Here at Topology, we’re all for learning about how to improve our interior skills to better our clients designs. So, on a regular basis we like to speak with specialists in the industry and learn new information which we can then impart onto you guys! So, we’ve teamed up with Ashford Kitchens & Interiors, a team of bespoke luxury kitchen, bedroom and home office design specialists based in England. Why? Well, they’re a leading installation company boasting many years of experience in offering a complete design and fully project managed installation service. Essentially, they’re in the know about all things interiors! But to break this topic down to a more manageable blog for you, we’re talking specifically about kitchens.
Ashford’s customised kitchens incorporate the very best from around the globe with leading appliances sourced from all over to make sure kitchens are operating at their maximum potential with the latest cutting edge features. Today, we speak to Ashford’s managing director, Stephen Flower, about the future of kitchen design…
1. Where do you see the future of Kitchen design?
Kitchens are now undoubtedly the most important room of the home. They’ve taken on more and more responsibilities over the last few decades and are now an area where so many important activities take place. Both socially and domestically! This focus will only escalate from here on out.
“Kitchen design” is now a more complex concept than it used to be when kitchens were merely shut-off preparation rooms. Kitchen design today is a fusion of modern minimalist appearance and optimum functionality. Additionally, they’re offered by the technological advancements of our age. The thing in common here is simplicity.
Aesthetically speaking modern kitchen design is epitomised by a sleek and simple setup equipped with smart appliances. Our style aims for the most elegant and classic look, supported by state-of-the-art appliances and products that keep our important kitchen spaces like worktops clear.
Dark bold trends are all the rage today, but the most important factor is just keeping it simple. One or two colours that are neutral shades and not too overpowering are the way kitchen design has been for some time. Bright shades are a no go as they’re too dominant. Blacks, whites and greys are prime kitchen colours with the natural patinas displayed by worktops, pieces of artwork or even appliances absorbing the focus and leaving the rest of the kitchen looking clean and sleek.
2. Are there any trends or particular products proving popular with you at the moment – or any people are moving away from?
It’s no secret that kitchen islands are a key part of modern kitchen design layouts. They’ve long been on the rise and with good reason. They open up a kitchen, providing more room for preparation — but also offer that space we spoke about for social activities. They also offer up an extra area for working from home or where the kids can do homework etc.
I’ve got to say though, the biggest thing we’re noticing is a focus on some of the fantastic appliances to come out of late. We now specialise in quite a few selected appliances and fittings from several companies around Europe. These are all the rage because they offer cutting edge products that are second to none in style, function and reliability.
Take Quooker. You’d never think the tap — something so primitive, dating back thousands of years — had room to be revolutionised, would you? But that’s exactly what the Dutch company Quooker has done.
Quooker’s kitchen taps can dispense filtered water, boiling water and sparkling water all through the same tap. Decades of refining and adjusting means Quooker can now offer an unparalleled versatile tap that eradicates the need for kettles, filtered fridge water and carbonators. It’s safer, cleaner, cost-effective, saves space and looks good too.
Another great example is the German brand Neff that has been engineering kitchen appliances for more than one hundred years. A stand out innovation from Neff is the Slide&Hide Oven that features a fully retractable disappearing door, voice control, pyrolytic self-cleaning and a pioneering heating system called CircoTherm. Once again, it is a combination of aesthetic prowess and pragmatism that makes this such a popular product.
I could go on about the Italian company Elica’s cooker hoods, motion sensor bins and a number of other leading appliances — but there are so many today that are revolutionising and simplifying the kitchen setup.
3. What’s one of the main things people discuss first when starting to think about changes to their kitchen design?
Of course, time and cost are big factors. Kitchen design changes nearly always have a hugely favourable impact on property value — but they can also be pricey and time-consuming, depending on the scale of design changes.
Kitchen design is usually about looking for solutions to current problems and how areas can be improved to best suit lifestyle and requirements. Most of the time it’s about better optimising the space available, so it is a free, more versatile room with more natural light.
Through conversations, mood boards and examples from previous projects, our showrooms — and the plethora of inspiration available online on sites like Instagram and Pinterest — it is rarely difficult to get a feel for what people expect. Kitchen design is about harnessing this into a clear project with a clear aim.
We hope this has answered any questions you may have about the future of kitchen design, however if you do have any more questions, please do drop us a message on Instagram and we’ll see if we can help.
This post has been sponsored by Ashford Kitchens, but as usual, we only ever work with brands we respect & trust.
All images supplied by Ashford Kitchens and Topology Interiors do not claim copyright to any of them.
