Alright, darling, let\u2019s have a proper chat about kitchens\u20142022 style. You know, it\u2019s funny\u2014I was just in a showroom in Chelsea last autumn, sipping a truly terrible lukewarm coffee, when it hit me: people aren\u2019t just picking cabinets anymore. They\u2019re choosing a mood. A whole vibe.<\/p>\n
Take that project in Notting Hill I worked on early last year\u2014a Victorian terrace, gorgeous high ceilings, but the kitchen felt like a sad beige box. The clients, a young couple who actually cook (rare, honestly!), wanted warmth but also something that felt\u2026 collected. Not like they\u2019d bought a \u201ckitchen in a box\u201d from some massive retailer. And that\u2019s where it all started.<\/p>\n
Colour? Oh, it got brave. Forget safe greys\u2014though they\u2019re still hanging about, bless them. The real story was in the greens. Not just any green, mind you. We\u2019re talking deep, organic, almost murky shades. Like \u201cSage\u2019s Advice\u201d from Little Greene or Farrow & Ball\u2019s \u201cTreron.\u201d It\u2019s that colour you see on old library walls or inside a herb drawer. I used it on some Shaker-style cabinets in a Islington flat\u2014paired with unlacquered brass hardware that was already starting to patina. The owner texted me later saying it made her morning coffee ritual feel \u201cgrounded.\u201d That\u2019s the magic, isn\u2019t it? Colour that doesn\u2019t shout, but hums.<\/p>\n
And then there\u2019s the other side of the coin\u2014the really light, creamy off-whites. But not sterile! Never sterile. Think \u201cPointing\u201d by Farrow & Ball, or \u201cSchool House White.\u201d They\u2019ve got a drop of grey or ochre in them. Makes all the difference in the natural light, especially in those long London winters. It feels soft, like worn linen.<\/p>\n
Now, cabinetry. Goodness, where to start. The biggest shift I kept seeing? A move away from the super high-gloss, handle-less slabs. They had their moment, but in 2022, people craved texture. Detail. Character. Fluted wood fronts became a thing\u2014I saw a stunning example in a Brighton home, done in a pale oak. It caught the light from the sea-facing window and just\u2026 shimmered. Felt alive.<\/p>\n
Shaker styles held strong, but with tweaks. Thinner frame profiles, for a more modern look. Or painted in two tones\u2014maybe a darker island, lighter perimeter cabinets. I remember sourcing these beautiful, long, leather strap pulls from a small ironworks in Cornwall for a Shaker kitchen in Bristol. Took ages to arrive, but the tactile feel? Unbeatable. You want to touch it. That\u2019s key.<\/p>\n
Oh, and open shelving? It got strategic. Not the whole \u201cI\u2019m a caf\u00e9\u201d look, but maybe just one section. For the pretty stuff\u2014the mismatched pottery, the well-used cookbooks, the beautiful olive oil bottle. It\u2019s about showing a bit of your life, your travels. I always tell clients, if you\u2019re gonna do it, commit to the curation! No sad packets of pasta in the background, please.<\/p>\n
And materials got mixed up. Like, properly. It wasn\u2019t just about the cabinet finish. Think of a kitchen island with a wooden base and a stone top that\u2019s a completely different colour and vein. Or introducing a run of cabinets in a stained, cerused oak next to painted ones. It stops the room from feeling like a showroom. Adds layers. Like a good outfit, you know?<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s a personal bugbear\u2014I think the obsession with \u201cintegrated everything\u201d softened a bit. Yes, we hid the fridges. But people fell back in love with the statement cooker hood. A beautiful, sculptural extractor in copper or stainless steel became a focal point. It\u2019s a piece of jewellery for the room.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s be real, 2022 kitchens weren\u2019t about one single trend. It was a feeling. A move towards kitchens that felt personal, tactile, and quietly confident. Less \u201clook what I can afford,\u201d and more \u201cthis is how I live.\u201d They became the proper heart of the home again\u2014a bit scuffed, full of character, and telling your story. Even if that story sometimes involves a bit of a chaotic wine spill on that lovely new quartzite\u2026 not that I\u2019d know anything about that, of course. Ahem.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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