Kitchen trends study

An open plan kitchen-diner is by far the most popular layout, apparently 22% of people looking to renovate their kitchen are planning an extension

At Westbury, we have found that many people having an orangery or garden room built are doing so to upgrade their kitchen and/or expand it into the new extension. This is popular thanks to the kitchen being one of the rooms in which people often congregate, and making the move to an open plan space enables a family to interact and be active in the same area without feeling cramped; parents can have clear view of children playing in the living area from the kitchen, there’s more room for entertaining and family-get togethers are easily accommodated.

A recent study by Houzz confirms this; an open plan kitchen-diner is by far the most popular layout, and apparently 22% of people looking to renovate their kitchen are planning an extension, showing that open plan living is here to stay. Indeed, almost half of the people who aren’t even upgrading their kitchen wish it was larger.

This is undoubtedly down to the amount of time spent in this one room; on average, those surveyed spend around 12% of their lives in the kitchen. With a relatively large amount of waking hours spent at home in the kitchen, it’s easy to see why people invest in making it a lovely room to be in. Many people are adding in features that would traditionally been found in the living or dining room, such as tables, TVs, music systems, and even wood burners. In an open plan kitchen living area achieved with an extension, you get the best of both worlds; the comfort of the living space and its features alongside the practicality of the kitchen.

Entertaining is certainly on the rise, too. With people spending more time at home and in others homes for social occasions like dinner parties, this open-plan living really comes in to its own. The host isn’t isolated, yet guests can be comfortable and not in the way of food preparation. This is a real boon when much of the cooking done in the household is for guests; 48% of the cooking done by those surveyed was for entertaining.

In terms of decor, paint dominates in the choices for wall coverings and white and lighter colours are preferred across the board. If you’re relocating or revamping your kitchen in an extension, then using lighter colours will certainly help to maintain and enhance a light, bright feeling of space and airiness. In addition, we’ll be seeing a rise in the popularity of industrial styles; with 12% of 25-34 year olds preferring this vs 2% of those 54+, this style is set to stay and grow. Another key trend for 2015 which is catching on is pendant lights, with more than a third of respondents opting for these above other styles.

With more observations on interiors and appliances, this report makes for an interesting read. If you’re thinking of renovating your kitchen, consider the benefits of relocating it to an extension. Contact us for advice on planning, design and creation of your dream kitchen space. We can even advise on decor and paint colours!