Design Trends to Ditch in 2021
When you’re thinking about renovating your kitchen, the last thing you want is to get stuck with a design that’s already dated before you can enjoy it.
With over 50 years of experience working on kitchen designs in Sydney, we’ve helped hundreds of homeowners to avoid this very trap. While websites like Pinterest can be a great starting point in your renovation journey, a professional can help to customise a design that’s tailored to how you use your kitchen – and how you want it to look, too.
A good kitchen design company will work with you to make sure your new space isn’t just functional but is also designed to withstand the test of time. Here are the design trends we think it’s time to let go of in 2021.
Minimalism
The last five or ten years have been dominated by minimalist kitchen design, taking cues from the Danish concept of ‘hygge.’ Characterised by its white palette, neutral timber tones and macrame, this kind of minimalism was all about embracing the simple life with a Hampton kitchen style.
Today, however, we’ve seen a shift towards individuality and personality in the kitchen, with our year indoors leaving us yearning for a burst of colour where we were once all about white.
We’re also shifting towards a more blended living area that spans across indoor and outdoor zones – so welcome nature into your kitchen with some indoor plants or herbs on your windowsill. These touches make your kitchen feel lived-in, rather than the rigid aesthetic of minimalist spaces.
Neutral palettes
While we were once all about white kitchen cabinetry, our year indoors has left us yearning for a burst of colour and vibrancy in our homes.
One of the most popular requests received by kitchen design companies recently has been to replace neutral hues with accent kitchen cupboards and statement splashbacks.
Not ready to go all out? Get a taste for bolder colours by painting a wall in your kitchen first. And remember, colourful doesn’t always have to mean loud – earth tones and pastels are hugely popular in kitchen designs in Sydney right now, bringing a welcome injection of warmth and personality without being too overpowering.
Concrete
Just like all-white palettes are falling out of favour, so too is the cold presence of concrete. 2021 is a celebration of all things warm and welcoming, thanks to so much time spent indoors – so the industrial look is understandably on its way out.
Instead, where concrete is hard and darker in tone, opt for other natural textures like timber or wicker. As they’re much lighter in tone, they help to keep your kitchen from feeling small or closed in.
We’re also fans of marble or terrazzo-patterned benchtops, which are much softer than concrete and allow for splashes of colour and contrast depending on your preferences.
Mid-century
While many kitchen design companies would claim that this is a trend that’s not going anywhere in 2021, mid-century modern interiors have arguably been overdone in recent years.
Retro appliances, treated timber cabinetry and modular furniture can make it feel a bit like living in the past – or in an impersonal kitchen showroom.
Instead of going all out on mid-century design elements, 2021 is all about the modern farmhouse or Hampton kitchen style – warm and welcoming, while still being contemporary.
Shaker style cabinets are a timeless joinery choice, paired with matte black hardware for a modern touch. Subway tiles, exposed timber and sliding barn doors can also help to strike the balance between classic and contemporary.
Dreaming of updating your kitchen’s style in 2021, but worried about making the wrong design choices? Our eBook is the perfect place to start – whether you’re looking to create the kitchen of your dreams, or renovating to sell, find the advice and inspiration you’re looking for.
Keep up with kitchens in Sydney and download our 2021 Design Trends eBook here.
