INTERIORS
Top: Wren teams a sleek minimalist look with warm colours and metallics Bottom: Sustainable is still rocking the plywood look
trend for 2018. Minimalism makes efficient use of space, and looks great, but can be cold and hard to live with; at Wren we combine clean lines with warm colours and metallics to create rooms that are the welcoming heart of your home. There’s no need to opt for one look or finish, as mixing it up is another 2018 trend to watch out for. It’s time to get creative and design a kitchen that’s uniquely yours. Try mixing up door styles, colours, textures, handles and worktops for a really eclectic, interesting look. On-trend colour choices and materials? Blues and greys. You can sing the blues from playful periwinkle and moody midnight to Baltic. Mix and match with cool greys and crisp whites or team with bright primaries like yellow for a unique design statement. Dark plum is a huge colour trend for a contemporary kitchen, from rich aubergine to warm damson in a matt or gloss finish. Pair it with an ocean cypress finish to bring the Earth’s dramatic elements into your kitchen. Metallics continue to be a hit, with gold and stainless steel being the metals of the moment. Inject a subtle gleam of metal with a profile colour – an island in lagoon blue with gold profiles makes a wonderful combination – or choose a metallic-effect edge for your worktop. How about the gadgetry? Long gone are the days when a tap was simply a water spout. These days you can choose from a huge variety with many functions, colours and styles. New technology means you don’t have to opt for a separate tap if you want boiling water. Touch-technology is taking over, making induction hobs sleeker and more minimalistic than ever. Add some futuristic excitement to cooking with an induction hob, which looks fantastic as well as being more energy – and costefficient. And the trend for barista style coffeemakers at home shows no signs of abating.
EMI ARGENT, ARGENT KITCHENS It’s time to be bold and individual...
What’s hot and what’s not? It’s all about individuality – choosing a mix of materials, combining the natural warmth of wood with more industrial and sleek finishes such as porcelain, concrete and metals. Tactile materials with texture and patina add another layer of detail to the palette. How about the colourways? There’s a trend to be bolder with colour choices. Dark tones are particularly striking and can create a real statement kitchen. Aside from the ever-popular greys, dark colours with hues of blues and greens are increasingly on-trend. 78 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk
THERE’S NO NEED TO OPT FOR JUST ONE LOOK OR FINISH; MIXING IT UP IS A 2018 TREND TO LOOK OUT FOR
Tell us about the gadgets… We really love the ‘accessorised channels’ by the Italian appliance company Barazza. These highquality stainless-steel channels are recessed into your worktop and have multiple modular inserts for drainers, bottle and utensil holders, chopping boards, charging points and shelves.
NICOLA ASHLEY, SCHMIDT KITCHENS
Efficiency and clear worktops are key… What will be hot and what will be not? Hot: extra thin worktops and integrated storage solutions – maximising storage space is key. 2018 is all about efficiency. Textured finishes for a velvety touch that leaves no finger marks; it feels as good as it looks in deep black. This goes for bathrooms as well as kitchens. Not: appliances on display; only have the absolute necessities out and try to coordinate these in with your décor. Don’t spread utensils and condiments all over the bench; group them in a tray, and add canisters. Mirror or coloured glass splashbacks are being replaced with a classic tile; or you could get creative by placing an interior pattern from soft furnishings behind a clear glass splashback.