Material World: 7 Trends in Kitchen Materials From EuroCucina
Take inspiration from this year's kitchen design fair in Milan, and the on-trend materials on show there
Sophie Baylis
3 June 2016
Houzz UK Contributor: I'm a London-based freelance journalist with many years of experience writing about interiors for leading magazines in the UK and overseas. Follow me at @InteriorsInOut on Facebook and Twitter.
Houzz UK Contributor: I'm a London-based freelance journalist with many years of... More
The look, the feel and even the functionality of your kitchen is very much dictated by the materials used. At Milan-based kitchen show EuroCucina 2016, these ran the gamut from woods to coloured lacquers; metals to marble.
The collective raison d’être was to give the kitchen clout, thus materials were mixed together to create memorable collections designed to turn heads. Very often, the charm was in the contrast: consider luxurious marble offset by stainless steel, or metallics bringing a bold new magnetism to wood.
Read on for seven trends spotted at this year’s show and see how you can use them in your home.
The collective raison d’être was to give the kitchen clout, thus materials were mixed together to create memorable collections designed to turn heads. Very often, the charm was in the contrast: consider luxurious marble offset by stainless steel, or metallics bringing a bold new magnetism to wood.
Read on for seven trends spotted at this year’s show and see how you can use them in your home.
1. Warming with wood
At EuroCucina this year, designers were getting back to nature with wood, which resulted in a cornucopia of kitchens that radiated warmth and energy. All the usual suspects were on show, from honey-coloured timbers to dramatic dark woods, most commonly subscribing to the Japanese thinking of wabi-sabi, whereby knots, cracks and all other marks made by the passing of time or the weather are cause for celebration.
A couple of favourites were Boffi’s Code kitchen by Piero Lissoni and Toncelli’s Essence kitchen, both cutting a dash in fossil oak. The success of both is rooted in the juxtaposition between a material that dates back hundreds of years and the contemporary cut of the design.
At EuroCucina this year, designers were getting back to nature with wood, which resulted in a cornucopia of kitchens that radiated warmth and energy. All the usual suspects were on show, from honey-coloured timbers to dramatic dark woods, most commonly subscribing to the Japanese thinking of wabi-sabi, whereby knots, cracks and all other marks made by the passing of time or the weather are cause for celebration.
A couple of favourites were Boffi’s Code kitchen by Piero Lissoni and Toncelli’s Essence kitchen, both cutting a dash in fossil oak. The success of both is rooted in the juxtaposition between a material that dates back hundreds of years and the contemporary cut of the design.
2. Making more of metallics
We’ve come to expect metallics all over the home, and the kitchen is no exception. If EuroCucina is anything to go by, there will be plenty of opportunities to shine in the future. There wasn’t a singular directive on which metallics should be used in the kitchen – they all qualify.
Some designers merely flirted with metallics: Ramón Esteve dabbled with an elegant bronze finish for his Saffron kitchen for Gamadecor, while TM Italia worked rose copper handles, sled feet and taps into its stunning Miuccia kitchen. Elsewhere, other manufacturers were less subtle. Rossana’s JW16 kitchen was made almost entirely of polished brass.
See 12 rooms with dazzling metallics
We’ve come to expect metallics all over the home, and the kitchen is no exception. If EuroCucina is anything to go by, there will be plenty of opportunities to shine in the future. There wasn’t a singular directive on which metallics should be used in the kitchen – they all qualify.
Some designers merely flirted with metallics: Ramón Esteve dabbled with an elegant bronze finish for his Saffron kitchen for Gamadecor, while TM Italia worked rose copper handles, sled feet and taps into its stunning Miuccia kitchen. Elsewhere, other manufacturers were less subtle. Rossana’s JW16 kitchen was made almost entirely of polished brass.
See 12 rooms with dazzling metallics
3. Cooking inside and out
Once upon a time, the kitchen belonged inside the house, but as the trend for merging indoor and outdoor spaces gathers momentum – driven by shrinking living spaces and the need to maximise every spare centimetre – the back garden has become a room in its own right.
Commonly an extension of the living or dining room, more ambitious patio projects incorporate a kitchen area, which means when eating alfresco, you don’t have to dash in and out the house. Choice of materials makes this possible. Rossana’s K-In/K-Out kitchen, for example, is made out of steel and covered in thin stone cladding, making it suitable for inside and out.
Once upon a time, the kitchen belonged inside the house, but as the trend for merging indoor and outdoor spaces gathers momentum – driven by shrinking living spaces and the need to maximise every spare centimetre – the back garden has become a room in its own right.
Commonly an extension of the living or dining room, more ambitious patio projects incorporate a kitchen area, which means when eating alfresco, you don’t have to dash in and out the house. Choice of materials makes this possible. Rossana’s K-In/K-Out kitchen, for example, is made out of steel and covered in thin stone cladding, making it suitable for inside and out.
4. Feeling the heat
Materials make it possible for designers to push the envelope in terms of looks and functionality in the kitchen. Take the invisible stovetop, whereby induction burners are located below the benchtop, with only the control panel on show. The upshot is a seamless, uninterrupted surface made possible by materials such as TPB Tech, a porcelain-ceramic surface able to withstand temperatures of up to 180ºC and on show at several stands at EuroCucina.
Italian manufacturer Boffi exhibited similar thinking. They worked with the solid surface material Dekton (pictured) to demonstrate the concept of the hidden hob in their Code kitchen by Piero Lissoni.
Materials make it possible for designers to push the envelope in terms of looks and functionality in the kitchen. Take the invisible stovetop, whereby induction burners are located below the benchtop, with only the control panel on show. The upshot is a seamless, uninterrupted surface made possible by materials such as TPB Tech, a porcelain-ceramic surface able to withstand temperatures of up to 180ºC and on show at several stands at EuroCucina.
Italian manufacturer Boffi exhibited similar thinking. They worked with the solid surface material Dekton (pictured) to demonstrate the concept of the hidden hob in their Code kitchen by Piero Lissoni.
5. Mixing up marble
Given that opposites attract, it makes sense that marble strikes a cool counterbalance to the natural charms of wood. Marble and stainless steel are a good match too. Together, they strike the delicate balance between industrial and elegant.
There were plenty of excellent examples at EuroCucina: marble teamed with knotty woods was spotted at Ernestomeda, while marble mixed with stainless steel turned heads at ILVE. The message is clear: marble is fashionably forward when offset with other materials.
It’s time to marvel at marble
Given that opposites attract, it makes sense that marble strikes a cool counterbalance to the natural charms of wood. Marble and stainless steel are a good match too. Together, they strike the delicate balance between industrial and elegant.
There were plenty of excellent examples at EuroCucina: marble teamed with knotty woods was spotted at Ernestomeda, while marble mixed with stainless steel turned heads at ILVE. The message is clear: marble is fashionably forward when offset with other materials.
It’s time to marvel at marble
6. Steeling the spotlight
Stainless steel has evolved from an accent material into a major player in the domestic kitchen, heavily influenced by professional set-ups, where stainless steel is appreciated for its robust and hygienic properties.
No longer restricted to appliances, stainless steel benchtops, cabinet doors and drawers have captured the collective imagination. Be warned, however, that it scratches relatively easily, although this often adds to its appeal.
Valcucine was a proponent of the semi-professional look with its Gourmet System, featuring stainless-steel tops and open storage.
Stainless steel has evolved from an accent material into a major player in the domestic kitchen, heavily influenced by professional set-ups, where stainless steel is appreciated for its robust and hygienic properties.
No longer restricted to appliances, stainless steel benchtops, cabinet doors and drawers have captured the collective imagination. Be warned, however, that it scratches relatively easily, although this often adds to its appeal.
Valcucine was a proponent of the semi-professional look with its Gourmet System, featuring stainless-steel tops and open storage.
7. Colouring the kitchen
We don’t all like to go au naturel in the kitchen. Some of us prefer a dash of colour provided by lacquered finishes applied to wood and wood veneer doors to create a protective finish. At EuroCucina, Vincent Van Duysen selected a gorgeous green colour for his VVD design for Dada. Elsewhere, TM Italia wowed the crowds with its midnight blue Miuccia kitchen.
Inspiration for colour can come from anywhere: this Houzz homeowner was inspired by a turquoise platter she found in an antiques store.
Make coloured appliances work in your kitchen
TELL US
Which of these materials would you choose for your next kitchen? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
MORE
Browse more contemporary kitchen photos
We don’t all like to go au naturel in the kitchen. Some of us prefer a dash of colour provided by lacquered finishes applied to wood and wood veneer doors to create a protective finish. At EuroCucina, Vincent Van Duysen selected a gorgeous green colour for his VVD design for Dada. Elsewhere, TM Italia wowed the crowds with its midnight blue Miuccia kitchen.
Inspiration for colour can come from anywhere: this Houzz homeowner was inspired by a turquoise platter she found in an antiques store.
Make coloured appliances work in your kitchen
TELL US
Which of these materials would you choose for your next kitchen? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
MORE
Browse more contemporary kitchen photos
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We are about the push the go button on a similar kitchen to #4 with a Dekton bench. Has anyone worked with this product? I'm a little bit concerned at the disclaimer that they will repair any broken mitering. I've managed to chip my sample... Would love to invert a hob but love gas to much.
@steven22 how did you go with your Dekton? I'm about to install it too.