What’s New In Kitchens & Bathrooms
Three Design Centre showrooms share their insights
A beautiful kitchen or bathroom can make or break the success of a house’s interior, but these are also two spaces that need to be impeccably well planned and incredibly functional if they are to succeed. Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour spoke to three of its showrooms – Modern British Kitchens, House of Rohl and ABI Interiors – about emerging design directions, from texture to the functional must-haves that make life easier.
Modern British Kitchens
“Kitchen design is trending towards the use of natural materials,” says sale director Tristan de la Haye. “Modern British has been focused on creating kitchens and furniture made of real wood since the company’s inception, and we have seen clients becoming more discerning about the variety and origins of the wood.”
He adds that “we have seen a trend towards ever-increasing customisation and true individuality. The launch of the new Quintesse collection extends the company’s offer of hand-crafted true bespoke to a timeless painted Shaker kitchen.”
House of Rohl
“As many of us spend more time at home, the kitchen can now be anything from an office to a school room, a games room to a bar. The traditional rules of kitchen planning are long gone,” says Nigel Palmer, House of Rohl’s head of communications marketing EMEAA. “With this more eclectic approach to kitchen design, we have seen designers mix styles, materials and colours to great effect.” A Shaws of Darwen sink is a great example of a product that can straddle both traditional and contemporary, with a new double bowl sink that can also be filled above its low divide to create a single, full-width bowl for washing baking trays, BBQ grills and other outsized utensils.
Features that were once desirable extras are now must-haves, says Palmer. including boiling hot-water taps and pull-down rinses hidden within taps. Riobel’s ‘Boomerang’ rinse is a favourite of Palmer’s: as the name suggests, once released, it quickly and smoothly retracts.
ABI Interiors
“Kitchens and bathrooms stand as the fundamental work hubs within a home, with functionality and durability being equally important,” says Chanelle Johnston, UK sales manager at ABI Interiors.” While these spaces serve essential purposes, their aesthetics hold significant sway in influencing our experience while using them.”
Johnston anticipates a rise in textural aesthetics: “This trend has slowly gained momentum, evident in the increasing use of fluted tiling throughout 2022 and 2023. However, we predict this trend will further move into key touchpoints such as tapware and hardware.” ABI Interiors’ Namika reeded collection embodies this, with its tactile elements and undulating grooves.
She also says that strong colour is on the way in, in both kitchens and bathrooms, with tiles, marbled worktops, tapware and basins all in line to be bolder and brighter.
ABI Interiors, Third Floor, Design Centre East
House of Rohl, Third Floor, North Dome
Modern British Kitchens, First Floor, Design Centre East
