When I first started to research this topic I was going to write about ‘new’ kitchen trends for 2018. An up-to-date account of what products and finishes are going to take the interiors market by storm this year purely from a decorative point of view. But the more I looked, the more apparent it became that when it comes to kitchens, style is much more important than keeping up with current trends. A complete kitchen refurb is costly, so taking risks with colours and finishes that you may tire of in a few years is not advisable. And if you plan on selling at some point it’s important that you have a kitchen that is not going to put off the potential buyers. Having said that, there is still a lot of scope for creating an on-trend kitchen with bags of style and personality that you will continue to love for years to come.
The Classic Shaker Style Re-Imagined
Shaker Kitchen, from £17,500, John Lewis of Hungerford
There’s a reason why the Shaker style cabinet has been around for so long. The flat paneled doors, although traditional in origin, suit any style of kitchen lending a timeless backdrop to 21st-century appliances. They are available in all price ranges, and their wooden construction means they can be re-painted when a new colour is fancied. Try doing that to a glossy, contemporary kitchen cupboard! And they are so damned classy. The only difference for 2018 is in the accompanying materials. Chunky wooden worktops and country style tiles have been replaced with white Corian work surfaces and marble splashbacks.
Shades of Painted Grey
Suffolk Kitchen, from £12,000, Neptune
Grey walls have been around for some time now. There’s even a few whispers that this trend is going to reverse pretty soon and we’ll all be going back to white. Personally I don’t believe it. And as is usual, this decorating trend took a while to filter down to our kitchen cabinetry. And there it will stay for years to come as far as I’m concerned. Kitchens are increasingly part of our dining/living/family rooms these days, and dark colours are much less clinical looking and help the kitchen to fade into the background. Part of the furniture as they say.
The Beauty is in the Grain
Bespoke Grey & Gold Kitchen, from £45,000, Smallbone of Devizes
Another way to help the kitchen blend into the living space is to use a beautiful wood effect. A million miles away from orange pine, this style celebrates the grain and brings it to the fore. I’d always advise on integrated appliances but it is absolutely essential in this type of kitchen. There should be nothing to interrupt the effect and to keep it sleek and elegant. A few glass fronted cabinets will break up the expanse of wood (for decorative contents only) and they will also further help integrate the kitchen into the adjoining dining or sitting room.
Re-Set to Factory Settings
The Original Kitchen from £18,000, Harvey Jones
On the other side of the spectrum is the kitchen that celebrates its utilitarian roots and emphasizes them with industrial inspired style. Exposed bare brick walls, white metro tiles (yes still going strong) chunky reclaimed wood and an abundance of gleaming copper result in a modern interpretation of traditional design. Warm and welcoming without being dated and fussy. Again glossy white Corian work surfaces and a lack of clutter will keep the look on the right side of contemporary.
The New Rustic
The Sebastian Cox Kitchen, from £15,000, deVOL
This style is more Artisan than Country Cottage. Rough sawn timber and minimal detailing result in a look that is rustic but still simple and stylish. It’s a look that complements a country setting perfectly but would not look out of place in a contemporary open-plan space either with well-considered accessories.
Who knows, with the right stylish kitchen you may never want to move house again.
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Stacey Sheppard
Great post Carole. Love that rustic devol kitchen and the one with copper accents. I know everyone has moved on to brass now but I still love the warmth of copper. And dark kitchens are definitely a hit with me.
deardesigner
With me too. And yes, I agree, copper is much warmer. x
Rachel
Wow, lovely kitchen ideas! It’s something we need to get done sometime – sooner, rather than later if we can. Love the look of the re-imagined Shaker kitchen and the Neptune.
deardesigner
Glad you like them Rachel. Hope they give you some ideas. x
Rachel @ The Ordinary Lovely
I come unstuck when it comes to kitchens. They’re so expensive that I’m scared to make a decision about them. I think I’m a couple of years away from having to, thankfully. But yes, something timeless rather than trend-led will be at the top of my list.
deardesigner
They can be expensive I agree. These are all bespoke, but I do think you can get the same look for less. Maybe I should do that post too. x
Kimberly Duran
Oh my goodness, so much gorgeous inspiration in this post!! I am already planning our new kitchen when we finally move and I’ve had so many thoughts and ideas going around and around but I still love what I did in my kitchen last year and I do believe that dark cabinets and light worktops/tiles aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. I do admit, I love the wood look as well! Beautiful! xxx
deardesigner
Very exciting that you are moving and planning to start afresh. Can’t wait to see what you do. x
Karen
Completely love them all for different reasons. A shaker grey is my favourite, and what I picked in my last house! We still get compliments on it now, even though we don’t live there anymore. Clearly a crowd pleasure and so easy to customise x
deardesigner
You can’t go wrong with a shaker kitchen 🙂
lucy
My favourite is the Neptune Kitchen, maybe its because its Suffolk inspired! We want to have a new kitchen this year so thanks for the inspiration x
deardesigner
It’s a popular one! Good luck with the kitchen planning x
Susan Earlam
That Neptune on is gorgeous! I also love the Sebastian Cox one, great round up!
deardesigner
I must admit to being a bit taken with that one too 🙂