Kitchen Renovation Trends 2016

Kitchen renovation trends looks at what we want in our kitchens from benchtops to lighting, and how much we’re spending.

Are you one of the 86% of Australians who spend more than two hours per day in the kitchen? That’s 10% of your TOTAL life! So it’s no wonder that 59% of Australians are replacing or expanding their kitchen space, with 13% spending over $50,000 to do so; the majority spend at least $20,000.

77% of Australians engage professional help when building or renovating a kitchen. Dissatisfaction with their current kitchen is the key driver with 52% renovating a kitchen that is more than 15 years old.

Premier architecture, interior designer, landscaper and resources website Houzz.com.au conducted a survey of 2,854 homeowners registered with Houzz.

So in terms of kitchen renovation trends, what are Australians seeking when designing and renovating their kitchen space?

The top three features for kitchen renovation trends are;

• Better storage
• Easier to clean and disinfect
• Easy to entertain in

Better storage is a massive driver with custom solutions high on the list of priorities. For flexible solutions, see Howard’s Storage World or your local kitchen manufacturer.

The top five storage solutions requested are;

• Pot and pan drawer
• Utensil/cutlery drawer
• Pull-out bin
• Drawer dividers
• Pull-out shelves

Interestingly, 20% are opting for a built-in bar or wine storage. New features that their old kitchen didn’t have are also a priority including digital entertainment, popularly a television and a built-in music system. The top three new features for kitchen renovation trends are;

• Pantry cupboard
• Breakfast bar with seating
• Dining/kitchen table

What new kitchen would be complete without the addition of new appliances? Small appliance desires include espresso machine, thermomix or food processor. Whilst 27% are opting for a new espresso/coffee machine, the top four new big appliances are;

• Oven
• Dishwasher
• Microwave
• Combined fridge/freezer

Stainless steel sinks are favoured by a huge 87% of kitchen renovators and 46% prefer double bowls with 32% requesting one and a half bowls. Engineered quartz for benchtops is preferred by 52% with the 2^nd most popular option, laminate, coming in at only 14%.

• The top five preferred kitchen renovation trends benchtops are;
• Engineered quartz
• Laminate
• Granite
• Wood
• Marble

Flooring options were pretty much contained in four general categories;

• Hardwood
• Tiles
• Bamboo
• Concrete

Natural hardwood floors topped the list at 20% with ceramic tiles, porcelain tiles, stained hardwood, bamboo, and painted hardwood all being rated equally around 10% – 15%. Concrete was rated the least at 5%, (but I think that’s because home owners are yet to understand the benefits and industrial beauty of concrete flooring – *personal opinion).

Pendant lighting is enjoying continued favour with 58% opting for these light fixtures. While 3% of kitchens will boast glamourous chandeliers, the top five lighting options are;

• Pendant lighting
• Recessed spotlights
• Under cabinet lighting
• LED strip lights
• Spotlights

It’s an island life for new kitchens with 39% integrating an island bench into their layout. Open-plan still tops the list of the top three kitchen renovation trends layout options.

• Open plan
• U-shaped
• Galley

Professional assistance, including kitchen design and construction/installation, is sought by 77% of homeowners. This correlates with the most important design aspect of a kitchen being integration with the rest of the house.

The top five important design aspects include;

• Integrates with the rest of the house
• Stylish and beautiful
• Filled with natural light
• Reflects the personality of the home owner
• Integrates with the outdoors

A clear leader in the style stakes is contemporary design at a whopping 55%, far exceeding any other genre. Apart from contemporary, over 35’s have a favour for Scandinavian and Industrial design while under 35’s favour beach and eclectic styles.

Click on the kitchen photos and you’ll be transported to the designer’s website.

For more information, see Recessed Kitchen Design, German-made Zwilling knives, the beautiful Zip hydro taps, and the new professional mandoline.