Joanne Bull from Königstone discusses what she predicts will be the leading trends of 2022, focusing on the hub of the home – the kitchen
There is no doubt that 2020 and 2021 were unpredictable years so, as we jump into 2022, we, as a nation, are a changed and more refined group of consumers. This is relevant for most aspects of buying – whether it’s home, kitchen, garden, tech products or even the type of transport people use to get to work.
Focusing on the home, homeowners are now savvier than ever and do more in- depth research when specifying materials for their projects. Particularly with hygiene being high on people’s agenda – everyone wants easily cleaned surfaces, kitchen doors and handles to keep those pesky germs away – people are opting to have fewer items on display. Choose a handleless, gloss kitchen paired with a low porosity, Quartz surface that is easy to clean and will not harbour bacteria.
People will return to holidays but, historically, big events, such as the Covid pandemic, can change people’s priorities. More value is now being placed on spending quality time with family and friends in the home therefore creating a space for gatherings has increased in importance. Instead of going out, people want to ensure their home is a safe, hygienic and beautiful place to entertain for guests.
Looking toward 2022, we are seeing a continuation of making the kitchen an extension to the living spaces in an open plan layout. People are choosing to hide away large appliances from view and we are seeing more homes with islands that include cutouts, bottle coolers, power sockets, pop up knife blocks and pop up TVs. Customers are asking for workstations to be incorporated into their kitchen designs; our large bespoke kitchen islands are being specified with pop-up sockets and rebate channels for cables. The kitchen continues to be the hub of the home, be it the home office, an entertainment space for friends, a homework station or simply a place to cook and unwind after a long day.
With online research for home-planning increasing with the likes of Pinterest and Instagram, demand for personalisation has also increased; designs are starting to move away from safe whites and greys so that the new kitchen stands out on a social media news feed. The design configuration that a stone work surface offers is also being explored more regularly with an increasing call for elaborate edge details, recess drainers and mitred stone end panels.
When it comes to tones and colours, there has been a rise in sales of more earthy tones with people wanting to get back to nature and create a peaceful home environment. We predict furniture in bottle/British and racing/sage greens to be a favourite colour throughout 2022, evoking nature, calm and tranquillity.
Now, more than ever, we are all more environmentally aware with every purchase we make – and the kitchen is no different. Ensuring items are as sustainable as they can be is non-negotiable for many buyers. For example, there has been a massive demand for carbon neutral kitchens.
With a focus on protecting the planet and moving away from a throwaway culture, the average lifespan of a kitchen is increasing. Homeowners are looking for materials that will last longer and are more durable so stone work surfaces are being added to kitchen wish lists. With customers focused on the environment and maximising the lifespan of their kitchen, retailers and manufacturers need to educate buyers on longevity by emphasising the quality and durability of their products and should encourage buyers to ask these types of questions and expect a qualified answer.
Recent inflation rates have been causing havoc to budgets up and down the country. We expect to see this trend continue into 2022 but level off soon enough, much in the same way as it did in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. As the cost of building materials has risen, homeowners want value for money and opt for more daring or impactful designs on features such as worktops and cabinet handles.
Joanne Bull is marketing manager at Königstone