What's Next in Kitchen Design

Very often times when talking to new clients I am asked, " What's the new thing in kitchens" or " what's next?"

From a designers standpoint it is a difficult question. Is the client asking "what is the trend that will hit the mass market next?" Or is she asking, "what is on the cutting edge of high end design?" Two Very different questions. By the time a look has hit the mass market, many designers are bored with it. It has been overdone and is about to be burnt to a crisp.

Classic designs with excellent proportional detailing, the right lines and textural relationships coupled with a great color palette will always be very classic. It is when the design community takes elements of great classic design out of context and plants then into projects haphazardly that creates chaos. The occasional accidental application may at times create an element of surprise which can be fun. It is the repetitive use of elements in a haphazard way that leaves this designer with the feeling of enough already. The idea that if one is good 10 is better seems so appalling in our over-consumption driven world.

The waning trend seems to be the over ornamentation of spaces with elements like corbels and is being replaced with application molding with clean transitions selected in subtle but perfect proportion. Cleaner lines, clearer centers of visual interest, more attention to balance and harmony. It seems our world is fraught with chaos. We long for more harmony, more peace.

This will be the next trend: away from over consumption and over use and toward more harmonious spaces, warm spaces. Places that beg us to enter, places we long to live in.

Richard Allan Marti Jr.