by Jan Rutgers
Design trends are always a hot topic on blogs and in magazines at the beginning of every new year.
I enjoy reading them, and use them as part of my research on developing what I feel will be the Kitchen design trends for the upcoming year.
This week I am attending KBIS, the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show in Orlando, to present at the Voices From the Industry and to hopefully see some of these trends in person.
But, before I go I wanted to write about what I feel will be trending in Kitchen Design for 2022.
Once I return, I will fill you in on what I saw at KBIS, and let you know if the experience changed my opinion on my Top 7 Kitchen Design Trends for 2022.
While researching general design trends this year I saw a repeating theme.
Homeowners want their homes to feel more “homey” and function better.
We have been spending so much time in our homes due to the pandemic restrictions, that things that are not working need to be fixed.
When it comes specifically to Kitchen design trends, I predict designers will be paying more attention to how their Kitchen designs function and how their homeowners feel in the spaces.
Let’s look at my predictions.
Top 7 Kitchen Design Trends 2022
More Food Storage
During the pandemic many of our habits changed.
Visiting the grocery store less often and cooking the majority of our meals at home were two habits many homeowners were forced to adopt.
These two “trends” were putting strains on many homeowner’s Kitchens.
With more food coming into the home from shopping trips, and the need for more ingredients for from-scratch cooking, homeowners were finding they did not have sufficient food storage.
Because of this I predict a big trend for 2022 will be the inclusion of more food storage solutions.
Including additional pantry cabinets is a solution Kitchen Designers can employ.
A way to do this could be to include pantry units along the wall into the dining area.
If there is not enough room for standard 24″ deep units, consider shallow 12″ deep cabinets. Any extra food storage will be appreciated by your client.
Of course the walk-in pantry is ideal. A bonus for your client would be to include an additional refrigerator or freezer inside the walk-in pantry.
A trend for these walk-in pantries will be the “secret pantry”. This is one that is hidden behind integrated cabinet doors that opens up to a large food storage room behind them.
Beverage Bars
Since it was not as easy to meet a friend for a cup of coffee at a bistro, or grab a drink at the local pub in the last couple of years, I predict we will be designing more beverage bars in the home.
These could consist of a run of cabinetry with a beverage refrigerator, a coffee maker and some storage or even a dedicated beverage “room”.
A dedicated room could be equipped as a mini coffee shop with bean roaster and commercial expresso/cappuccino maker, or as a “Speak Easy” decked out with a collection of aged bourbons and comfy chairs.
The key will be to deliver an experience for your client so that they can produce gourmet coffee drinks or spectacular cocktails at home.
Solutions for Pets
It is not surprising that our connection to our pets became even stronger during the pandemic.
Because of this I predict consumers will be looking to pamper their pets even more.
Built-in feeding areas along with built-in pet beds will be solutions Kitchen designers will need to be including in their designs in 2022.
Linear Appliance Placement
Kitchen appliances got more use than ever in the last 2 years.
Where as consumers would have put up with placement issues in the past with appliances, I predict this will not be the case moving forward.
A trend I see emerging is more functional placement of built-in wall ovens, microwaves, steam ovens and coffee makers.
Installing them in a linear line rather than stacking them will place them at a much more ergonomic location for everyone.
A good tip here is to place the appliance controls at eye level of the main user.
Built-In Banquettes
Including cozy areas in the Kitchen will be a trend for 2022.
The built-in banquette is a good way to produce these spaces.
Tucking a built-in seating area in a corner with a small table is the perfect place to catch up on emails or grab a snack with a friend or family member.
With greatroom design still popular, these cozy corners or areas are the perfect addition to the room.
Think of them as designing a “hug” into your client’s Kitchen.
More Curves
The past 10 years was all about severe, square and rectangular lines.
The rectangular island with sharp corners was the norm.
I predict that the design industry is going to soften those edges and start incorporating curves.
Curves or soft corners are more comfortable for the cook while moving around the Kitchen than sharp corners.
Watch for curved island ends, curved dining bars and curved cabinet ends in 2022 and beyond.
Changing Color Palette
The last several years featured a lot of cool grey tones as the neutral of choice in interiors.
In the next decade, the color trends are predicted to be much warmer.
For Kitchens this means cabinets in warmer tones with beige and yellow undertones.
White will continue as a classic but instead of the “blue” toned whites they will be closer to the cream toned whites.
Consumers will also be looking for some strong bursts of color.
A great place to add this color would be on the island, as a built-in piece of furniture or as a block of tall units.
For an on-trend look you would not go wrong specifying the base cabinets in your client’s Kitchen in a bold color, and the wall cabinets in a warm neutral.
As mentioned above I plan to verify my 2022 Kitchen Design predictions at the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show this week.
I will also be looking for any additional immerging trends.
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[hubspot portal=”9253671″ id=”40a54a75-0df5-4740-9983-80e00fb4adde” type=”form”]I’d love to hear what you think will be trending in Kitchen Design in 2022. Please leave me a comment below.
Jan Rutgers has been designing kitchens and products for over 25 years and is a recipient of Kitchen & Bath Design News’ Top Innovators in 2020 for the Kitchen & Bath Industry. She has designed more than 1000 kitchens learning valuable skills with each one! Her experience in Kitchen Design, Millwork Manufacturing and Product Development has led her to create VESTABUL SCHOOL OF DESIGN where she educates and mentors people passionate about the Kitchen Design Industry.
I think you are spot on with these trends! Homeowners have spent a LOT of time bonding in the home, especially at the kitchen areas. We found interest last fall for warmer natural stone colors, more curves on the tables and countertops and a huge need for well-planned food storage spaces. Linear appliances make a lot of sense (I am short in height) yet I need to stack unless I expand into another adjoining room to give me more space for linear.
Cannot wait to hear what you see at the IBS/KBIS show 2022.
Thanks for the comment Kimberly. First glance of the show has lots of color.
Stay tuned!
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