With more than 25 years of experience in the industry, Paul Jenkinson, founder and managing director of British kitchen brand LochAnna Kitchens has his finger on the pulse when it comes to predicting the next big thing. Here he shares the new and returning trends set to hit the kitchen space in 2022.

2021 was all about learning to live in a new way, changing your space out of necessity and practicality, and adapting to more time spent at home. Last year we saw a trend for earth colours, that brought nature inside while we were spending more time at home. For 2022 we’re seeing a shift towards making choices that will help you enjoy your kitchen more and reclaiming your space to suit the lifestyle you want.

Colours reminiscent of the sea

More than ever before people are wanting to express individuality and have fun with bolder colours in the kitchen, while introducing a sense of calm to their living space. Throughout 2021, we saw increased demand for earthy, rich tones that sought to bring nature into our spaces, whilst we spent more time indoors. However, with the continued emergence from lockdown regulations, we are now seeing huge demand for colours reminiscent of the sea, such as airy and fresh tones of bright blues and greens, that encapsulate feelings of optimism and new horizons. This bright hue can be paired with more neutral tones such as wooden counters or if you want a bolder look, pair a bright blue cabinets with a beautiful white countertop for a classic and eye catching colour scheme.

Storage, storage, storage!

Over the last year, we found new ways to store away our clutter at home – including all of our office supplies! The trend for innovative and beautiful storage solutions will continue to dominate kitchen spaces throughout 2022. As homeworking continues to be a reality in many of our working lives, homeowners are reclaiming their space from clutter and tidying it away into practical designated spaces. From bespoke lifestyle larders to pull out storage, we have seen a huge increase in demand for integrated storage that makes the most out of the space that you have.

Bringing texture into the space

Rich textures in the kitchen are becoming extremely sought after. In the same way that we are seeing bolder, brighter colours enter the kitchen, interesting shapes, textures, and patterns are also in demand. This is a trend that lends itself to individual expression as there are so many different ways to bring texture into your space; whether you want to keep it all natural or create the perfect basis for a pop of colour, using wooden-style cabinetry in your kitchen design is a great sustainable design choice. The Tavole collection by LochAnna Kitchens is available in 7 rich colours and the stain used is designed to allow the natural characteristics of the wood to emerge. As it is a natural product, the oak will also have variations of grain structure and shade for bringing added depth, interest, and texture into the kitchen.

Beauty on the inside

Gone are the days where the only focus in a kitchen design was the outside aesthetic; innovation in drawers and storage design has led to better quality and alternative materials being more readily available. As we move into 2022, we are expecting to see homeowners upgrade the ‘hidden’ elements of the kitchens as well as the exterior. Oak dovetail drawers have been growing in the more traditional kitchen setting, but we see these also becoming popular in modern styles as homeowners look towards quality and creating a sense of individuality in their kitchen.

Minimalism is making a comeback

With the popularity of ‘hidden’ or ‘concealed’ kitchens, minimalism is back but in a new way. With straight lines, fuss-free details, and clean polished finishes, minimalist kitchen cabinetry, such as our Faversham collection, uses elements of the pared back handleless design, whilst incorporating some bolder features such as the distinct colour of the cabinets. Keeping the rest of the kitchen neutral tones makes this bold pop of colour into a focused statement that avoids clutter.

Sustainable AND beautiful products

Now more than ever consumers are conscious of the impact that their choices have on the environment. Homeowners are looking for products that are environmentally friendly, but that don’t compromise on style and quality. Over the past few years, we have been seeing huge interest in products that would still offer beautiful design but take care of our environment. Our answer to that demand has been our EcoStone splashbacks, but there are many ways to introduce sustainability into your kitchen design such as choosing products that will stand the test of time; for example, a natural worktop is a great choice, as even if you want to change your cabinets a few years down the road your worktops will complement whatever colours or finishes you might choose.

Reclaiming your home with broken plan

Multiuse social spaces will be a big design trend throughout the coming year. As we move into 2022, we are moving away from true open plan to more of a broken-plan style. Creating smaller areas of intimacy within larger open rooms allows the whole family to use the space for different activities, whether it be working from home, cooking, or indulging in a long breakfast, in a connected space whilst still enjoying a degree of privacy.

Try before you buy

Homeowners are spending more time researching kitchen choices before venturing out to visit a showroom; they are thinking more about what they want from their kitchen and with the enormous choice of doors, colours and finishes, they are looking online for inspiration and to help them make decisions. Visualisers and kitchen configurators will become a must for kitchen manufacturers to keep up with this demand. To answer this, LochAnna are launching a kitchen visualiser which will focus on superior image quality and allow users to change the cabinet door styles, colours, handles and even the walls and floors to create their perfect combination in the comfort of their own home.