Keeping up with the kitchens
Renovations and rebuilds, porcelain benchtops, and kitchen islands, are among the top home interior trends for 2024, says the National Kitchen and Bath Association of New Zealand.
Compiled using association designers and tradespeople, the results form a tangible reference point if you’re looking to upgrade your kitchen in 2024, especially in creating something of timelessness and modernity.
The first is a result we all saw coming. Renovations are the ‘it girl’ of kitchen redesign. According to the NKBA report, more than half of kitchen uplifts are renovations rather than new builds. Whether the increase is due to budgeting needs, people adopting sustainability practices, or ease and efficiency, renovations are growing in popularity.
Price indications varied in the survey results, and the quality of materials and budget means that no kitchen renovation cost is the same. The report noted that 22% of kitchens cost between $20-$40,000, 29% between $40-$60,000, and 19% from $60-$80,000.
The annual industry-driven trend reports can help determine the colours and finishes to consider when looking into a kitchen renovation. Anticipate oak and walnut to be big this year, as timbers were voted as the most popular cabinetry finish by 53% of respondents. For the minimalists out there, you’re in luck; 30% chose the calming palette of classic creams, whites, and beiges as a trend for 2024, while some predicted bold yet serene hues to be popularised, including deep green, muted sage, and navy.
In the benchtop space, 76% of respondents picked porcelain as the material of choice, increasing significantly from 48% in 2023. This trend is as equal in practicality as it is in looks, as a hard-to-scratch and heat-resistant material. The finish of benchtops, however, predicts no clear winner, between matte, voted by 32%, and textured, by 29%. Getting to specifics,three-quarters predicted splashbacks to correspond with benchtops, making it that much easier to cultivate your kitchen colour palette.
Other predictions cover aspects such as integrated appliances, sustainable considerations, innovative smart technology, and beverage centres that combine everything needed from coffee to cocktail making. The ‘kitchen island’ still reigns supreme in layout design, chosen by 48%, closely followed by an open-plan design at 41%, despite layout largely depending on available space.
Even with the demand, the renovation sector still faces hardship. Material supply, sourcing great tradespeople, affordability, clients using finance, and silicosis are all hurting the industry. The biggest impact in 2024 looks to be developments using silicosis and engineered stone, according to Rachel Kwok, Executive Officer of the NKBA, as a ban on such stone fabrications in Australia could impact sourcing, or become a catalyst to reviewing New Zealand’s methods and rules.
Image: NKBA Supreme Kitchen award winner 2023, Morgan Cronin.
