What's next for kitchen design - ideas please

[CoffeeAddictionUnderway]

No offence to those with white gloss kitchens as I think they often look stunning.

But I've always been more at the 'country' end of the kitchen scale and although I'm attracted to the lightness they give, I worry it would be too clinical a look for me.

Anyone have good pics or ideas for other kitchen trends?

(Trends the wrong word really as I'm not too bothered about trends. Ideas I guess is better!)

In the 1990s I loved the yellow or blue wood look (must confess). In the 2000s it was all Shaker grey or country cream or even green kitchens.

I should add that I never actually owned any if these kitchens apart from in my head (was always renting).

Now that I have the chance to actually do my own kitchen, just wondering what else is out there? (Not being lazy, have googled, just wondering about people's personal favs!)

[CoffeeAddictionUnderway]

NB. Sorry if this has been been done to death but I'm new to the world of choosing kitchens...!

[CoffeeAddictionUnderway]

Okay....just found the 'Kitchens lessons learned' thread. That's a good place for me to start!

[Walnutpie]

Two colour kitchens. The lower a different colour than the top. Also mix some different textures in there. Mix woods together, too.

YouTube has kitchen shows 2015 and the emphasis is on varied texture and bold colour.

[CoffeeAddictionUnderway]

Hmm that's a good tip Walnut. I saw a really nice kitchen the other day with cream doors but a darker wood (or wood look) counter top. It was very attractive and yes, mixes it up a bit!

[RaisingSteam]

You might look at an eclectic look where its about more than the cupboard doors style. A lovely light room with space to gather and sit down, family things around, interesting stuff on display and art on the walls. Unexpected mixture of old and new rather than a persistent "sleek" (ick) or "country" look. Reclaimed and repurposed things like bookcases. All this with great lighting, storage and ergonomics.

This one I love although I guess they don't have to clean it.

[CoffeeAddictionUnderway]

Raising you've absolutely hot the nail on the head with my taste!

That's actually not dissimilar to the look we have now, but the units aren't great. Nod to country but not twee, just eclectic.

Who thought Ben Fogle would have such a nice kitchen?

Another (faux) sleb kitchen is one of the ones Jamie Oliver cooks in pretends is his. Think that has a brick wall too.

[CoffeeAddictionUnderway]

Er, hit, not hot.

[MonstrousRatbag]

I think it is the mixy-matchy, eclectic, texture thing. I found these two images you might like:

[CoffeeAddictionUnderway]

Oooh, love love love those! In fact I tried to buy those Eiffel chairs once (copies) but DH objected to them for some reason. I think they're fab!

[CoffeeAddictionUnderway]

Yes, I think my problem with a lot of kitchens is the uniformity of them (big expanse of cupboards all the same, one colour), and you're right about texture too. Mixy-match is it!

[MonstrousRatbag]

I found those images on a US site called Lonny which is good when you want ideas-lots of glossy images to help you decide what you like. Also, assuming your budget is about £4897655486709458798576, have a look at Chalon kitchens, as they pioneered the mixy-matchy style.

[CoffeeAddictionUnderway]

Ha Thanks Monstrous

Deffo don't have that budget but will have a nosey - am intrigued!

[RaisingSteam]

What I like is that the accessories and contents of the room add so much. You get a lot of MN threads along the lines of "will white walls, stainless steel worktop, grey units and limestone floor look too clinical and cold". completely depends on the room and how its styled - but you can't buy those things in a kitchen showroom.

[prepperpig]

I've seen a lot of eclectic kitchens on the design sites and forums. Navy cupboards are "in" with copper or gold fittings. Mix and match cupboards also popular.

I love my kitchen, white new england style with marble and dark wood, but it was very popular and I've seen hundreds of variations on the theme.

[Walnutpie]

I need a new kitchen and am on an IKEA type budget. I keep looking at their door selections and wondering how to achieve a mixy-matchylook with what they offer. Was thinking of painting some of the doors deep blue for the lower cabinets and maybe getting..idk which ones for the upper cabs.

Anyone familiar with the new Metod looks who wants to brainstorm how to mix them up, please please chime in!

[prepperpig]

IMO if you're looking at ikea you need to use laxarby if you're painting it. Its birch wood and easily paintable.

My kitchen is laxarby. It doesn't look cheap.

[Walnutpie]

Yy,prepper the laxarby Is my favourite.

[prepperpig]

Ignore me, it looks like there are also some other wooden options in the new metod range.

[CoffeeAddictionUnderway]

Prepper navy cupboards with copper handles sounds gorgeous!

[CoffeeAddictionUnderway]

Walnut I'm on an IKEA budget too.

I read on the "lessons learned" thread that everyone says DIY Kitchens is good. Not seen their prices yet though, don't know if they're still quite ££.

[IAteSomeofthePies]

We are also looking at Ikea and wondering how paintable some of the doors are. Did you paint your Laxarby, Prepper? If not, do you have the whitewashed finish? I like it but on the website against the pure white page it looks a bit pink. I'm assuming it doesn't in a room with natural lighting? Our local ikea doesn't have a full display of it and neither does the ikea kitchen catalogue. They do show a black Laxarby, which is fab, but not right for our not very light kitchen.

Some of the other doors looked paintable, for e.g. Veddinge. I know it's difficult to paint foil finished doors.

[teatrailer]

I have the Ikea Laxarby, and it does have a pink tinge. I didn't realise how pink until it was in. I'm very happy with it and bought it mainly because I want to paint it in the future.

I have a fairly small kitchen, but I didn't want a really fitted look, and have open shelving mainly, with an old plate rack near the sink. The best thing of all which I haven't had before are the drawers, so much better than cupboards.

I also decided not to have a cooker hood/extractor, and I haven't missed it at all.

[Walnutpie]

I don't want a "really fitted" look either. But I can't do shelves, we have too much stuff. I'm wondering if it would work to have laxarby and some very modern flat upper cabinets in wood/glass. Or would that drift far away from groovy mixy-matchy into sheer muddle.

[JasperDamerel]

DIY Kitchens is similar to Ikea on price, but comes pre-assembled and with service gaps at the back, so is cheaper/easier to fit.

I quite like the look of teak or similarly dark wood at the bottom and white wall cabinets.

[teatrailer]

Not having service gaps makes the cupboards and drawers huge, a big help in my kitchen. I have too much stuff for open shelves as well, so I got rid of the stuff. I only keep out what's regularly used.