Kitchens go dark, textured and moody

Black is the new white in kitchens as current trends move away from the once-popular pristine and polished look and towards a more rough and raw style.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve done a plain white kitchen, most people come to us and they’re looking for something completely different,” Accento KBB director Wanda Bresa says.

Designer Jasmine Jones of Retreat Design predicts there will be a spike in people using matt black textures in their kitchens, particularly after the introduction of innovative materials.

“Traditionally, darker colours have been avoided in kitchen design, as they make it difficult to disguise dirt, grease and other marks,” she says.

“However since the introduction of FENIX NTM by Arpa Industriale, who are based in Italy, the market has evolved and made blacks and greys an attractive possibility.

“It is highly water resistant, easy to clean, fingerprint-proof and if scratched, can be completely repaired through the application of heat.”

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As one of the most high-traffic areas of the home, current trends are embracing inevitable wear and tear with a more edgy industrial look and materials that look stylish as they wear.

Aster Cucine kitchens from Italy are popular with Accento KBB clients.

“I think people have become just a little bit more aware. When that modern fine finish was in, I think people found, as beautiful as it was, you had to tuck everything away in cupboards and perhaps after some wear and tear, it didn’t wear and tear that well,” Ms Bresa says. “What we are seeing coming from Italy is still the emergence of all the different finishes you can get, brass, copper, not necessarily in just the handles but in the actual finishes in the kitchen.”

Demand for stainless-steel benchtops that have been hammered, distressed and then burnt so they are oxidised is growing, with its durability appealing to homeowners.

“Not only is it durable but it’s also got that real factory, rough- around-the-edges look but at the same time, the finishing is really beautiful. It’s lovely,” Ms Bresa says. “We’re doing a lot of timber kitchens but they’re painted timber kitchens so what people are saying is ‘If I want a white kitchen, I need it to be textural’.

“They’re saying ‘I want my benchtops to be marble, I want it honed so I can see the veins in it and all the intricacies of natural marble –— I don’t it to look too polished or perfect’. The discussions I’m having with people are ‘What’s this going to stand up like?’”

Brushed stone and rougher finishes are being favoured over high-gloss finishes.

Kitchen utensils are also being put on display, where once they were hidden away behind cupboards and drawers.

Ms Jones says for those who wish to keep their kitchen light and bright, woods and whites are still very popular.

“These stand the test of time and will keep your kitchen looking fresh and beautiful for years to come,” she says.