4 kitchen trends to keep an eye out for

When it comes to renovation projects, kitchen makeovers are amongst the most popular. And why shouldn't they be?

The kitchen is not the only space where we can prepare food but is one of the most trafficked space in the home, acting as its central hub. Perhaps this is why Cherie Barber, CEO of Renovating for Profit, considers renovating as the most powerful way of increasing a home's value.

Archicentre's cost guide estimates kitchen renovations to cost somewhere between $10,000 to $32,000, though this is obviously just a ballpark figure. With such a large price range, it shows that people can be extremely flexible with their choices, either making a few important upgrades or going for a full makeover with all the bells and whistles.

Whether you're a tradie or a DIY enthusiast equipped with the latest circular saw, it's always fun to take a look at the latest trends and how people are finding new ways to design their kitchens. Here are four trends that may only rise in popularity:

1) Smart kitchen

The fact of the matter is, we're now almost always connected online, depending on our mobile devices for just about everything. This is no less true in a kitchen, where people use their tablets or phones for recipes, cooking tips and more.

With this in mind, kitchens may now more commonly have dedicated charging stations and even Bluetooth-operated devices like cooling systems and audio speakers. After all, who wouldn't want to cook to the tune of their favourite playlist?

2) Vintage

As you might be aware, one popular modern trend comes by borrowing from the past, and it's not going away. As mentioned by Ana Moraes from eCairn, the vintage community is the second largest fashionista community according to the site's database. The appeal of retro stylings has been rising in prominence, influencing clothing, music, packaging and more. Kitchen designs are no different.

Ideas for a vintage kitchen do-over might include grabbing that wet tile saw and having some retro, black and white diner-style tiles on your floor. Or perhaps, building some new farm-style cabinetry with fixtures to match.

The possibilities are endless, so just flip through magazines for ideas.

3) Neutral with a touch of boldness

Colour plays a big role in our visual senses. Picking a unique colour scheme for your kitchen can transform the way it looks significantly. On this note, why not try out having your kitchen in predominantly neutral tones like whites, creams and greys. Then, stir it up with a few bold dashes of colour.

For instance, why not experiment with red cabinet doors for your cream-coloured kitchen. Or orange walls to complement your white drawers and benches? Pantone's 2016 colours of the year are rose quartz and serenity (a tranquil blue). These may be worth checking out if you want a few fresh colour ideas.

Just be sure to have the right painting equipment  for your renovation project.

4) Playing with textures

The different materials that go into kitchens, like brick, tile and timber, can offer a wide array of textures. The go-to approach is often to pick something textured to contrast flat and smooth surfaces. An example would be the pairing of brick walls with smooth, white cabinetry.

Interior designer Gail Drury said in a Forbes article that designers are changing this, repurposing the same texture in different patterns, such as using one type of stone and having it finished in three different ways, and then putting it in the same space.

So, pick up those saws and experiment away with different tiles, bricks and timber to find combinations that look unique and interesting.