Post-lockdown kitchen living
Our main living spaces have taken on quite a lot of that responsibility over the course of a year’s worth of lockdowns. Kitchens especially have become multi-functional rooms as opposed to somewhere you’d unwind and cook something creative.
We’ve all made many changes, and the pandemic has certainly kept us on our toes with what we now need in the home. Our kitchens have now turned into an all-purpose family hub.
We once desired open-plan kitchens and dining areas to provide a larger-looking space in the home. An open-plan space also gave us the option to cater for large parties and gatherings. This used to be all we had to consider, safely assuming we’d never have to use our home as our office!
However, the pandemic has changed everything. All we want to do post-pandemic is increase the practicality of our home while maintaining its character and stylistic features.
Multi-functional kitchens are on trend this year!
Kitchen islands – a versatile option
Kitchen islands have become a very common trend now that we’re all spending more time in the kitchen than before the pandemic, for a whole range of reasons. It acts as a family base and rest-stop for everyone to congregate and get on with their activities. It also helps to separate the cooks from the classroom teachers and office workers who are using the island as a communal workspace.
Families want a comfortable space for everyone to enjoy that well-deserved quality time together. We’ve had an excessive amount of time indoors together over the past twelve months, so let’s make it as comfortable and welcoming as we can.
An island in the centre of the kitchen area also gives you twice as much worktop surface to work from, whatever you’re up to. Also, for many of us the island works well as a dynamic and aesthetically pleasing workspace, which is becoming more and more important to us as time goes on.
It’s all about styling your spaces based on their practicality. Need a workspace as well as a communal area in the kitchen? An island is the contemporary kitchen necessity for you.
Oh, so grammable!
Your kitchen, your choice
The design choices we make tend to reflect positively on our own personalities. This can be anything from a modern, light, minimalistic approach to bright bold patterns actively spread around the room. These are our choices and it’s for us to have fun with!
We’ve never been so in touch with our wants, needs, and creativity. Our homes should reflect our personalities more than ever after twelve months locked in with or without loved ones.
It’s been a reflective year, and now it’s time to take a stand on what we want and how we feel in our homes.
With our own preferences showing through in our design ideas, we’re always going to like what we see in our décor decisions and outcomes.
Keeping it minimal
The trend toward a minimalist approach is definitely a growing one. In a minimalist kitchen, broad white and light tones shine brightly against subtle dark tones, making the bold statement items shine through at their best. We love the lighter-looking kitchens because of how much more they let us get away with.
From rustic metallic features to dark tiling areas, there’s been a certain increase in statement pieces and attention to detail. These are specifically designed to stand out against a clean layout. The bold statements blend together, contrasting against light and sleek layouts – just how we like it!
The trend of light colour palettes has also come from the winter months spent in lockdown. We’ve learned to appreciate just how important daylight is, so we’ve incorporated it into our interior style wherever we can.
We’ve made our spaces safer and more comfortable wherever we can, due to the amount of time we now spend inside. Soft tones and warm wood interiors are definitely a trend we can see sticking around for some time to come.
The Nordic style trend resembles this perfectly. Our friendly Nordic Range in Cotton White suits this comfort zone down to a tee! It also creates a light space in which our plant collection can feel right at home. We’re here for these warm tones in every room of the house.
Adding a signature
We’ve also noticed an increase in kitchen layouts that direct your eyes straight to a signature item. This can a large storage item, such as a fridge, or perhaps sleek-looking light fittings. These signature pieces often have shiny accents and carry the responsibility of catching your eye from afar.
No one can resist a shine of glitz and glamour, exuding pure chic and elegance – especially if it’s set against subtle tones and palettes.
You can also integrate this idea with a practical kitchen item. A coffee machine is a perfect example of this; it serves multiple purposes, whether it’s needed on our way out of the house or for a relaxing first coffee of the day. We’re seeing so many of these combinations of functionality and style. Just remember: practicality doesn’t have to be plain!
Keeping fit in the kitchen
One thing we never thought we’d see is our kitchens being used as a gym and fitness hangout area. Our kitchens have become on the go and fast-paced at all times of the day.
This trend has come from our need to fulfil our ‘normal life’ activities from within the home. Many of us have struggled without the space of a gym, from having to push the living room furniture into the corners to exhausting our local running routes.
Our cheeky Stealth Blender gives you the option to shake and go with a delicious smoothie or relax after a home workout with a smoothly blended soup.
Fitness vibes, we’re here for you!
Staying uncluttered
Another noticeable trait we’ve all picked up in all this time spent around the home is wanting to be more organised. We’ve now witnessed first-hand how messy our homes can get and just how quickly an organised space can help. This must have something to do with light, minimalistic layouts making their way into the limelight!
Ultimately, a clutter-free home is a happy home!
Whichever way we decorate our kitchen spaces, comfort comes first. But your personal style is important too: our kitchen layouts should always reflect our hopes and dreams.
After the last year, we deserve nothing less!
