JANUARY 15, 2018

BY HAYLEY GILBERT

(Extracts and images courtesy of Papilio)

Bespoke kitchen designers Papilio (www.wearepapilio.co.uk) have revealed their predictions on what’s hot for the coming year…

COLOUR TRENDS

1 Warm neutrals, golds, browns and organics

Golds have been on-trend for a while now but the move to combining them with browns and organic materials is going to be big for 2018. Combining the use of neutrals, golds and organic textures makes for a warm environment with a slight seventies feel, hitting the mark in terms of both style and substance. The boho look is not only easily adaptable with other colours but also comes hand in hand with good quality and timeless design – something which a kitchen needs to present.

Chalice Hill House,Dod lane,Glastonbury,BA6 8BZ Shoot of Kitchen & Bathrooms

2 Vibrant colour schemes

Vibrant colour schemes will continue to be popular for 2018 with a focus on both Scandinavian application – pops of bright colour – or complete maximalism – with colour clashes similar to ‘House of Hackney’ style. The use of colour in the kitchen is extremely important and should reflect homeowners’ personalities and their needs. For instance, a space for cooking should be light and bright while spaces designed for entertaining could have a darker essence to provide a suitable ambience.

Corporate Portraits For Papilio Interiors Of Steve And Matt And Clients Kitchen Frome

3 Colour clash

Colour clashing is going to be huge for 2018 with the likes of fashion house Peter Pilotto recently championing the trend in their London Design Festival Townhouse Takeover. One for the bold, the trend incorporates clashing complementary colours such as mustard yellow and lilac or bubblegum pink and lime green to create a bright and beautiful setting with plenty of inspiration in terms of hues and saturation. However, homeowners don’t need to go all out and can instead incorporate colour clashing furniture while keeping the walls and floors neutral. Perfect if you decide you like the look and want to go even bolder at a later stage.

4 Dark hues

Dark hues are also staying on top with dark blues, forest greens and dark greys becoming even more popular. We’ve seen plenty of Farrow & Ball’s Hague Blue gracing the walls of interiors’ most loved journalists, bloggers and influencers so we know that consumers will be looking to apply darker shades to their walls as a result. For something a little different and for those loving the lilac trend but not brave enough to go for it, shades of Plum are also coming through. Darker shades are perfect paired with brass, which is another big trend for 2018.

MATERIAL TRENDS

1 Natural unpolished timbers and attractive veneers

With consumers more mindful about the use of materials, we’re likely to see an increase in the use of characterful veneers such as Pippy Elm and Walnut for 2018. These materials add texture and intrigue to the kitchen and when working in a bespoke manner, can be used for everything from statement wall veneers to unique cabinetry and shelving. The use of high quality wood to create statement rooms is going to be big!

Chalice Hill House,Dod lane,Glastonbury,BA6 8BZ Shoot of Kitchen & Bathrooms

2 Brass

Brass has been hot for the latter part of 2017 but this will continue into 2018 with the material being paired with warm colourways and acting as statement features within the kitchen. Don’t just think about taps; you can create striking focal points with brass doors, handles, ovens, sinks – it’s all about thinking outside the box. Mixed metals are still a key trend too and mixing with metal appliances can work well.

Chalice Hill House,Dod lane,Glastonbury,BA6 8BZ Shoot of Kitchen & Bathrooms

3 Faux marble and stone

The latest material we’ve seen a surge in for kitchen worktops is NeoLith; a well thought-out range of finishes to suit the modern worktop requirement and also very practical, unlike the recent marble trend. NeoLith’s revolutionary manufacturing process uses 100% natural materials, extreme heat and intense pressure to produce the most durable surface material available in the market today. The range includes finishes in silk, satin, river washed and polished. Our favourites are Aspen Grey, which looks like a natural grey stone and is a great alternative to polished concrete, and Belgian Blue. The marble effect finishes are the best alternatives to marble we’ve seen to date and lastly, the Iron series is also well worth investigating if you are looking for the industrial look.

Papilio,Interiors of Garden House, North Perrott, TA18 7ST

4 Iridescent copper

The trend for metals like copper and brass continues, but a shift towards treating the metals to achieve interesting patinas is becoming more popular. It seems as though metals have been a trend since the beginning of time itself with new metals becoming the focus every season. Why can’t we get enough of it in our homes? Reflective surfaces create a lighter room and a sense of opulence even when you use smaller focal points such as pans or storage containers. There are various ways to achieve a more popular patina finish by oxidation, chemicals and heat, all of which give dramatic and different finishes. We have recently installed a kitchen with heat treated copper on the ceiling – the effects were fantastic and created beautiful patterns on the copper panelling of the kitchen – more like a work of art than a sheet of metal cladding.

Papilio,Interiors of Garden House, North Perrott, TA18 7ST

AESTHETIC TRENDS

1 Unique lighting solutions

We love using unique lighting at Papilio and we try to incorporate different styles within any of our kitchens or other rooms. Lighting is one of the most important features in the home. It’s one of the places where people tend to go cheap or deal with existing fixtures, yet actually poor lighting can be detrimental to the other area where you have spent money. We tend to incorporate three or more lighting features within a room from a statement light, to pendant lights to spotlights and under island lighting.

2 Multifunctional elements

For the avid entertainer, the multi-purpose integrated trough sink is the perfect addition to any kitchen and with more homeowners looking to add that wow-factor to their home, this has been a favourite amongst suggestions to clients. This once again comes down to how people use their kitchens and how we can make the room extra special and as functional as can be.

Papilio,Interiors of Garden House, North Perrott, TA18 7ST

3 Feature taps

Moving on from the brass material trend, feature taps are becoming increasingly popular with homeowners not wanting to settle for an ordinary sink area. Statement sinks really can make the difference in your kitchen and Waterworks are one of our favourite brands to source from.

Chalice Hill House,Dod lane,Glastonbury,BA6 8BZ Shoot of Kitchen & Bathrooms

4 Open shelving

We have seen open shelving becoming increasingly popular amongst clients. This easy and accessible option allows homeowners to make a statement in their kitchen by adding their own personality with small accessories and even deluxe food items placed on the shelving. It’s the perfect chance to add lots of greenery in a physical format with bright, airy kitchens providing the perfect setting for succulents and hanging Ivy, incorporating yet another important interior style trend. We’d advise pairing them with handmade ceramics for an artisanal and more unique finish.

Chalice Hill House,Dod lane,Glastonbury,BA6 8BZ Shoot of Kitchen & Bathrooms

5 Living walls

Living walls are going to be a hit in the kitchen this year, with botanicals being on-trend for the past few years, consumers are on to the next thing – feature walls made from moss. We discovered MOSSwall at Clerkenwell this year and just as the name suggests, MOSSwall appears as a wall of natural moss available in a wide range of different colours.

APPLIANCE TRENDS

1 Even smarter homes

We’re seeing more interest in integrated music and lighting that can all be controlled via one central hub, as well as a call for iPads installed for recipes and worksurfaces with integrated mobile phone charging. The Amazon Dash button and Google Home have also become essentials to some clientele, allowing them to order products, play music, set reminders or find out recipes at the touch of a button or the sound of a voice.

2 Multiple ovens

When you have a large family home and you’re looking to entertain guests, it’s not exactly ideal to have just the one oven. People are engaging in much busier lifestyles these days and it makes sense to cook multiple dishes simultaneously, particularly people who are big on entertaining. Multiple ovens can even create a statement look and realistically, it doesn’t stop at ovens. We’ve also had requests for multiple dishwashers and washing machines – just to ensure that there’s always enough room for the various demands of running a family home!

3 Hobs with integrated extraction

Cooking elements set within an island are becoming an ever more popular feature within contemporary kitchens. Of course with this feature comes issues of extraction and we’ve found that conventional extraction hoods simply don’t cut it when creating a certain ambience within the kitchen area. Our solution to this problem is the downdraft extractor and although these are still quite expensive they are becoming more affordable. The extractors are wonderfully discreet, withdrawing into the work surface when not in use. The majority of this style of extractor also includes a concealed task light to illuminate the cooking area. Another benefit is that due to the fact that they sit relatively close to the source appliance and the fans are generally concealed within the kitchen cabinets, the amount of sound generated is less.

Papilio,Interiors of Garden House, North Perrott, TA18 7ST

4 Sparkling water taps

We’ve moved on from Quooker in terms of technology with Zip Tap now the world’s most advanced drinking water appliance. The Zip HydroTap transforms ordinary water into a form of the clients’ choice, all via one tap. This essential and smart addition to any kitchen provides pure tasting boiling, chilled and sparkling water at the push of a button. Research has even shown that people drink more water with it as result – probably one of the reasons why so many of our clients are after it, as more water is equal to a more healthy lifestyle!