Popular kitchen trends for 2022

The National Kitchen and Bathroom Association of New Zealand (NKBA) annual Trends Survey predicts timbers such as oak and walnut, along with porcelain benchtops, will be in big demand this year.

Siobhan Nolan of Lily and Forbes Interior Design in Christchurch says that there has been a shift away from greys and whites as people select timber tones to warm up their homes.

“Natural products are a fantastic choice as they bring a real warmth and personality to a space. We use a lot of melamine products, but if budget allows, we like to utilise veneer if possible.

“Melamine options are getting more realistic with texture and colour tones. There is a lot of choice,” says Siobhan.

For the first time, porcelain is predicted to be the benchtop of choice in 2022. The ultra-durable material has been slowly rising in popularity over the years, and is now the preferred material for many designers, with 46 percent predicting it to be in every new kitchen in 2022.

The finish to many kitchens is the splash back, with more and more homeowners choosing to make a statement. For 2022, NKBA members say splash backs will be seamless with the bench. Siobhan says that a seamless bench to splash back is contemporary and high end.

“It means no grout lines which makes it easy to maintain and keep clean. It also gives people another way to display their beautiful stone and porcelain,” she adds.