then too many fall back to old habits .
Easy choices are boiling hot water taps . Blanco have a tap that not only delivers boiling hot water but it also allows you dial how much you want . For people who are avid cooks this not only reduces waste but it also means you don ’ t need a measuring jug . Very easy and very clever .
Other choices are waste disposal units . Combine these with composting and you are really starting to embrace sustainability in easy ways .
I think we will see a strong trend towards making choices that are helping with sustainability . At the very least we will be presenting opportunities to customers .
Further Trends There really isn ’ t enough space to cover all trends in one article so the next article will continue with more .
To contact Oliver Green Kitchens , call 0333 234687 or email : hello @ ogkitchens . co . uk
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