With the new year around the corner, it’s time to look ahead at the trends 2023 will have to offer. With unique materials, earth-drawn colours and stunning,ย statement stone โ kitchens are fast becoming the most luxurious place in theย home.ย In order to properly assess what next years kitchens will look like, Kate Deakin-Bell, marketing manager at Neolith, reveals five of theย biggest design trends we can expect to see in cookingย spaces next year.
Neolith Bassalt Black
1. Earth-drawn colours and materials
Mother Nature will continue to inspire kitchen designย in 2023, says Kate. โThe new kitchen trends are more thoughtful andย considered than ever and are all about enhancing the time you spend in yourย cooking space. The focus is on comfort and longevity,ย using beautiful, qualityย materials that will age gracefully and stand the test of time. Expect to see unpainted wood cabinetry, naturalย stone benchtops and splashbacks, and muted, natural tones inspired by theย outdoorsย such as sage, olive and buttermilk, which combine to create a sense ofย calm.โย
2. Luxurious stone surfaces
Characterful stone benchtops and splashbacks are aย key trend for kitchens in the year ahead, says Kate. โHomeownersย areย becoming braver with their stone choices, increasingly using it to expressย their personal style in the kitchen. While soft, understatedย stone colours andย patterns will remain popular in 2023, expect to see stone in bold colours andย with dramatic veining trending alongsideย them. Applied to benchtops andย splashbacks, they look incredible paired with 2023โs rustic timbers and organicย metal finishes.”
3. Statement islands
Forget boring kitchen islands โ 2023โsย iteration will be multi-use and packed with personality, says Kate.ย โThe island is theย hero of todayโs kitchen, so it makes sense to see it receiveย the decorative attention it deserves.
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โNext year, expect to see islands that feel lessย โkitchen-yโ and anything but off the shelf, including ones that resemble aย piece of customย furniture, designs with curves, and islands with matchstickย legs in powder-coated steel that give you space to tuck a few bar stoolsย underneath โ ideal in a compact kitchen.ย
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โWith more of us working from home and taking upย new hobbies over the pandemic โ often at the kitchen island โ youโll alsoย see moreย tech features, such as integrated charging stations, charging drawersย and places for devices to sit while theyโre being used.โ
4. Darker timbers
Dark timbers are liveable, luxe and excitingย โ and theyโre coming to a kitchen near you in 2023. โRich timber speciesย such as walnut andย blackened oak have been popular for a while now, but theyโllย really come into their own in 2023,โ says Kate. โAnd whatโs notย toย love? They are wonderfully versatile and suit everything from modern rustic,ย contemporary and eclectic to industrial-style kitchens.ย Dark hues are alsoย incredibly forgiving in a family home.
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โExpect to see rich timber used in ever moreย creative ways in cooking spaces โ pair it dramatic, veined benchtops andย splashbacks toย create a show-stopping colour contrast, add dark floating timberย display shelves to personalise your kitchen, consider integrated joineryย handles, or bring in texture with contoured panelling.โ
5. Natural, ageing finishes
While sleek, modern finishes such as chrome andย stainless steel tapware and handles will never really go out of style, expectย to see aย growing trend for finishes that embrace the natural ageing process inย the year ahead, says Kate. โWeathered brass tapware,ย which has aย living, organic finish, is designed to show the patina of time, bringing warmthย and character to your kitchen. Add touches of weathered brass toย create an appealing contrast against streamlined, contemporary joinery andย benchtops, or use it toย bring rustic charm to a modern-country cooking space.
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โWater-marking and spotting is normal with aย weathered brass finish. Youโll find the areas you touch most frequently willย develop a light,ย golden colour while those you interact with less frequentlyย will age and darken.โ