Trends for 2025, what direction is kitchen design heading this year?
Character comes first.
In recent times the minimal approach has been gradually eroded in favour of more colour, texture and shape, but clean uncluttered lines have still hinted back to the school of minimalism. We feel that 2025 will see the beginnings of a return to kitchens with some character, less of the ultra modern decors and a rise of warmth with tactile surfaces and lots more wood.
We are talking rich, robust wood finishes, not the pale, finely grained timbers which have been recently abundant, with 2025 expected to see a resurrection of oaks and walnuts with darker tones and hearty grain patterns. Wood could also be making a big comeback for wall or ceiling cladding and the blues and greens of recent years might well be overtaken by off white, rich creams and perhaps pale yellows.
Sustainability and eco friendly solutions will still be a consideration for many consumers, and we expect to see more interest in products manufactured from more sustainable materials such as recycled stone and glass and reclaimed timber.
Design features.
The open plan living/dining/kitchen concept is still very popular and seems to be a feature of most new build properties. Clients looking to extend or adapt existing homes are likely also to continue with the idea of the open plan area. Of course, for those of us with the available space, this concept is central to family living and makes for great entertaining spaces.
Within the kitchen plan storage areas feature this year, the pantry concept is very much to the forefront, but the concept of a small pantry unit will be an enormous help for those of us with limited space, an recently some designers have been featuring a semi-open pantry idea, where the storage area is separated from the main kitchen by some type of divider, such as a glass panel. In fact we have noticed some designs featuring full internal windows, offering a form of sub-division for an open plan layout which permits the open space but also provides a degree of separation between areas. We actually think this could be big trend, not to buck the open concept, but to offer a way of keeping kitchen activity within the kitchen area.
Other desirable additions to the kitchen plan are likely to be cosy and intimate dining areas integrated into the kitchen area. Funny how things come and go, I remember these seating benches and little tables from the 70's and 80's, it looks like they are coming back.
Colours
Solid blocks of bold colour will be here for some time yet, as will the timeless greys, and we are still likely to see the blues and greens of recent years continue in use, but there could be a move towards some more pastel shades, warm off whites, cream shades and pale yellow are looking like a future trend. Most likely these paler shades will be used along with a solid colour block for real impact. the days of kitchen design using a single colour or finish for the doors are gone, combinations of complimentry colours are on the rise and will bring interest and character to any kitchen.
Materials
Following from last year, wood is still increasing in popularity. The warmth of natural timber will always be a comfort and satisfies the nostalgia many of us feel for times gone by. There is a trend towards textures and patterns which remind us of our past, and richly coloured and textured timbers on floors and for kitchen unit doors do provide comfort and warmth. We think there could even be a trend towards using wood paneling on walls and ceilings again, but probably as feature patterns as far as walls are concerned. The slat-wall paneling is growing in popularity, and is one way of presenting a traditional material in a contemporary way.
Wall tiling will always be a popular choice and we can expect a return of some patterned tiles, or even the checkerboard look with two colours.
Tiles for the floor still provide a practical solution, and it looks like the terracotta style could be in for a comeback.
Worktops could see a reluctance from designers to specify artificial stone because of the health concerns raised recently about its manufacturing process, so there could be a greater focus on natural stone like granite or a shift towards the more affordable options of wood and laminate. Recycled glass will provide an interesting option from the sustainability angle, but of course this material also offers many beautiful finishes.
