Autumn 2020 Trends Kitchens Image

Discover all of the Autumn trends for 2020

See the design trends overview for kitchens, bathrooms and bedrooms: a curated selection of some of the key features for the season.

Welcome to the autumn edition of our design trends overview for kitchens, bathrooms and bedrooms:  a curated selection of some of the key features for the season, together with a few off-the-wall, quirky ideas – which might just appeal to your more experimental or avant-garde clients.

We hope these provide you with even more inspiration for your designs.   And we are confident that whatever you choose to incorporate, the power and flexibility of the ArtiCAD software will capture both the beauty and intricate details of your designs for you to present, with pride, to your clients.

Kitchens

Storage, storage, storage.  Can there ever be too much in a kitchen?  Surely not.  It needs to be plentiful – and clever:  designed not only to provide general space for storing items, but also specific types of storage for specific items.  There is even growing demand for custom storage solutions, when an off-the-shelf option just doesn’t quite tick all the boxes.  And storage doesn’t have to be just within reach – kitchen ladders are being used more and more, and not only in rooms which have been repurposed from their former use.  The ceiling is the limit for storage!

Larders or pantries – either separate rooms if space allows or specially designed cupboards within the body of the kitchen – are a must for many clients.  They provide a one-stop location for a wide range of foodstuffs, all of which can be beautifully stored, with order and efficiency.

How about dressers for wines and spirits – and all the glasses – rather than just putting them in a cupboard?  This is really a new take on the old cocktail cabinets, whilst providing a lot of scope for individuality in design.

Open shelving, for storage as well as a means of displaying personal collections, remains popular, with a move towards making them smaller areas, located between cabinetry to provide focal points of interest in the overall design of the room.

Plate racks are making a comeback and vintage ones are particularly on trend.

For dog-owning clients, pet cantinas are a must.  Often fitted in an alcove, these can house bowls for food, as well as storage for leads and treats.

Cooker hoods are very much on the must-have list, with emphasis on the latest technology and statement designs, to make them a prominent feature of any kitchen design.

Lighting is also making a statement with a huge array of styles and designs – including chandeliers, pendant lighting in fabulous metals, ceramics and hand painted glass.  New technology for lighting is making its way from commercial premises into the home.  Look out for switches that don’t need to be touched, ceiling fittings that include speakers and smoke alarms, and light panels which look like skylights with a horizon.

Large tiles or slabs for splashbacks (with some clients opting for hand-made versions) provide not only clean lines but can often make a room look larger than smaller ones.

Brass hardware continues to be hugely popular – complementing almost any kitchen design with its warmth, depth and robust appearance.

No look at kitchen design trends can ignore islands.  They just keep getting bigger and more plentiful!  Those clients with really large areas are already asking designers to fit in two islands.  An alternative – and possibly one which takes up slightly less space – is the new tiered ones, which provide one level for working and one for dining.

The kitchen colour palette has been dominated this year by dark blues and dark greens.  And this continues – probably because they work so very well in so many different types of kitchen.  As autumn arrives, however, warmer, natural tones are appearing with terracotta being the favourite, joined by other earthy tones such as rust.   Dusky pink is featuring more and more, teamed with a variety of other colours, to create a feeling of calm and soft warmth.  And don’t miss the opportunity to treat the ceiling as another surface for introducing colour – rather than simply opting for white or a similar neutral tone.

A natural theme can be enhanced by drawing on cane and rattan stools, chairs and other items, as these traditional materials make a comeback.  They also fulfil an increasing desire for sustainable materials – which includes bamboo and recycled plastic.

Possibly with all the ‘statements’ going on in the kitchen such as huge tiles, flamboyant lighting, dramatic cooker hoods and huge islands, it is good to know that handles are on a minimalist trend.  Knobs should be smaller, leather pulls complement the natural feel, and cut outs in doors provide an alternative way of having handleless cabinets.

Bathrooms

Pastels are the colour of choice for bathrooms at the moment – either by themselves or teamed with black hardware for a truly dramatic look.  Lilac, pinks, pistachios and other minty colours, cool greys and shades of blue can all be used.  For those clients, however, who want something with a bit more ‘zing’, then sorbet shades of a brighter pink, green and yellow will certainly liven up even the smallest of bathrooms.

For those who want dark and gothic, look towards bold autumn colours such as terracotta, rust, caramel and biscuit tones, and then mix with black hardware or the pastel palette of pinks, greens and blues.  Stunning whichever is chosen – and absolutely on trend.

Lighting for bathrooms just keeps improving (and getting bigger).  Different levels of lighting ensure that the room can be changed from relaxing to efficient, whilst stringent safety standards ensure that everything is safe for a humid atmosphere, even the most glamorous and exuberant of (bathroom-rated) chandeliers or giant floor lamps.

Bathrooms never seem to tire of marble.  Possibly because there are so many different colourings and styles available that it just keeps being such a popular material.   Now it is possible to buy marbleized wallpaper, which is a great way of introducing the glamour of marble with a touch more softness and warmth than the real thing.  At the other end of the spectrum, a few designers are introducing concrete for counter tops and walls, which can be artfully softened with the use of natural greenery.

And another way to introduce greenery is to use wallpaper – especially those designs that feature botanicals or lush jungle prints.  Used on perhaps just one wall, they can look spectacular, and work almost like artwork.  Ornate wallpaper with dark paints can bring drama and individuality to any bathroom.

Just as slabs and big tiles are being used in kitchen design, so too they are great for bathrooms – enhancing the feeling of space and cleanliness.  And also, as in kitchens, brass hardware goes with virtually any style of bathroom.

Maybe with winter coming soon, deep soaking tubs will become even more favoured.  Not only do they make a real statement, but for any client wishing to have a bathroom with an art deco look, these are ideal.  They come in a wide range of colours including black.  Framed mirrors enhance the art deco look as do fluted and ribbed finishes on both sanitaryware and glass, providing privacy on the latter surface.

Coloured sanitaryware is making a comeback – seeking to provide an alternative to the long-standing dominance of white.  Look for dramatic colours – which show you really mean it – such as seaweed green.

Technology can make its mark with demisting mirrors, LED temperature displays, automatic hand wipe sensors, and integrated charging and USB ports!  Well, who knew they were needed?  Or alternatively, you could opt for a more natural way of life and just add another plant.

Bedrooms

Nature is also a key theme for bedrooms, with botanical wallpapers providing a backdrop for bold monochromatic tones such as blues and greens with statement headboards in a wide range of materials continuing to be very popular.

Japanese influences are appearing with the use of natural, pale materials, and calm, uncluttered spaces.  This look combines well with the trend to combine old with new – to help make bedrooms not only functional in terms of their storage, but also more personal, individual spaces.  This also supports the growing belief that eco-friendly, sustainable materials are the way forward.

At this time of year, it is not surprising that earthy tones are popular in the bedroom with gentle shades of terracotta, old gold and warm browns.

And just as you were beginning to relax into this serene, cocooning space, technology makes its entrance.  In the bedroom, there are voice activated lightbulbs (interesting to think what exactly you might say to them), sunlight alarm clocks, and of course TV beds with built-in LED screens.  However other designers claim that more and more clients are having televisions and all other screens taken out of bedrooms.

Which just goes to prove, probably, that bedroom design is very much the choice of the individual homeowner.  However, whatever they want, it is out there- just waiting to be built into your design.

Sources include:

Feelwarm.com; kitchn.com; realhomes.com; beautifulhomes.com; englishhome.com; idealhome.com; houzz.com; elledecor.com; housebeautiful.com;  homesandgardens.com; dreams.com

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