Essential Kitchen Bathroom Bedroom Magazine March 2014 Retour à l'édition précédente

People often ask me about the emerging trends in kitchens. I’m not generally a great fan of ‘trends’ – favouring instead enduring quality and thoughtful design – but one new fashion that is clearly coming through for 2014 has really caught my attention. Allowing the beauty of natural wood grains to shine through on surfaces, selecting rusticity over perfection – be it on cabinet doors, splashbacks or flooring. This may be the latest fashion, but I also believe it will look good for decades to come. Kitchen Brasserie (page 24) tells how Peter Sheppard was inspired by a characterful dresser when having dinner in a local French brasserie and how the elementary finish of the pickled oak he has used in the new range has been influenced by the rough-hewn beauty of scaffolding planks. Why this works so well is that the primitive elements haven’t been overdone, but teamed with smooth modern surfaces for an overwhelmingly inviting appeal. To continue this theme we have included a kitchen special on all the latest surfaces. On The Surface (page 88) outlines the myriad options now available. There is so much choice that you are sure to find something to create the optimum look for your room. Another surface that is often overlooked is walls. In our bedroom section we take a close look at how to use – and choose – the latest wallpapers. Another hot fashion topic, wallpaper is enjoying something of a renaissance, yet it can still be rather daunting to take that bold step to go from a nice neutral paint shade to a striking geometric design. Writer Harriet Paige and Interior Designer Adrienne Chinn offer really practical advice on how to make these smart papers work for you. Wallpaper really is one of the most overwhelmingly dramatic ways to alter the feel of a room. See Choosing Wallpaper (page 132) – and you may be surprised at the next decorating decision you make! Have a great month!