Revealed: The exciting kitchen trends you need to know about this season

PlaceMakers
Sophia and Mikaere's kitchen embraced the Scandi style.

The heat was turned up on The Block NZ: Firehouse when the teams took up the challenge to create the perfect heart of their homes - the kitchen.

It was a crucial week on the show, requiring contestants to achieve a balance of aesthetics and practicality in making their design choices.

PlaceMakers kitchen category manager Liz Aitken said in her opinion two teams excelled in identifying exciting kitchen trends that would stand the test of time.

"For us Lisa and Ribz, and Sophia and Mikaere's kitchens stood out because of the way they were styled," Aitken said.

Aitken revealed the biggest trends PlaceMakers are seeing this season fall into two categories at opposite ends of the style spectrum - Hollywood Glam and Scandi.

Whether your dream kitchen is a chic, neutral zone or an opulent hub of style, here's what you need to know about bringing the freshest kitchen trends into your home.

Hollywood Glam: Lisa and Ribz

PlaceMakers
Lisa and Ribz went bold and dark with their cabinetry.

This dramatic design style is perfect for a homeowner who enjoys making a statement.

Not for the faint of heart, the aesthetic demands bold choices when it comes to a colour pallet.

"You're seeing very dark finishes, even black. A lot of a wood grain and smokey glass," Aitken said. “Incorporating dark tones into the space leaves room for pops of colour that can transform the space. In Lisa and Ribz' kitchen they played that dark colour and texture brilliantly.

“The Acrylic Matt Noir matched with Prefinished Veneer in Nero Fino was the perfect choice for their cabinetry along with the smooth textural element in the Caesarstone® Raw Concrete Benchtop. The wall feature painted a teal, peacock colour was an absolute eye opener for the type of look they were going for,” Aitken said.

"It won't appeal to everybody, but it's right on trend."  

Adding some velvet furnishings took the glamour factor to the next level.

Scandi: Sophia and Mikaere

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Sophia and Mikaere's Kitchen Island is a perfect example of sculptural influcence with stylish tapware.

Scandinavian design pays homage to the simplicity of life demonstrated in Nordic countries, and often feels like a work of art, although it is simple and understated.

There’s functionality in the kitchen along with some interesting lines, many of which have a sculptural influence.

Sophia and Mikaere’s Kitchen Island is a perfect example of sculpture as the sides, back and top have all been moulded. If you look closely the Caesarstone® Calacatta Nuva is grained and each piece matches to make it a work of art,” Aitken said.

"The style is very clean, very natural, and textural."

"In keeping a white pallet with Acrylic Matt Neo Glacier Cabinetry, and adding Caesarstone® Pure White on the benchtop at the back of the kitchen, scope is then created for the textural white tiles provided in the splash-back," Aitken advised.

Perhaps the biggest benefit of a neutral, Scandi-style kitchen is the possibilities it provides for accessorising.

"You can add your personality by the choice of your accessories in the kitchen - the dressings that make the space also give you the balance you need."

 

Stylish tapware can transform your kitchen

One previously overlooked way to pull focus is through choosing a stylish kitchen tap, Aitken advised.

"A tap can be a style element. You can get them today in brushed stainless, gold finishes, copper finishes, all sorts. Whether you choose a dramatic goose neck tap or a functional lever style, the results can be transformative.”

"You might have quite an economical kitchen and dress it up with your tap, and all your friends come in and say 'oh wow, love your kitchen', but actually they love your tap," Aitken said.

Regardless of the trends that pique people's interest when renovating a kitchen, Aitken highlighted incorporating personal style as an important focus.

"Generally people want to put their own flair into their space. Or, if they don't know what they want, they'll ask for the consultants advice," she said.

PlaceMakers’ free consultation service allows customers to book online for a chat with a knowledgeable kitchen consultant for customized kitchen solution.

"It's about function and style, in that order," Aitken said.

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PlaceMakers Kitchens are made with your needs in mind. Photo credit: PlaceMakers

But it's got to also meet budget, because not everybody has deep pockets. We can do kitchens from $6,000 through to $40,000."

Click here to view the PlaceMakers Kitchens Catalogue.

 

To find out more about bringing the stunning trends seen on The Block NZ kitchen week into your home, visit PlaceMakers Kitchens.

This article has been created for PlaceMakers