theSun Property May 2017

ALYSSA J. OON

ITCHENS

are an important

part of a home, the place

where sustenance for its

dwellers is prepared. In

more recent years, the place where

the washing, peeling, cutting,

chopping and cooking is done in has

been getting a touch of “glamour”. It

is no longer just another room in the

house, but the soul of the home.

InMalaysian lifestyle, where

food and beverage are an essential

part of culture, the kitchen is hugely

important. However, it has become

far more than just the place where

meals are prepared.

With houses within city limits

declining in size, some homes may

need tomerge dining and kitchen

quarters. While the experts say that

dining in a dim, grey kitchen does

not help appetites, designers give

their take on the latest trends, soon

if not already, dominating kitchens

across the world. Point to highlight

is that these new concepts and

designs can be applied to kitchens of

any size.

BARE IT ALL

Thinkwarehouses and factories and

youwill have a rough idea of what

the industrial-looking kitchen is all

about. With key elements like

exposed brickwalls and steel

beams, it does not sound like the

epitome of a fancy kitchen.

However, when done right, it gives

the kitchen a certain personality.

The exposed brickwork is a

classic industrial look. Amid all the

metal and concrete, the colour of

the bricks brings warmth to the

>Kitchen takes the spotlight with some of the latest trends for 2017

room. While the thought of

stripping bare the walls of your

kitchen could sound tiring, the

alternative is to turn to brick effect

wallpaper to achieve the same look

minus the hard labour.

If you prefer the concrete wall as

is, then a nice backsplash could give

the kitchen a simple lift. Use subway

tiles arranged in a brickwall pattern

for a clean, polished look.

Turn your utensils, equipment

and crockery into a displaywhen

not in use by storing themon open

stainless steel shelving units.

Balance out the

coldness of

metals with

natural textures,

like wood or

marble tabletops,

evenwooden

storage boxes ,

and add little

potted plants for

a pop of colour.

Top it off with

lighting in

metallic copper

colours or

exposed light

bulbs and see the

difference.

SLEEK IS CHIC

In contemporary

kitchens, sleek

and streamlined

cabinetry is

seeing a rise in

popularity. It was

only amatter of

time before

people realised

there was a way

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Soul

the home

to avoid knocking your knees

against handles and getting tugged

backwhen apron strings and clothes

get caught at the corners.

Homeowners are looking to

handle-less cabinetry for a fuss-free

and safer kitchen. Pull recesses and

push-openmechanisms have

replaced knobs and hand-grips. The

look is usually pairedwith high-

gloss finishes inwhite, black or hues

in between for that chicmodern

flat-out and feel. However, it is

expected that handle-less units will

be a fixture in other design styles

with the introduction of painted

colour options that allow

homeowners to add texture to the

cabinetry.

WORK FOR YOU

Technology is unavoidable and it

follows even into the kitchen. To

keep upwith the demands of a fast-

paced lifestyle, young homeowners

will take to smart kitchen gadgets

that makemornings and nights a

little easier.

“There will bemore of a focus on

appliances such as integrated

speakers with Bluetooth

functionality, colour-changing

lights and even pop-up sockets for

phone charging, giving traditional

kitchens a subtle, modern twist,”

said LochAnna Kitchens category

manager Pete Sherry.

Designer Gail Drury sees mobile

applications playing a role in the

kitchen, most notably inmeal

preparations, where homeowners

can programme their appliances

andmonitor their meals all via their

smartphone devices. “We will be

able to turn our appliances on and

off from the office and adjust

temperature settings,” she

explained, allowing for smaller

kitchen spaces that is still effective.

EASY PEASY UPKEEP

Also increasing in popularity as the

number of young homeowners rise

are low-maintenance spaces. These

young homeowners will make

design choices that make cleaning

and home upkeep easier.

Drury’s colleague designer Jane

Lockhart advises choosing larger-

format tiles with less grout lines for

floors and backsplashes for easier

cleaning. Lockhart also advises,

“Multiple-use appliances aremore

practical and easier to clean because

they’re smaller with less surface to

clean.”

Engineeredmaterials

such as quartz is used for

counter-tops for its

durability and ease of

cleaning. According to

Tukasa Creations

marketing and social

media director Sam

Ferris, “Quartz is twice as

strong as granite and is

non-porous whichmeans

less scratches, chipping

and no sealing”. Ferris

also advises against raised

panel styles and glass

door fronts on cabinetry

and to lose the crown,

corbels and decorative

legs.

PERSONALITY

TOUCHES

Another modern kitchen

element that is

noteworthy is that homeowners are

ditching “playing it safe” with

kitchen decor and adding personal

touches to kitchens.

Lockhart notes that jewel tones

such as ruby reds, golds, turquoises,

emeralds and sapphires are growing

in popularity. These tones (and

sometimes real stones) will appear