As we settle our feet firmly into 2020, we are turning our attention to the luxury trends in kitchen design for the year ahead. From two-tone designs and rich deep greens to smart storage, gold details and dark drama, 2020 is set to be a fantastic year for luxury kitchen design.

Whether you’re planning a renovation or you just enjoy keeping up with the latest trends, here are the design movements to take note of for the year ahead…

Broken Plan Living

For over a decade now it’s been all about open-plan living. Over the years, many of us have taken walls out and reworked floor plans to create an open-plan kitchen-diner, and in some cases incorporated the living room too. While open-plan is still popular in 2020, the trend has developed to become ‘broken-plan’ which is expected to define the next decade.

This new approach retains the spacious and connected feel that open-plan living offers, but instead uses design elements to zone and break up the expansive space. When it comes to changing open-plan kitchen diner to broken-plan, think splitting up space with a breakfast bar at the end of the run of kitchen units. This will separate the kitchen from the dining area, but maintain the airy feel and the flow.

Two-Tone Kitchens

Matchy-matchy kitchens are becoming a thing of the past, with the introduction of two-tone kitchens for 2020. This is a great way to add a twist to the aesthetic of your kitchen and looks really high-end. Try a combination of rich and deep-toned cabinets with a contrasting pastel or bright island. Choosing a two-tone kitchen will create instant depth and character, ideal for new builds or to enhance the charm of your period property.

Smart Storage

A clever approach to storage in the kitchen is key to creating a space that’s functional as well as beautiful. Increasingly so, we are utilizing every square inch and using creative solutions to create more storage to avoid clutter and mess on the worktops.

Modern kitchens need to perform so many functions, and great storage is integral to that. From the pantry, unit to pull out drawers and shelving that makes use of corner space, working smart storage into your kitchen for 2020 is a must.

Colour Pop

The rulebook is being rewritten when it comes to colour pairing in the kitchen. Think outside the box and go for the unexpected. A colour pop doesn’t have to take over your entire kitchen design, you can still go for timeless design and shades, but with the addition of a unique colour to add interest. From appliances to flooring, islands and window treatments, there are lots of ways to introduce a single pop of colour.

Start by considering how permanent you want the injection of colour to be – tiles are fairly easy and not too costly to replace, so work well if you might want to switch things up in a few years time. If you’re committed to a colour, try a contrasting island to your units in rich green or blush pink. When it comes to choosing a colour if you want to keep it for a long time, think about which shades you are naturally drawn to, rather than being influenced by trends.

Gold Details

Kitchen design doesn’t come much more luxurious than gold details. Copper and chrome are being sidestepped for the year ahead, making way for high-end finish gold. Taps and handles in polished gold and brass will add an instant luxury feel to the kitchen, and even sinks in gold have been spotted across premium designs. Sinks are no longer primarily functional, but beautiful too. A gold sink is a real statement piece and will add the wow factor to your space.

Matching Worktops and Splashbacks

Extending the worktop up the walls to create a splashback looks really luxurious and is ideal for those that want to create a sleek and luxurious finish. Materials such as marble, quartz and granite can be used as worktops and splashbacks. Choose a single material to get this look right.

Double Islands

Kitchens are getting bigger and bigger, and because of this, we have seen the development of the double island. Considering two separate islands instead of one large one can help to maintain the flow of the kitchen, making it easier to get around from one side to the other. In addition, double islands can be split up into functional and entertaining. Consider one island for prep space with a sink and lots of built-in storage and one for sitting and socialising.

The Curated Kitchen

More and more open shelving and glass-fronted cabinets are being incorporated into kitchen design. This movement follows an increasing demand for unique ceramics, artwork and decorative items. Taking a curated approach to kitchen styling allows us to create our own unique style, which creates a need for more display space. Displaying various items is also a great way to add a homely feel and add personality.

For classic style, try glass-fronted cabinets to display your decorative items. For a more modern approach, open shelving is a great choice and will help narrower kitchens feel open and airy.

Colourful and Patterned Tiles

White and neutral kitchen cabinets are still one of the most popular choices, but increasingly so we are seeing colour and pattern added through tiles. Ideal for adding colour and interest without having to overcommit, tiles are generally quite easy to replace and so can be changed a few years later to suit current trends.

Artisan and handmade tiles are very popular at the moment and give that bespoke feel.

Dark and Moody

Charcoal grey, black, dark green and deep blue are all set to be big colours for kitchen cabinets and doors this year. Including deep shades within the kitchen is important to create a contrast and ground the space. Painted kitchens are also extremely versatile and durable, making a dark shade ideal for busy kitchens where you still want to create a stylish and striking finish.

If allover dark is too much for you, try dark cabinets and a light island, or create contrast with lighter flooring and worktops.

Bespoke Design

Bespoke design is the standout choice when it comes to luxury kitchens for 2020. Offering so much more than off the shelf options, choosing to go bespoke means you can create a completely unique finish and really maximise the space. Working to improve both the look and feel, a bespoke kitchen can really enhance the functionality, flow and purpose of the space too, ensuring your kitchen works as hard for you as possible. Bespoke kitchens are becoming an increasingly popular choice for those looking for a high-end quality kitchen that will last for years to come.

Calming Colour Schemes

While dark colours dominate cabinetry in 2020, there’s a growing trend for calming colour palettes. This includes cabinets, worktops, paint colours and free-standing furniture. Think pale greys, creamy whites, soft dusky pinks or sage green. This is a great way to create a calming feel in what is usually a busy and sometimes hectic space.

If you are renovating your kitchen in 2020, consider pale grey cabinetry and add warmth with wall paint colours, as well as a luxury finish with brass handles and taps.

Concealed Appliances

Once seen mostly in luxurious hotels, the ‘breakfast cupboard’ is becoming an increasingly popular feature in high-end kitchens. Ideal for tucking away smaller appliances like the kettle, toaster and microwave, this cupboard can be opened up for everyday use and closed off when not in use to maintain a sleek and clutter-free finish.

In addition to tucking away smaller appliances, generally, all appliances are now being concealed and built in to avoid interrupting the flow of the units. Fridges, freezers, washing machines and dishwashers are all generally built-in, to create a high-end finish that’s sleek and aesthetically pleasing.

Bare Wood

There’s been an increase in popularity in the use of wood in the kitchen. More and more we are embracing materials in their natural state, choosing not to paint wood, but instead to stain to enhance the grain. Stained wood highlights the differences in the finish, with no two pieces of wood the same. This is a great way to incorporate a completely unique material into the kitchen and can be used across worktops and/or kitchen cabinets.

Dining Islands

This trend incorporates the popular feature of the island along with the dining table. No longer two separate pieces, the dining island offers all of the versatile storage that an island might, with the addition of a dining area at a lower level, perfect for more formal dining. Think of the dining space as an extension of the island – you can opt to have the island and table in the same material for a streamlined look, or choose two separate materials to define the traditional island and the dining island. This is ideal for those that like to socialise while cooking, allowing you to continue to use the island for prep space, while guests relax at the table.

Statement Flooring

Statement floor tiles are big for 2020. Adding a real luxury to the kitchen, the trick with this is to let the floor tiles do all the talking, keeping the rest of the kitchen simple. Go for a simple cabinetry design in a single shade and avoid wall cabinets to keep the eye drawn downwards. Patterned floor tiles come in a range of designs, from colourful and intricate to geometric and monochrome, making it easy to find the perfect style for your home.

In addition, statement tiles are brilliant for zoning open-plan kitchens. Try using a statement tile in the kitchen area, and wood flooring in the dining area to define the two spaces.

Focus Lighting

Today lighting is more of a design statement than ever before. Not just used for practical purposes, in 2020 lighting plays a key role in the design of the kitchen. Lighting continues to be used to zone spaces and add focus, with the pendant light being particularly important in kitchens for 2020.

Both large and small pendants can be used to zone an open plan kitchen diner. Try a collection of three small pendants above a breakfast bar to add focus here, and a single larger pendant above the dining table. Pendants come in a huge array of designs too – try adding a pop of colour with a pastel, bright or even deep rich coloured pendant, or add an industrial edge with raw metal.

Raw and Sleek Materials

Generally, we might lean towards one type of material than the other, rather than combining the two, but in 2020 lifting more natural and raw materials with luxe and modern materials is becoming increasingly popular. Think a wood worktop and industrial dining table with sleek painted cabinets and gold taps and details. This makes for a really interesting look and is great if you love both raw and sleek design. The trick to getting this look right is to achieve a balance and to not incorporate too many different materials across both areas.

2020 is set to be a wonderful year in the kitchen design and sees various boundaries pushed further than ever before. Get started with your luxury kitchen renovation and find inspiration in our designs.