Kitchens channel soft neutral tones
Building new or renovating, a kitchen is the heart of a home, and calls for extra special care and attention in design, fittings, and aesthetics.
Leading kitchen designers in New Zealand predict, in 2025, Kiwi homeowners can expect to see timber kitchens with porcelain benchtops in soft neutral tones, all wrapped up in a modern contemporary style.
The National Kitchen and Bathroom Association of New Zealand (NKBA) 2025 Trends Survey shows that walnut and oak will be the primary cabinetry trend in kitchen design, with 38% of designers surveyed suggesting that timber will be everywhere in 2025.
The warmth of timber allows for numerous combinations in tone and colour, they say. For the benchtop, 2025 will be the year of porcelain in muted hues. More than 40% of designers surveyed said that porcelain was their benchtop material of choice and that they will be specifying the top in calming, mellow tones and deep earthy colours.
Many clients are moving away from darker shades and are looking to embrace a more organic, lighter, natural feel to their kitchen space. A lighter tone creates an illusion of a larger space, and comes with a timeless appeal, they say. Respondents predict the splashback will be a continuation of the benchtop and seamless up the wall, making it super easy to clean, aesthetically beautiful, and allowing vertical display.
For the overall aesthetic of Kiwi kitchens, NKBA designers suggest that a modern contemporary kitchen will include integrated appliances, a large kitchen island and plenty of storage, along with clean lines, rather than arches, for style longevity.
“Straight lines with soft curves are a longer lasting design. They don’t tend to date, and the style offers an enduring appeal to kitchen design,” says one designer. The majority of NKBA designers surveyed created kitchens valued between $20K-$50K in 2024. Rachael Kwok, NKBA Executive Officer, says the vast price points are indicative of the diversity in kitchen design.
“A kitchen can take many forms and can be delivered within a range of budgets. For some, a functional space that looks modern and timeless is all that is required, for others, a kitchen is a piece of art, an outlet for a creative designer and a showpiece for a homeowner.
It is difficult to put an exact figure on kitchen design, however what these figures show is that NKBA designers work with many briefs and are skilled in delivering a space that meets the client’s needs and budget.”
In terms of delivery and time from design to install, in 2024 NKBA says most kitchens took six months.
Main image: An on-trend kitchen in Mellons Bay
