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Industry experts in trend forecasting Global Color Research, creators of Mix Publications held a seminar at London’s KBB exhibition 2011. Speaker Justine Fox presented her companies predicted trends for Spring/Summer 2012. These trends are key for any consumer based company. Even if the trend doesn’t directly relate to the  specific industry it is important to look at the references of colour, texture, themes, social and political elements, materials etc.

These trends are split into four categories: EPIPHANY, SCRATCH, VANITY and MONITOR.

Below are mood boards to illustrate what each category represents

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With regard to the kitchens we design, no two are alike visually - they vary as much as the individual clients we design them for. Some are highly ornamental with old world detailing, some are classically simple and elegant and others are chic and sleek. They each marry the architecture of the home and suit each clients personality. However, there are some areas which they all have similarities:

*They are all well-equipped: generous refrigeration & preparation space, two sinks, two dishwashers and two ovens. No these requirements are not needed on a day to day basis, but when entertaining or hosting holidays you certainly need duality and space to entertain guests.

*They all are well organized: Ergonomics is key to design and creating organized storage in each drawer, pull-out specialty cabinets, built in utensil drawers, built-in recycling and garbage, serving tray & bakeware organization and organization for cutting boards...carefully planned spaces are incorporated into our cabinetry plans where every cook's tool and equipment has a home and storage space. As a result prepping, cooking and cleaning up after meals is easier for the primary cook.

*Comfortable: We create both visually charming and approachable spaces. They are beautiful to admire and inviting to sit inside them and chat with the cook. The majority of our kitchen spaces incorporate seating areas for guests to perch and socialize with the cook.

*Open: Most kitchens are visually open to the Family Room and are the social hub of the home. Aesthetics & comfort play an important role in creating spaces that blend with each home.

*Family, Friends and Pets: Lots of activity occurs in our clients kitchens. Some have small children or grandchildren where we need to have safety in mind when designing yet incorporate areas where kids can reach to get their own plates and cups or help cook in the kitchen. Kids do homework in our kitchens so we incorporate areas where they can sit and do homework, plug in a laptop and be able to talk to parents while dinner is being prepared. Some pets get feed in the kitchen so we keep them in mind as well. Of course friends and neighbors pop over from time to time, sometimes just to visit and sometimes to help with meal preparation and clean up. We thoughtfully design with other people in the kitchen space in addition to the primary cook.
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Discover the hottest trends in kitchens – they will inspire new discoveries in the field of interior design and will amaze you with a return to the natural.

 

The kitchen is the new family room - More and more, the kitchen is transformed from a room in which only family and cook food in a place of gathering and entertainment. You can make a place for children where they can prepare their lessons while cooking or drinking coffee, or to place a small entertainment center with TV and stereo system. Most comfortable for such kitchens is to integrate seating areas for three to four people to gather on the counter areas with services that can be used both for morning coffee and reading a book or talk with friends.

Environmental Products -Products and furniture green or recycled materials are becoming more popular. Natural materials such as wood, bamboo and cork, combined with paints and varnishes with low volatile organic substances. This not only improves the atmosphere at home, but also plays a role in the conservation of nature. The same goes for appliances, even taps taps to save water and electricity.

Integrated appliances - Refrigerators tend to increase in size, but new technologies make them virtually invisible, built them into walls or niches. The same applies to other similar kitchen appliances - stoves, dishwashers, washing machines.

White Kitchen Cabinets - Beautiful and timeless, white kitchen cabinets are a flexible choice for interior in the kitchen – that combine great color with different shades of the furniture and various architectural styles of the room. Besides all this, the white color makes the room a light and spacious, and you can safely add a brighter color on the walls!

Stainless steel appliances - Stainless steel appliances not only look stylish and sophisticated, but also give the room a unified look. Silver clean lines give a more luxurious type of refrigerators, stoves and even rubbish bins.

 

 Areas of action - kitchen ideas - Specialized areas of work & built-in specialty storage make work more efficient and easy, and the interior – more orderly. Examples of such separate areas like baking area for coffee products, beverages, organization and so on.

Built-in pantries - Small walk-in pantries where you can come and fit one or two people are the best solution for families who like to store the products they need at hand. To be more effective store-room, install metal or wooden systems – racks to the walls (they may be high to the ceiling), and even on the door.

 

New Technology - New technologies make people want more modern and more functional things for your home. The main trend in this direction are embedded electronic devices and wireless systems.

 

Multilevel kitchen lighting - Lighting is a very important factor for the overall atmosphere of the kitchen as furniture or choice of colors. Chandeliers create soft lighting and recessed ceiling lights can be used for lighting specific areas. Lighting mounted under the upper kitchen cabinets or inside them are functional and frugal. Trend in this regard and more frequent use of so-called, LED, LED lamps, which are environmental and economic.

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