Kitchen trends worth letting go of

Kitchens are amazing places for family to not only gather and share meals but also wonderful memories. Therefore, apart from them being practical, they also have to be aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Otherwise, many will only pick a meal and move to either their room or the outdoors because the space is not appealing. In a bid to see to the aesthetic side, here are some trends you may want to leave behind you.

Concrete kitchen cabinets

In years past, homeowners cast kitchen cabinets out of concrete and only framed cabinet doors for them. While this permanent way of making cabinets meant that homeowners did not have to deal with the rot that usually wastes kitchen cabinets, more so those around the sink, Francis Ssemakadde, a carpenter at Concept MacFaj says these concrete cabinets harbour cockroaches.

“Given the cool environment concrete offers, cockroaches find it a conducive place to multiply. The darkness also creates a great habitation for the nocturnals making it easy for your kitchen to suffer with cockroach infestation, more so for homeowners that do not make it a habit to clean their cabinets frequently,” he says. Owing to their permanence, making any cabinet changes is costly as it would require breaking them down. That is unlike when one uses boards.

Open shelving

At its onset, open shelving was a darling among many homeowners as it allowed them to easily access their kitchen ware while also having a beautiful display of the same.

However, the trend of having all open (floating) shelves is quickly losing its thrill. “Having them fill your kitchen is starting to look like a sore thumb. If you must have them, let them only occupy a portion of your kitchen. For example, they could be in the middle of other closed cabinets; 10 percent of the kitchen storage space,” Alvarez Kibuuka, an interior designer says.

Monster kitchen range hoods

While these are seemingly treasured by homeowners as they help to suck out soot, making the cooking experience better,   range hoods, or extractors are running out of design.

Lawrence Simiyu, a construction consultant says the range hoods are for commercial purposes and therefore big and heavy. “Apart from taking up a lot of space, which is a great disadvantage for small kitchens, they pollute the atmosphere with carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide,” he says.

For an environment-friendly vent, the alternative is a ductless (recirculating) kitchen range hood that uses charcoal filters to trap grease and odours. These filters trap the carbon monoxide in the air then return it to the house and are changed depending on the nature and frequency of your cooking.

“The more greasy dishes you make, the more frequent you have to change the filter,” he says.

Colourful appliances

Colour is an amazing way to add life to a space. However, when this colour is tied to appliances, it qualifies them to become accessories, which pronounces an unspoken rule that the other items within the kitchen should blend with them. Imagine having pink appliances and thus a pink backsplash as well as a pink chandelier. It is akin to a kitchen from the 80s. “Apart from dictating the kitchen overall look, colourful appliances are also rather difficult to replace because it is not every day that you will find a blue refrigerator in the same shade with cooker. That means a bigger budget if you must make replacements. Therefore, for a hustle free as well as less financially stressing kitchen overhaul, should it be needed, go for neutral coloured appliances. In case you need a pop of colour, work with table lines, kitchen towels to lend colour to your space,” Kibuuka says.

All white kitchens

A spotless kitchen is an amazing sight. However, spotless does not mean it should be white; from the ceiling to the floor. An all-white space, according to Kibuuka, will make the kitchen seem lifeless and definitely cold. “While white is a definite colour to have in your kitchen, rather than it be the sole colour, break its monotony with a bit of stone, wood as well as other colours to add warmth and life to the space. These additional elements will also help it gain interest and depth while give it a modern look,” he says. Additionally, with more people working from home, it is important that homes look livelier as well as relaxing for people to retreat. Moreover, the traffic has increased and therefore, keeping some of those surfaces clean becomes a little more cumbersome.

Patterned backsplash

Backsplash is a wonderful way to add character to the kitchen. However, working with patterned backsplash may add chaos rather than calm to your space. “Patterned back splash is great to break monotony in an all-white kitchen because it introduces variety to once monochromatic space. That also brings character. However, when patterned backsplash is married with other colours, it is loud and makes the place seem busy. It also makes the eye wander from place to place, in search of a focal point. Ultimately, the kitchen looks chaotic and not a calming place for the family to relax,” Alvarez Kibuuka says.