Australian kitchens come in an endless range of styles and designs. While, of course, there are certain trends in each decade or generation and Australian country kitchens will differ from modern, contemporary designs in key ways, there are certainly trends that are here to stay.
If you’re building your dream home or renovating your house, here are the Australian kitchen design trends that are certainly timeless.
The Open Plan Kitchen
Kitchens are no longer simply places of cooking and cleaning. They’re an integral part of the home and a place where families gather, friends congregate and hosting occurs. The open plan kitchen merges the living areas of a home with the kitchen itself making it easier than ever for interaction with family members, visitors and guests.
Spaciousness is always an important priority, and de-segregating a home with an open plan kitchen is an excellent way to achieve that. Not to mention the ease with which parents of younger children can keep a supervisory eye on them without having to leave the kitchen itself.
Natural Stone Benchtops
If the kitchen is the centre (not necessarily physically) of the home, the kitchen benchtop is the centrepoint of the kitchen. Natural stone benchtops have been and continue to be a staple of Australian kitchens. Popular for many reasons, stone is extraordinarily hard wearing and durable. Stone is perfect for a benchtop that will see its fair share of activity, mess, food and meal preparation.
Of course, stone is most certainly a style choice in and of itself. With an almost-overwhelmingly wide choice of styles, patterns, colours and shades there’s a stone slab to suit any kitchen and personal preference. Plus, with proper maintenance and sealing, it can also last for many decades so neither the material or style will date.
The Island Bench
Island kitchen benchtops are popular the world over but especially in Australia. Paired with either of the ideas above–an open plan kitchen or stone benchtop–island benches are versatile and practical.
Not only do they provide immense surface area on which to work but they also declutter and contribute positively to an opening up of the space. There’s a lot of potential with an island countertop as well. You can incorporate sinks, dishwashers, drawers or even a cooktop. Additionally, you can turn it into a legitimate piece of art by opting for a waterfall style, rounded island benchtop or one of the myriad other options out there.
The Breakfast Bar
While often referred to as breakfast bars, they could just as easily be used for any other purpose. Many Australian kitchens incorporate a countertop that doubles as an eating area of quick meals or general socialising. Both island benches and more traditional designs can be complemented with a series of fashionable stools.
It’s yet another way of adding something practical and timeless to your kitchen. Trust us, with this kitchen design, your kids are going to love breakfast time!
Feature Countertop Colours
While uniform coloured countertops that match the rest of your kitchen colour scheme is certainly a safe way to go, adding a bit of visual flair in the form of a feature coloured countertop is another trend that’s here to stay.
You don’t have to opt for something out there and zany, however. A stylish and understated coloured stone slab can make for an excellent addition to most Australian kitchen designs. Try mixing up your colour scheme by opting for a darker toned benchtop in a lighter kitchen, or vice versa as the case may be.
The Humble Nook
Kitchen nooks come in all shapes, styles and designs but there is one thing they have in common: They’re endlessly useful! Breakfast nooks (probably unnecessary if you have a breakfast bar) or desk/work areas can be worked into the family kitchen design offering additional utility without crowding the space.
The nook is one trend that while timeless will depend on the space and structure of your kitchen. If it does suit your home, it offers additional opportunity to infuse colour and style, however, which will help bring your kitchen to life.
Under Cabinet Lighting
Under cabinet lighting is an Australian kitchen design choice you won’t regret. Of course, it allows for much better visibility when preparing food in a space often overshadowed by hanging cabinetry.
But there’s a lot of design potential as well. With simple LED strips, downlights or even more extravagant feature lighting, under cabinet lighting adds visual flair to your kitchen.
Stone Splashbacks
There are many ways Australian kitchens incorporate beautiful natural stone and a splashback is just one of them! Like many other features of the kitchen, the splashback is a necessary practicality but still provides opportunity for sophisticated styling. Stone, available in many colours and patterns, can be tiled in a variety of ways to help bring a subtle area of the kitchen to the fore.
Integrated Appliances
Microwaves and ovens have long been integrated in the surrounding cabinetry and walls of a kitchen, but an increasingly emerging trend of Australian kitchens that isn’t going out of fashion any time soon are more integrations.
From the fridge (which can be hidden behind matching cabinetry veneers) to dishwashers, pull-out bins and more, the flush, there’s an invaluable quality to the seamless and contemporary design of integrated appliances. And, of course, it saves on space which is at an absolute premium in the kitchen!
Marble
What stone brings more luxury and style to a kitchen than marble? Having been used for years and guaranteed to be used for many more years, this gloriously iconic and spectacularly practical natural stone is a staple of Australian kitchen design.
While marble may not be the cheapest of materials to use in your kitchen there are many ways in which you can use this stone even on a budget. Keeping its application to a benchtop or even a splashback (see the ideas above) are excellent ways to make the most of marble without having to go wall-to-ceiling.
Your Classic Australian Kitchen Starts With Euro Marble
We might be called Euro Marble, but we do a LOT more than just marble. If you’re looking for assistance with achieving an Australian kitchen design that will look and function fantastically today and for many, many years to come, contact us today. Let’s explore how we can help you!
