KITCHEN
4. Space-Saving Spanish Kitchen Homeowner: Christian Schallert of Barcelona, Spain This cleverly designed 260-square-foot Barcelona apartment functions in different modes — each appliance and piece of furniture tucks into a hidden panel. Panels made of Viroc and wood pop open with a simple push, revealing refrigerators, seating and a bed.
6. Displayed collections. As long as there’s a place for everything and everything is in its place, there’s no reason not to keep your favorite items on full display. Pot racks, plate racks, a few open shelves and a glass-front cabinet let these homeowners enjoy their copper cookware, silver and china from the kitchen table, which takes up most of the room in this charming kitchen.
During the home purchasing process, the bank wouldn’t approve the loan because there weren’t floors in the kitchen area. As a quick solution, the McGehees had some inexpensive pine plank flooring installed, which they later had sanded and then painted themselves with high-gloss Benjamin Moore porch and floor paint. The paint contains an epoxy that makes it very durable.
Custom build a pantry cupboard. Well-planned storage makes efficient use of space and can help keep your kitchen organized. Consider a custom all-in-one pantry cupboard if you’re designing a kitchen from scratch. Install custom storage baskets for shelves and rail bars and baskets for cupboard doors to make the most of the space inside. A cupboard pantry can be used to store everything from food to china and kitchen equipment. And when the doors are closed, it’s all neatly out of sight.
10. Repetitive patterns. A major trend that Hardcastle is seeing is a move away from geometric patterns and toward elegant, repetitive motifs instead, which he says will take shape in the form of laser-cut plywood or steel panels, wall coverings, door inserts and tiles (as seen here). “Patterns from bygone eras will be revitalized to create intriguing and calculated designs that appeal to the fashion-savvy,” says the designer, who predicts that art deco– and art nouveau–inspired motifs that feature hints of Turkish and other Middle Eastern influences will be quite popular in the year ahead. “Kitchen backsplashes will possibly benefit mostly from this foreseeable trend,” he says.
Furniture-style design features. Interior designer Greg Natale predicts that furniture-style cabinetry and other features will be one of the top trends in 2015. This approach marks another step in the evolution of the kitchen as the hub of the home and a treasured space the whole family can enjoy, rather than just a functional area that’s used for food prep and cooking alone. “The incredible designs available celebrate the different elements of the kitchen as pieces of beautiful furniture, not just workstations, which allows people to bring their own personal, warm, welcoming touch to this space,” he says. How can you incorporate this idea into your own kitchen? “A standout way is through an island,” says Natale, who designed the sophisticated culinary zone seen here. “Raising it on legs or including intricate paneling or a contrasting top and sides are ways of turning this into a piece to be proud of.”
Freestanding furniture. Historic farmhouse kitchens didn’t have the unified cabinets and counters we see today; they were more likely to have a collection of freestanding pieces. Pieces like this cabinet break up the bland continuity that can take over a kitchen, and they can provide a key display space for collectibles. Also, note the whitewashed primitive siding here. Tongue and groove or less-finished butt boards have it all over drywall when it comes to farmhouse style.
FOCUS WALL - WOOD HERRINGBONE STYLE. Wall decor. Once you’ve got your walls painted, you’ll probably want to add more character.
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