With the country still in the grip of economic despair, instead of moving house many people are looking to improve their current homes, increasing the future selling value but first and foremost improving their living space to make their home a more enjoyable one.
Formal living rooms and even formal dining rooms are becoming things of the past and as such, their improvement no longer need large investments in the form of furniture and expensive decor that will barely be used by the average homeowner.
Instead, kitchen budgets and home improvement budget in terms of paying contractors are growing year on year and with the kitchen slowly becoming the focal point of many homes across the country, a place not just to cook, but to entertain; the kitchen is often the centrepiece to the modern home.
As such, it’s important to understand the current trends and colour styles that the experts are saying are “in” for 2012.
The experts believe that classic stainless steel will continue to be a popular finish for all kitchen appliances. Stainless steel has been an incredibly popular choice for well over a century and it’s not hard to see why; the easy to clean finish is sterile, classy, established and has a great history associated with luxury. All of this means that stainless steel is going nowhere, despite its age.
When it comes to appliance finishes, second place to stainless steel is classic black. Formal, subdued and subtle, black can fit in with almost any style you choose, arguably more so than stainless steel as it is far less bold. Black is another great safe yet effective appliance style in 2012.
Other decorative elements that are strong right now and will continue to be throughout 2012 include finishes such as wood and stone which compliment natural and simple stylistic choices in the kitchen. These are complimented by glass and shiny metallics, which can be further heightened by clever use of lighting.
Now onto the main colour choice for your kitchen; the overall style and theme. There are 4 different colour groups for 2012—Eclectic Elegance, Earth & Sky, Sense & Sensibility, and Spiced Life.
The first, Eclectic Elegance uses tones such as nimbus gray (a tranquil blue) and gypsy love (a subtle red) to offer modern and sophisticated tone on tone colour that can really anchor a space and fill it with a cosy glow, perfect for the small kitchen designed as a place not only to cook, but to entertain. The tone on tone schemes can really give the kitchen a modern feel.
Sense and Sensibility is perfect for kitchens with high ceilings as the Masada (a dark orange) and Montpelier (a light blue) really help create a sense of warmth and cosiness despite the soaring ceiling, ensuring your kitchen is an inviting place to gather your friends and family, as well as making cooking alone an enjoyable experience.
Earth & Sky uses tones such as fresh olive and storm cloud grey to create simple backdrops accented by darker trims. They offer soothing colours that can soften the supposed formality of the traditional kitchen, an bring with it a more modern spin, the kitchen being the focal point of the house, a place to entertain.
Spiced Life is ideally suited to art lovers, using unexpected combinations of French press (a stark brown) and persimmon (a striking red) is the perfect way to create eye catching backdrops that can really showcase your favourite art, another plus when entertaining guests in your kitchen area and making your kitchen the focal point to your home.
This Kitchens Kitchens news item was written from the Colour Trends 2012 issued by Benjamin Moore see their web site
