Cut the colour
Remember the craze for coloured-glass splashbacks (mainly glossy red or lime green)? You might still love them but neutrals are easier to live with. To bring ‘colour’ to the aesthetic, mix up the palette using elements of white and black with timber contrasts to avoid the kitchen looking homogenous. If you really want bold colour, try powder-coated kitchen stools that can easily be changed out.
An island experience
Island benches had a gentle introduction to the heart of kitchen in the 1970s and have been stealing the limelight ever since. But would the sky fall around your ears if you didn’t have one? Kitchens once generally had benches along the walls and these days, where space is tight or the budget is stretched, the idea that a dining table doubles as extra bench is apt.
Look Ma, no handles
Not so long ago, bar handles were the latest thing – a sleek alternative that seemed more modern than the traditional drawer and door knob. Today they look dated and homeowners are obsessed with everything integrated so there are no handles at all. Will this last? Perhaps. A beautifully designed handle is a design delight but a simple routed cut-out or negative detail has sublime simplicity that will be more ageless.
Tap into this
Black tapware is still very in vogue and, if you love it, go for it. But ask yourself, will it mark your kitchen as of the ‘twenty-tens’? If you want longevity (taps that get better with age), best to stick to classic metallics such as brass, copper or stainless-steel which keeps its appearance for decades. To express your personality, opt for custom finishes – burnished, brushed, aged or polished – to add a bespoke touch.
0800 717 717 • box.co.nz
Words — Caitlin Bartlett, architectural graduate at Box
