Trend Report: Seamless Integration in Kitchens
Is it time to hide your kitchen elements?
Hot hidden design. “There’s a transition away from the traditional kitchen to an integrated kitchen, with concealed appliances and a sleeker look overall,” says Michael Richter of Troico, a renovation firm in Vancouver. “People want the kitchen to look like one wall, to be a muted space. They want to get things off the counters and put everything away.”
Essential ingredients. “Design elements typically include clean lines, minimalist cabinetry design with small reveals, oversized composite stonework and full-height backsplashes,” says Conlan Segerson of Tallman Segerson Builders in Fairfield, Connecticut. Richter adds panel-ready appliances, handleless design, grain-matched cabinetry and linear kitchens with islands to the list. Kyle Dunbar of Mighty Oak Builders in Nashville, Tennessee, likes to include multiuse elements such as rolling tables, banquettes and window seats.
Richter’s Product Picks: Rev-A-Shelf Filler Pullout Soft-Close, Blum Inc. Heavy Duty Drawer Slides, Rev-A-Shelf Pullout Waste Container
Richter’s Product Picks: Rev-A-Shelf Filler Pullout Soft-Close, Blum Inc. Heavy Duty Drawer Slides, Rev-A-Shelf Pullout Waste Container
Photo by Ryan Bent Photography
More spice, more flavor. “Kitchens used to only have four to five different materials and colors; now there are eight to 10,” Dunbar says. “Mixing other features, materials, cabinets and countertops means you add more texture and color into the room, which conceals the utilitarian purpose of the kitchen and gives the room more depth and interest.” Natural materials are essential, such as a mix of slate and concrete with walnut and other natural products, Richter says.
Everything in its place. Appliances, dry goods, pots and pans — whether or not you want to see them, you need them. “Custom cabinetry is designed to maximize and hide as much functionality as possible,” Segerson says; it can integrate large appliances such as range hoods and fridges, and drawers can be packed with storage solutions. “Additional appliances are carefully designed into accompanying pantries to free up more space in the kitchen,” he adds.
More spice, more flavor. “Kitchens used to only have four to five different materials and colors; now there are eight to 10,” Dunbar says. “Mixing other features, materials, cabinets and countertops means you add more texture and color into the room, which conceals the utilitarian purpose of the kitchen and gives the room more depth and interest.” Natural materials are essential, such as a mix of slate and concrete with walnut and other natural products, Richter says.
Everything in its place. Appliances, dry goods, pots and pans — whether or not you want to see them, you need them. “Custom cabinetry is designed to maximize and hide as much functionality as possible,” Segerson says; it can integrate large appliances such as range hoods and fridges, and drawers can be packed with storage solutions. “Additional appliances are carefully designed into accompanying pantries to free up more space in the kitchen,” he adds.
Complementary tastes. Pros agree: minimalist kitchens work well in both modern and transitional settings. “But modern farmhouse also works really well,” given that aesthetic’s use of open spaces and natural materials, Dunbar says. “Really, it just comes down to how you move things around and design it. The key is keeping the kitchen open to other parts of the house.”
Dunbar’s Product Picks: SomerTile Boccaccio Subway Mosaic Tile, Dwellist Valkrie Industrial Dining Table, Dogberry Collections Classic X Door
Dunbar’s Product Picks: SomerTile Boccaccio Subway Mosaic Tile, Dwellist Valkrie Industrial Dining Table, Dogberry Collections Classic X Door
This story is from our Trade Program Trend Report email series.
First relegated to a back room, then boldly brought into the open, the kitchen is making yet another shift: hiding in plain sight. Appliances can be tucked behind paneled fronts. Upper cabinetry can all but disappear. Materials can echo those in the living areas. This approach fully integrates the kitchen into the rest of the home instead of setting it apart. “Seamless,” “pared back,” “open” and “uncluttered” are the watchwords for these spaces.