We take a look at five top kitchen trends to watch in 2023

With UK consumers spending more time at home, with a hybrid schedule – between office and home – becoming a natural pattern of work. It’s perhaps no surprise there has been a greater focus on interior design.

It has seen the role of the open plan kitchen further evolve, with consumers making conscious decisions about how its interior enhances daily life.

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Whether the kitchen space is to include office space for work or bar for socialising at home, the traditional project has expanded beyond the boundaries of a cooking, dining and entertaining space.

Enter the boot room, utility or cocktail bar, expanding not only the scale of projects, but understanding needed to meet these requirements.  driving specific product categories such as wine coolers.

This rethink of requirements from the space and products used within it, are not only based on how a home is used but how it can improve lifestyles.

While COVID naturally focused on health through hygiene, it also encouraged home cooking. This has seen a focus on well-being, supported by steam ovens now available at all levels of the market and with the incorporation of air fryers. Healthy eating equals healhy living.

However, with the cost-of-living crisis forming the economic background to all consumer purchasing decisions, it’s not only personal concerns drivig purchasing decisions.

There has been a growing consideration of reducing resources, saving money in the pocket and the planet.

It has seen greater attention paid to environmental considerations from material use through to energy efficient appliances and prolonging the life of groceries.

Here we take a look at the top five kitchen trends impacting the future of projects.

1. RETHINKING GROUND FLOOR

Whatever the choice of kitchen aesthetic, from vintage to contemporary through to eclectic, the overarching story of design is rethinking the ground floor space.

The Romano furniture collection, from Crown Imperial, is showcased in a Deep Blue painted storage wall, including a pantry and bespoke larder to host a home bar. 

Blossom Avenue brand manager at BA Aime McKernan says: “Custom furniture and bespoke design is taking the rather dated idea of four-wall kitchen design to new levels of open-plan living…particularly suited to the individual and elevate both home and lifestyle.”

Expressing how consumers are reflecting an “easy elegance” to the ground floor for contemporary living, commercial director of Brandt Design Julia Steadman adds: “We are seeing a consistent trend towards having one main kitchen supported by a separate pantry with a utility, boot room or laundry area, so that effectively the entire downstairs space is now designed to cate to kitchen living, and in some cases right up to the front door”

2. ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS

Sustainability is nothing new, but in light of the cost-of-living-crisis but there has a been a razor-focus on reducing resources and waste– from energy to food.

Rangemaster has introduced the Geo Intense 4-in-1 hot tap,w hich delivers filtered steaming hot 98°C water, cold filtered water and regular hot and cold water in a choice of Brushed Brass, Matt Black, Brushed and Chrome

Consumers are seeking product categories which save resources, whether single use plastics or electricity – with filter or instant hot taps, and add on sale opportunities for waste disposers.

MD of Quooker Stephen Johnson comments: “Whilst sustainability is not a new trend, it’s certainly one that keeps growing.

“One of the most energy-guzzling appliances, the kettle uses on average 2,200 watts to boil 1.7 litres of water.

“Comparatively, a Quooker boiling water tap only uses 10 watts per day to keep water in the tank at 110°C.”

In fact, design manager at Abode, Paul Illingworth adds: “I anticipate that 2023 will be the year of cross-functional tap designs, inspired by everything from the very best in contemporary design, high functionality and a fresh take  traditional and contemporary design elements which focus on improving health and hygiene.”

While marketing director at Beko Vijay Bhardwaj says consumers are taking a more in-depth use at energy labels and longevity: “With home appliance use accounting for almost a third of  energy bills…UK consumers are paying closer attention to the energy rating of these appliances.”

And he highlights the brand’s 10-year warranty as a plus point for sustainability, adding: “A kitchen comes at a cost and consumers are always looking to invest in appliances that are built-to last.”

3. CONCEALED APPLIANCES

With the kitchen now a seamless part of ground floor living, it’s not unusual for appliances which are the pulse of the space, to aesthetically take second stage to the furniture.

Falmec has introduced Shelf, which boasts Multi-Air technology extraction, measures 10mm thick and features  600mm and 900mm elements to provide storage.

Think access doors to reveal hidden utility spaces and laundry appliances, built-in ovens concealed behind pocket doors and vented hobs combining induction and extraction.

Now the building blocks of kitchen architecture can conceal appliances, with walls and shelves forming an extraction solution.

MD of Falmec UK Sean Drumm says: “2023 will see an increased demand for hidden extraction, in which the cooker hood appliance forms part of the overall kitchen design.

“We have already see the rise of 2-in-1 extraction and induction hobs, but concealed extraction takes this trend to another level with futuristic designs that look like furniture.”

4. HOME BARS/WINE COOLERS

Reflecting the growing trend for the kitchen, as part of ground living, to perform as a entertainment has been the growth in home bars. Along with it, has been the higher demand for wine storage.

Boasting three controllable climate zones, the RW466365 Vario wine cooler from Gaggenau boasts glass doors, humidity control and fully extendable bottle trays in Oak. 

Category manager of Gaggenau Simon Plumbridge comments: “The growth in wine storage has been drive by people investing more in tier kitchen and living spaces, giving them the option of ‘going out whilestaying in’.

“The increased interest in wine storage is similar to the situation with boiling water taps.

“Just five years ago, only luxury kitchens were specifying a boiling water tap. Now, it’s a standard specification from entry level to top end, and I think this is what we’ll see happening with specification of wine storage into 2023 and beyond.”

5. HEALTHY EATING

When consumers were locked down during the COVID pandemic, unable to go to restaurants, they turned to home cooking.

Extending its K-Series.3 appliance collection, German appliance brand Küppersbusch has introduced the BD6340.0 steam oven, with 12 functions, to offer retailers a premium oven at a lower price group. 

It has created a legacy not only of recreating recipes at home, but also choosing healthier options.

Rangemaster commissioned a survey to determine how eating habits has changed over the past two years and product manager Robert Stein provides the results: “The reality is that 25% more people are cooking or baking at home compared to before the first lockdown, and 43% are making healtehir eating choices now.

“As a result, homeowners are looking for appliances that offer more than one type of cooking method, especially in terms of healthier cooking.”

It has seen a growth in steam and even the introduction of the built-in air fryer.

Simon Plumbridge of Gaggenau states: “People are re-engaging with steam because of its health benefits and the fact that it’s a sustainable way of cooking.

“It’s become something consumers expect as standard when they’re buying a new kitchen.”

Go further and read about the bathroom trends to watch in 2023.