Ask the Designer - Autumn Trends

As autumn quickly approaches and we begin to spend more time indoors, we asked our design team what they think are the kitchen, bathroom and living space trends that will see us through into 2023.

Their responses are based on the desires of our clients and not necessarily the expectations of the interior design industry. This is because our living space designs are created to last 20 years or more and, therefore reflect a more ‘timeless’ vision.

• Transforming Spaces with Texture

• The Appreciation of Nature

• Going Bold

TRANSFORMING SPACES WITH TEXTURE

Kitchens - In a Hobson’s Choice bulthaup kitchen, it isn’t unusual to combine several textures together to create contrast and visual interest. Each piece of bulthaup b3 kitchen furniture is bespoke, able to be designed and finished in a vast array of options including veneer, lacquer, laminate, solid wood and metal.

Our clients will often choose to combine a solid colour with a natural wood veneer or anodised metal surface. We often recommend areas more vulnerable to knocks, i.e. low units, are finished in a solid colour laminate or lacquer, reserving tall cabinetry and wall units for more decorative finishes.

The natural detail, tone and warmth of veneer make it a popular choice and it can be used to tie the kitchen together. In this project, the natural oak cabinetry is reflected across the island breakfast bar.

To create a monolithic look, worktops can be finished in the same uniform colour as the lower units. Alternatively, a more decorative material, such as granite or engineered stone could be chosen to add another layer of visual significance and contrast.

Bulthaup kitchens aren’t guided by trends, the furniture is designed to last 20 years if well looked after. Hence, our designers work closely with our clients to create a harmonious palette of colours and textures that they will continue to appreciate in the years to come.

Bathrooms – A master ensuite is one of the most personal rooms in your house and offers the potential to express a greater level of individuality. There are many elements that need to work together, tiles, grout, sanitaryware, brassware, furniture, and lighting, to create a space that looks amazing but is also highly functional – it has to work.

It could be argued that tile choice sets the tone, with a wealth of options available including mosaic and textured variants. In addition, displaying internal architecture, such as exposed beams or brickwork, can visually link the room to other areas of the house.

Living spaces - Across the home, the Rimadesio collection of bespoke furniture, space-dividing sliding doors, wall-panelling and storage solutions offer homeowners the opportunity to add a unique appeal to their property interior.

Rimadesio Modular provides a contemporary floor-to-ceiling wall-panelling system, a bespoke framework upon which large panels, finished in wood, stone, metal, synthetic leather and fabric, are secured to create a stunning interior backdrop.

Bespoke glass sliding doors by Rimadesio can also be used to transform a room, either as a door or room partition. The floor-to-ceiling panels are available in nine different styles and can be finished in a variety of colours and tones of glass.  

The Appreciation of Nature

Bringing natural elements of the outside world into our kitchen spaces is likely to continue as a popular design characteristic. There is something intrinsically beautiful about displaying a natural pattern upon an incredibly accurate and highly-engineered piece of bulthaup kitchen furniture.

The swirls and forms of the veneer woodgrain can be extenuated even further by book-matching the panels, creating a pattern that extends across an entire island or bank of tall units.

Our clients often enjoy incorporating their love of plants and gardening into their kitchen space, achieved through the design of open shelving and function rail storage systems.

GOING BOLD

If you wish your kitchen to make a statement, the bulthaup b3 wall panel system provides the perfect opportunity. The panels can be finished in a number of different surfaces, from glass and laminate to lacquer, veneer and anodised aluminium.

Another benefit of using the wall panel system is that the framework structure is strong enough to hang the bulthaup b3 kitchen furniture from it – even a fully laden larder fridge! To the human eye, it seems unbelievable and gives the impression that the furniture is floating.

Decorative kitchen splashbacks are a way for clients to increase the individuality of their homes even further. In two recent bulthaup b3 kitchen projects, clients have commissioned one-off pieces by Red Dog Glass, which have looked incredible.