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People say that kitchen trends follow fashion trends and, whilst this may be true, are we all really slaves to fashion? We ask Steve Bloom, Director and designer at Spacefittingfurniture.
FORM AND FUNCTION
"Yes and no," says Steve. "What it's really about is that people's lifestyles have changed. Not only do we all want a beautifully designed kitchen, but it needs to be about 'convenience meets multifunctionality'.
The finished design needs to take into account how much time is spent in it and who will be spending time in it. If it's a family with kids, how old are they? Does the family have big dogs? Will it be used for family meals and entertaining? Will the family want to watch television or listen to music in it? All of these things come into play."
"Isn't it all about superficial design these days?" I ask. I'm thinking minimalistic super white handle-less creations that no-one's allowed to touch unless they've been sterilised.
"Yes, it needs to look good." Steve smiles. I think I've touched a design nerve. But no, he's away again. "When you're looking at your kitchen all of the time, that's important of course. But."
I sense I'm in for a form versus function fight and I'm about to lose horribly.
"I always use this analogy; when you're buying a car, you don't set out to look at a green car, you look for the car first and then pick the colour. It needs to be functional. That's why we sell Rational Kitchens. Not only do they look good but the company has really thought things through. Storage units that can house all of your pots, pans and essentials that pull out so that you can actually reach them - all of them, all of the time.
We all tend to hang on to things we don't actually need. Rational's philosophy is to help life in the kitchen become less cluttered. It's all about efficiency. It's about making your life, as the user, much easier."
Steve pulls out one of the deep drawers to demonstrate his point. He's got a point actually. Everything about the Rational Kitchens sings style but there's also a usability about these kitchens that says someone very clever and creative has sat down and spent time thinking through every detail.
"They've also thought a lot about the materials they use such as new woods ceramics and slate" says Steve, "Which makes my job more fulfilling as I have a much greater palette of resources to refer to when I'm designing."
It's strange isn't it, you start having a conversation with someone about kitchen style trends and the next thing you're completely hooked by what you're seeing and hearing. And that's the great thing about Steve Bloom. Yes, you're sat in a beautiful kitchen showroom surrounded by gorgeous kitchens but, listening to Steve, you sense he has a real passion for design.
"Look at this!" He smiles again. "People like something a bit different; we've introduced wall-mounted base units that look like they're suspended in the air, adding a contemporary sense of free-flowing space and those, combined with the virtually ceilinghigh wall units, genius - they just look gorgeous. And they can easily be integrated into dining areas and living spaces too."
I'm hooked, I have to say, to the point where I'm practically reaching for my cheque book to write out a deposit! "So what about colour?" I hear myself asking. "Colour plays a huge part in the kitchen," Steve enthuses.
"Remember, extreme colours are very tying but adding a splash of colour to neutrals and woods with art or fabrics, you can change the mood and style of your new kitchen not only to current trends but also to your own taste and even with the seasons. Your kitchen should never date!"
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