EuroCucina Report: 6 European Kitchen Trends Coming Your Way
We round up the most notable trends from the world's most important trade shows and see what's most likely to land here
Georgia Madden
11 May 2018
Featured as part of the Milan Furniture Fair, the biennial EuroCucina design fair sees Europe’s top kitchen designers and manufacturers come together to showcase their latest designs to a global cast of attendees. Kitchen expert Graeme Metcalf, industrial designer at Dan Kitchens Australia, reports back on the most notable trends from the show, and gives us an inkling into the fashionable looks we can expect to see in Australian kitchens soon.
1. Texture, texture, texture
One of the biggest shifts we noticed at the show is that designers are moving away from high-gloss finishes to more earthy, tactile ones. Advances in technology are largely responsible for this; manufacturers are now able to create rich, textured surfaces with all the high-performance qualities of their high-gloss equivalents – something that was simply not possible a few years ago.
These tactile finishes create a warm, natural aesthetic in the kitchen – and are a departure from the cool, minimalist Scandi feel that has dominated over the past few years.
One of the biggest shifts we noticed at the show is that designers are moving away from high-gloss finishes to more earthy, tactile ones. Advances in technology are largely responsible for this; manufacturers are now able to create rich, textured surfaces with all the high-performance qualities of their high-gloss equivalents – something that was simply not possible a few years ago.
These tactile finishes create a warm, natural aesthetic in the kitchen – and are a departure from the cool, minimalist Scandi feel that has dominated over the past few years.
We saw cabinet door facings with interesting, textured motifs, kitchen islands with eye-catching, roughened facades, and raised hobs crafted from tactile, heavily grained timbers.
Find a kitchen designer
Find a kitchen designer
2. Rich, natural materials
One thing was abundantly clear at the show; the all-white kitchen has had its moment in the spotlight, and in its place are kitchens boasting rich, warm colours and sumptuous, natural materials. Timber is central to this new look, with colours that range from honey tones through to deep browns, often featuring lively, textured grains. When paired with stainless steel and marble, this creates a sophisticated yet welcoming feel.
One thing was abundantly clear at the show; the all-white kitchen has had its moment in the spotlight, and in its place are kitchens boasting rich, warm colours and sumptuous, natural materials. Timber is central to this new look, with colours that range from honey tones through to deep browns, often featuring lively, textured grains. When paired with stainless steel and marble, this creates a sophisticated yet welcoming feel.
Marble was another dominant finish. But rather than the whites and pale greys of the past few years, we saw rich brown (emperador) and black (marquina) marbles with prominent white veining.
3. All-in-one cooking islands
We noted increasing numbers of stovetops integrated seamlessly into kitchen islands at the show. The island is becoming something of the Swiss army knife of the kitchen – a hub that incorporates everything from cooking zone and dining area to storage and display.
We noted increasing numbers of stovetops integrated seamlessly into kitchen islands at the show. The island is becoming something of the Swiss army knife of the kitchen – a hub that incorporates everything from cooking zone and dining area to storage and display.
There are several benefits to having the stovetop situated in this spot – it keeps the cook facing towards guests rather than away from them, frees up bench space around the perimeter of the kitchen, and provides space to accommodate an appliance niche to house items such as a coffee machine or blender.
4. Suspended shelves
After years of hiding things away in an effort to keep surfaces clear and clutter-free, it seems designers are now fully embracing the concept of open displays in the kitchen. Suspended shelving, which hangs from the ceiling, was a popular choice in many of the kitchens we viewed at the show. It provides the perfect opportunity to display potted plants and collectables, and adds a sense of depth and luxuriousness to the space.
Most of the suspended shelving was crafted from timber and steel, (similar in style to what you might see in a commercial bar), and several integrated a canopy-mounted range hood, making them both stylish and functional.
Picture Perfect: 50 Kitchen Island Bench Set-Ups
After years of hiding things away in an effort to keep surfaces clear and clutter-free, it seems designers are now fully embracing the concept of open displays in the kitchen. Suspended shelving, which hangs from the ceiling, was a popular choice in many of the kitchens we viewed at the show. It provides the perfect opportunity to display potted plants and collectables, and adds a sense of depth and luxuriousness to the space.
Most of the suspended shelving was crafted from timber and steel, (similar in style to what you might see in a commercial bar), and several integrated a canopy-mounted range hood, making them both stylish and functional.
Picture Perfect: 50 Kitchen Island Bench Set-Ups
5. Stainless-steel benchtops
Stainless steel, once seen mainly in commercial kitchens, cropped up repeatedly in benchtops at EuroCucina. It’s easy to see the appeal; stainless steel makes for a perfect neutral that sits beautifully alongside all the rich timbers and brown marbles coming through.
As a material, stainless steel is also tough enough to cope with just about anything a busy cook can throw at it – although be warned, it does tend to scratch.
Stainless steel, once seen mainly in commercial kitchens, cropped up repeatedly in benchtops at EuroCucina. It’s easy to see the appeal; stainless steel makes for a perfect neutral that sits beautifully alongside all the rich timbers and brown marbles coming through.
As a material, stainless steel is also tough enough to cope with just about anything a busy cook can throw at it – although be warned, it does tend to scratch.
Slim stainless-steel benchtops dominated, in both brushed and patterned finishes. These were often paired with more textured, earthy materials. This hardy metal also appeared on door facings, creating a visual connection between benchtops and cabinetry.
Room of the Week: A Light-Filled Modern Kitchen in a Period Home
Room of the Week: A Light-Filled Modern Kitchen in a Period Home
6. More variety in integrated handles
Integrated drawer and cupboard handles have a sleek, minimalist feel and can add something unique to a kitchen. Until now the options have been fairly limited (which is why at Dan Kitchens we often end up designing our own), but that’s no longer the case.
We saw a vast range of different styles on offer at EuroCucina, from fully integrated handles that were part of the cabinetry itself (as shown in the image above) to single-pull handles made from contrasting materials, such as stainless steel handles on timber doors. Using contrasting material in this way can add a subtle sense of interest to a kitchen, and can create a sense of connection between your kitchen hardware, such as handles and tapware.
Integrated drawer and cupboard handles have a sleek, minimalist feel and can add something unique to a kitchen. Until now the options have been fairly limited (which is why at Dan Kitchens we often end up designing our own), but that’s no longer the case.
We saw a vast range of different styles on offer at EuroCucina, from fully integrated handles that were part of the cabinetry itself (as shown in the image above) to single-pull handles made from contrasting materials, such as stainless steel handles on timber doors. Using contrasting material in this way can add a subtle sense of interest to a kitchen, and can create a sense of connection between your kitchen hardware, such as handles and tapware.
Tell us
Are you tempted to try any of these looks in your kitchen? Tell us in the Comments section below. And don’t forget to like or share this story, or save the photos. Join the conversation.
More
Read more kitchen stories
Are you tempted to try any of these looks in your kitchen? Tell us in the Comments section below. And don’t forget to like or share this story, or save the photos. Join the conversation.
More
Read more kitchen stories
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The carcasses are basically 2 x 900mm x 600mm x 720mm floor drawer units and three 600mm x300mm x 720mm (wall cupboards) back to back with a solid surface acrylic benchtop with a pattern which would not show the join as the acrylic sheets did not come 1200mm wide. I originally wanted a marble look but they could not guarantee a pattern match. I am super happy with the surface. I had a semi gloss finish on the bench top as I actually use my kitchen as a workroom not a showroom. Things I would not do again! Matt black doors! I think they have an anti fingerprint finish now, but they didn’t back when I designed and commissioned it. Dark/ black benchtops. I loose stuff on them like black caps and small translucent dark grey plastic bits.
Things I would do again- high gloss black laminate doors. They are super easy to clean with ordinary cloths! The Matt black means special cloths and it marks immediately anyone hovers nearby!
Thank you Millthumpian! I like the look of matte black doors and drawer fronts and your story has caused a re-think. We have a gift of some surplus kitchen drawer units with a high-gloss black finish, to use for our reno, and I was going to change the fronts. Our island will have a stainless steel top. I don't want an all black kitchen, and thought to front the island in white. I also want a timbered end on the side fronting the living area, for stools. I think I will have to draw myself a coloured plan to see how it will all look.