Summer 2020 NEW trends released

Here is ArtiCAD’s latest round-up of design trends for Kitchens, Bathrooms and Bedrooms for Summer 2020.

As you will see, there are some really exciting ideas here, with strong colours, patterns, innovative approaches to zoning, spectacular lights, specialist taps, intelligent cooker hoods and fabulous metals.  A wealth of opportunities for the designer to create wonderful, individual rooms for their clients – and to present them as stunningly realistic 3D images using the power and flexibility of ArtiCAD-Pro.

Kitchens

Navy blue has been the colour choice for kitchens for a while now, but a couple of other equally strong colours are nibbling at its heels.  Dark green is definitely on the up for cabinetry and accessories, whilst perhaps more surprisingly red is also making an appearance.  At the moment red seems to be confined to statement pieces – such as large glass-fronted cabinets – but who knows?

All these really strong colours are ideal to show off the continuing love of different metals for handles and taps.  One innovative company has even designed a burnt steel cabinet closure with a small padlock – ideal for the drinks cupboard maybe.

Brass taps continue to be hugely popular.  And taps can now deliver filtered, chilled, boiling and sparkling water.  One delivers ‘hands-free’ water when Alexa (or similar personal assistants) instruct them.  No matter what the tap does though, the trend demands that they make a statement – ideally in terms of both their design and their functionality.

The water from these taps is not necessarily just flowing into a white or metal sink.  Stone sinks are proving popular – acting as a brilliant backdrop for burnished metal taps and accessories.

Cooker hoods are certainly not just utilitarian items.  Now they should be stylish, technically advanced, a real feature for the kitchen – or alternatively completely concealed.  Technology is helping to make cooker hoods ever more efficient – including one which communicates with the induction hob and knows when it is no longer needed, switching itself off.

To introduce different shapes into the kitchen, a range of wall cabinets is now available with curved tops (rather than flat tops), although (from a very practical point of view), it is difficult to see how storage in such a shape can be very efficient.

Islands, double islands and now dining islands, which as the name suggests, provide a table for eating at, as an extension of the island.  A huge area, which will need to be carefully designed to ensure that it really works and that there is sufficient space around it.  It will also demand great lighting.  But this will not be a problem at all, as feature lighting – and in particular pendant lighting  – remains a must-have for anyone with an island.  And some of the latest lighting designs are true works of art – with different coloured glass lamps for a multi-pendant feature.  Beautiful and striking, even when they are not illuminated.

There can never be too much storage space in a kitchen.  Specialist storage, such as wine cabinets, is more and more in demand, whilst a larder is becoming almost essential, if space allows.  One great way of achieving more storage is to go up, up, up – towards the ceiling.  And reaching these upper cupboards is no problem at all, because there are a range of ladders which can be incorporated into the overall design.

Highly patterned flooring is making a come back after many years’ absence.  Jagged tiles, again sometimes patterned, can be used to zone areas if the desire is to avoid just a ‘boring’ straight line between these zones.

And finally, if all these strong, dark colours and patterns are a bit too much, the alternative colour palette which is beginning to trend this summer is at the opposite end of the spectrum.  Just think serenity with dusky pinks, greys and sage green, teamed with warming copper taps and accessories.

Bathrooms

No one colour appears to dominate in bathrooms at the moment, although there are signs that pastel pink, strawberry pink and minty shades are increasing in popularity.  Paired with perhaps neomint or gold taps creates a very feminine, glamorous environment.

An alternative – and a really big alternative – is to look at a completely black bathroom.  This probably needs a brave designer with an open-minded client, but accompanied by warm metal accessories, the look could be stunning.

And whilst red is making an appearance in kitchens, it is also a possibility for bathrooms – again perhaps for those who are willing to set a trend, rather than just follow.

Strong colours feature for a range of ‘mini basins’ designed for cloakrooms where space is at a premium.  Why settle for white, when the basin can be a feature in itself – perhaps shocking pink, or sizzling orange.  This can really give a small room its own personality, rather than it just being purely functional.

Towel rails and radiators know no bounds.  They can be found – with some searching – in a huge range of colours, styles and amazing shapes – turning them into works of art in their own right.  Basins are not being left out of this trend – some look like parts of a Monet lily pond painting – again a real feature in bathrooms, both large and small.  And if such a level of decoration is too much, then rippled sided basins add interest without being such a dominant feature.

Roll top, free-standing baths continue to be popular, with quite a lot of focus on their feet – ensuring that if possible, they make a ‘statement’ and are not just something that the bath is standing on!

Marble and marble-effect tiles (will they ever lose their popularity in bathrooms), are being joined by ‘imperfect’ tiles which look as though they are made from pieces of broken ceramics threaded with a gold effect.  And an alternative to tiling or paint on the walls could be the new waterproof wallpaper – which looks nothing like waterproof paper from the 1960s.  This is shimmery, desirable and beautiful – perhaps for just one wall.

For the body beautiful, mirrors can now use various technologies to change lighting effects, with a recent model automatically giving the ‘best light possible’.

The new gym/workout space which has been designed to fit into a bathroom sounds interesting.  But perhaps it should only be considered for houses with more than one bathroom, or for sole occupants?

Bedrooms

Every time we look at the trends for different seasons, kitchens and bathrooms are just awash with new ideas – but bedrooms tend to be a bit Cinderella-ish.  Wardrobe and storage design vary, and the search for specialist storage that uses every single inch of space continues.  But there seems to be far less innovation and fewer defined design trends than elsewhere in the house.

So, just a few pointers to make bedrooms as on trend as possible.

Last year the only colour for a bedroom was grey, and shades of grey.  Now with the summer here, the colour palette has really opened up.  Pale mint greens, ochres, and yellows, with velvet fabrics bringing luxury, glamour and potentially more colour into the bedroom.

Sleigh beds continue to be extremely popular.

And on the walls, there is quite a variety of options for the designer.  Art deco and mirrored glass is one trend, whilst abstract patterns are also being promoted.  Very different looks, certainly, with high gloss surfaces and metallics also as possibilities, as well as mixing old and new for a more eclectic look

And maybe this latter look (of mix and match) is the real design trend for bedrooms.  Perhaps it is such a personal space that once the ‘functionality’ has been sorted out – the storage, space for the bed and around it, bedside cabinets, lighting etc –  the overall style, colouring and ambience, Is just down to the individual taste of the homeowner and the skill of the designer in interpreting this successfully.